Punjab Newsline,Sports Desk:
Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma sold for ₹14.20 crore each, Jason Holder gets ₹7 crore after going unsold for two seasons
The mini auction for IPL 2026, scheduled to begin on March 26, was held on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi and witnessed several surprising deals. All 10 franchises participated in bidding for 156 players and spent a total of ₹215.45 crore to buy 77 players. While some established stars were sold as expected, the biggest headlines were made by players from whom such huge prices were least anticipated. Uncapped Indian players, in particular, emerged as the biggest attraction of this year’s auction.
The biggest surprises of the auction were 20-year-old Prashant Veer and 19-year-old Kartik Sharma, both of whom were bought for a massive ₹14.20 crore each. Left-arm spin all-rounder Prashant Veer has impressed in domestic cricket with his consistent all-round performances. His exploits in the UP T20 League and the Under-23 tournaments caught the attention of talent scouts, leading to an intense bidding war among franchises that pushed his price to unexpected heights.
Wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma, on the other hand, was already on the radar for his explosive power-hitting ability. Known for his big sixes and quick scoring in the lower order, Kartik impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with an excellent strike rate. His ability to finish games under pressure convinced franchises to invest heavily in him, resulting in one of the most talked-about deals of the auction.
Another uncapped Indian who turned heads was pace-bowling all-rounder Aqib Nabi Dar, who was picked up for ₹8.40 crore. Hailing from Jammu & Kashmir, Aqib is known for his ability to swing the ball both ways and deliver effectively in the powerplay as well as death overs. His consistent wicket-taking form in domestic tournaments made him a highly sought-after prospect. Left-arm pacer Mangesh Yadav also emerged as a surprise pick, fetching ₹5.20 crore thanks to his ability to swing the ball and execute accurate yorkers.
Among overseas players, the most unexpected deal involved Caribbean all-rounder Jason Holder. After going unsold for the last two seasons, Holder made a strong comeback at the auction as Gujarat Titans secured his services for ₹7 crore. His recent T20 form and proven all-round skills played a key role in reviving franchise interest. In contrast, experienced South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock being picked up by Mumbai Indians for just ₹1 crore came as a major surprise, despite his recent match-winning performances.
Overall, the IPL 2026 mini auction underlined a clear shift in franchise strategy. Teams are no longer focusing solely on big international names but are increasingly willing to invest heavily in young, consistent performers from domestic cricket. This trend could pave the way for the rise of new stars in the upcoming IPL season.