IPL Auction 2026 List: Who would be the top five most expensive players?

350 players have been shortlisted for the upcoming auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL) where all 10 teams will aim to further bolster their squads with fresh signings. While most of the big names have already been retained by their respective franchises, the auction player list still has some players who could trigger bidding wars.

A total of 1390 players had registered for the auction and now that list has been trimmed down to 350. Only 77 players will be sold and that too if all teams fill all their squads to the maximum limit of 25.

READ | IPL 2026 auction: Full list of purse remaining with all 10 teams

Some teams like Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings have to do a lot of shopping while some like Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians have only a handful of spots left.

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Here we take a look at which five players could turn out to be the most expensive signings of the 2026 IPL auction that takes place in Abu Dhabi next Tuesday, December 16.

Cameron Green

Rishabh Pant’s IPL record of Rs 27 crore could be in danger as Green is set to be the most in-demand player in the auction. Kolkata Knight Riders with their heavy purse will be the favourite to get Green but Chennai Super Kings will not give up on him easily as well. This will lead to a crazy bidding war for the tall Australian all-rounder. Also, however much Green's price in the auction is, he will only be getting Rs 18 crore.

Venkatesh Iyer

Iyer was sold for Rs 23.75 crore to Kolkata Knight Riders last year and the same franchise will again look to bring him back. The all-rounder might not get the same price as last year but there is no doubt that he will be in high demand with his bowling and batting both adding value to the team he reaches.

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Ravi Bishnoi

Bishnoi was retained by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 11 crore but a poor last season has pushed him into the auction pool for the first time since his IPL debut in 2020. Despite his falling graph, Bishnoi has the potential to be a big wicket-taking threat and teams will definitely take a punt on him. At 25, he is young as well and teams like SunRisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajasthan Royals are all on the look-out for spinners.

Liam Livingstone

The biggest gainer from Andre Russell’s IPL retirement could be Livingstone. There are very few options of big hitters with proven international track record and Livingstone will now be on the radar of multiple teams. The English all-rounder had a poor last season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru but he has performed well in previous seasons in IPL. Expect him to earn a big amount.

Matheesha Pathirana

Pathirana is a one-of-a-kind bowler and at his best can be a lethal threat. However, his poor form last season led to CSK releasing the Sri Lankan slinger. His unique action, raw pace and a young age make him a highly attractive proposition for teams. There will definitely be teams who will trust themselves to utilise his full potential with all sides always looking for quality death overs options.