Who won the IPL 2026 auction? Ranking every team from best to worst

Cameron Green shattered records at INR 25.20 crore, while Chennai Super Kings stunned observers by spending INR 14.20 crore each on uncapped duo Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma, the joint most expensive uncapped players in IPL history.

As the dust settles, some franchises executed flawlessly, whilst others left gaping holes. Here is how each team fared, ranked from most impressive to most questionable.

1. Kolkata Knight Riders: The gold standard

KKR delivered auction perfection. Armed with the largest purse ahead of the event and 13 vacancies, they addressed every single need.

• Cameron Green provides the elite all-rounder firepower to replace Andre Russell
• Matheesha Pathirana solves their death-bowling vulnerability
• Finn Allen and Tim Seifer cover the wicketkeeper-opener void left by de Kock and Gurbaz’s departures
• Mustafizur Rahman and Akash Deep add bowling depth

2. Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Maximum value extracted

The defending champions demonstrated how to stretch limited resources. With just INR 16.40 crore available, RCB secured exceptional value.

• Venkatesh Iyer at INR 7 crore, down from INR 23.75 crore last year, is a brilliant business
• Jordan Coxt at INR 75 Lakh might be the auction’s greatest steal: a versatile English keeper-batter offering immense flexibility.
• Jacob Duffy provides overseas pace backup for Josh Hazlewood.

3. Delhi Capitals: Comprehensive squad building

DC filled every critical gap with surgical precision.

• Ben Duckett delivers the explosive opener they desperately needed
• David Miller at INR 2 crore is highway robbery for a proven finisher.
• Pathum Nissanka adds top-order depth to the squad
• Lungi Ngidi and Kyle Jamieson bolster the pace attack
• The INR 8.40 crore gamble on Auqib Dar Nabi could also prove transformative

4. Gujarat Titans: Steady and sensible

GT’s minimal needs allowed measured spending.

• Jason Holder solves multiple problems: middle-order depth, pace bowling and experience
• Tom Banton provides explosive backup

With a settled core already sustained, GT avoided unnecessary risks. Perhaps conservative given their INR 12.90 crore purse, but why fix what isn’t broken after their consistent performances?

5. Chennai Super Kings: Revolutionary Gamble

CSK’s auction represents either visionary genius or catastrophic miscalculation.

• Investing INR 28.40 crore in two uncapped players, Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma, is unprecedented territory. This radical departure from their traditional experience first philosophy consumed two-thirds of their INR 43.40 crore purse
• Consequently they missed elite all-rounders like Cameron Green
• Matt Henry and Akeal Hosein provide quality but not elite firepower.

6. Rajasthan Royals: Bowling fixed, batting vulnerable

RR addressed their spinning crisis emphatically.

• Ravi Bishnoi at INR 7.20 crore fills the void left by Hasaranga and Theekshana’s departures
• Adam Milne reduces dangerous dependency on Jofra Archer
• However, trading Sanju Samson without securing adequate top-order replacements leaves batting concerns.

7. Punjab Kings: If it ain’t broke

As 2025 runners-up, PBKS required minimal tinkering.

• Cooper Connolly adequately replaces Glenn Maxwell with aggressive batting and left-arm spin
• Ben Dwarshuis covers as Lockie Ferguson’s backup

Just four purchases reflected their settled squad.

8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – Questionable big purchase

SRH’s auction raises significant concerns.

• Liam Livingstone represents massive overpayment for an all-rounder who is yet to prove himself in the IPL
• Critically, they failed to address the Adam Zampa-shaped spinner vacancy
• Mohammed Shami’s replacement also remains inadequate

Whilst their batting brims with firepower, the bowling attack appears worryingly fragile for championship contention.

9. Lucknow Super Giants: Strategic missteps

LSG’s puzzling decisions undermine their squad balance.

• Spending INR 8.60 crore on Josh Inglis, who will miss substantial portion of the season is questionable value
• They desperately needed David Miller’s finishing expertise but let him slip to Delhi for just INR 2 crore
• Wanindu Hasaranga for INR 2 crore excellently replaces Ravi Bishnoi, but the line-up remains dangerously top-heavy without proven lower-order firepower

10. Mumbai Indians: N/A

MI cannot be fairly assessed. Retaining 20 players left just INR 2.75 crore available. Quinton de Kock at INR 1 crore provides great value, but a genuine auction strategy was impossible. Their planning succeeded during retentions rather than at auction.