Swastik Chikara, who was initially overlooked for the final player list, has made an impressive comeback by claiming one of the 9 spots that were recently added to the auction list for the IPL 2026 min-auction.
This left-handed batter of Indian origin was a part of the RCB team and is expected to be back on the block with everything to prove. What will happen on the day of the auction? Will the RCB team press the buzzer for a reunion? Will another franchise buy him? Or he will be unsold and wait for a second chance?
Let’s analyze every possibility here.
Will RCB reunite with Swastik Chikara?
The first thing is the reunion story. This is the most straightforward narrative and the easiest one to sell to fans. The homegrown talent is coming back to the side that knows him best. RCB can rightly weigh familiarity as a major factor since they know his temperament, training habits, and how he fits into their culture.
If they are looking for a low-risk domestic batting option, then it makes sense to buy Chikara back at the ₹30 lakh base price. Teams frequently bring back released players at a lower price as part of a larger roster shuffle.
The argument for RCB is also based on squad strategy. If they see the need to support a young finisher with promising talent, Chikara becomes an appealing option. Moreover, RCB has the financial flexibility with a remaining balance of ₹16.4 crores.
With their roster nearly complete and balanced following the IPL championship victory in 2025, RCB will likely just seek backups. Hence, Chikara might get a place.
Swastik Chikara is not going to be a hot pick probably.
Criterion list A T20s
Matches 6 4
Runs 200 15
Average 33.33 3.75
Strike Rate 109.28 57.69
100/50 1/0 0/0
(Table: Swastik Chikara’s List A and T20s stats)
The next thing will be the interest from other franchises. The mini auction is not only about the past but also about the compatibility between the players and teams. Young Indian hitters who won’t take an overseas slot are always in demand among the teams.
But for Swastik Chikara, domestic form is a huge let down. No doubt, he has got superb power along with the capability to hit long boundaries which is a very important skill in T20 format. But Chikara has not played T20s except for only four matches and he has made just 15 runs.
In List-A, he had amassed only 6 games 200 runs. All in all, Swastik has played just 10 matches so far in domestic cricket which is really insufficient since he is in the pool of seasoned players ready to fight and take the minimum contract.
Thus, apart from RCB, no one can predict if any team will go for Swastik Chikara during the 2026 IPL mini-auction.
Will Swastik Chikara go unsold?
Besides, there is a hard and unyielding truth that Swastik Chikara could be left unsold. Mini-auctions are merciless because of the very few slots available, the strong competition, and also because of several uncapped Indian batsmen with more recent hotter statistics.
Chikara’s non-participation in IPL and lack of exposure to live auction pressure are all disadvantages. Franchises are more inclined towards players with proven IPL records or those who have just made their mark in the major domestic tournaments by scoring heavily.
But “unsold” is not the end. The IPL ecosystem has a very fast-paced life as replacement signings, injury recruits, and mid-season roster shuffles open up new opportunities.
A player who goes unsold in the auction can still be signed later if he keeps on scoring in domestic cricket or if he has impressed in the nets and trials.
Conclusion
The most probable scenario for Swastik Chikara at the IPL 2026 mini-auction remains either a cheap reunion with RCB or no sale at all.
RCB has the advantage of convenience and might just hit the button if they consider it strategically. In any case, he might be ignored completely.
However, Chikara’s path would not be blocked. In the case of a young Indian batsman, it sometimes just requires a little of waiting, a few good performances in domestic cricket, and the right odds to change an “unsold” into “signed” in a season’s time.
Comments are closed.