Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has predicted the top overseas picks likely to dominate the IPL 2026 mini-auction, scheduled for December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra revealed his ranking of the top five overseas signings, beginning with a three-way tie for the No. 5 spot among David Miller, Anrich Nortje, and Matheesha Pathirana. He believes that performances in the ongoing India–South Africa series could heavily influence their auction value.
“There is going to be some recency bias. I’ve kept Matheesha Pathirana, David Miller, and Anrich Nortje at No. 5. If Nortje and Miller perform well against India, they will get a lot of money,” Chopra said.
At No. 4, Chopra backed spin-bowling all-rounders Michael Bracewell and Cooper Connolly, suggesting they could be ideal targets for CSK and DC given team needs.
Moving into the top three, the analyst placed England’s explosive all-rounder Liam Livingstone at No. 3 despite his inconsistent IPL record. According to Chopra, the limited supply of big-hitting middle-order players will push his price up.
For No. 2, he picked Jonny Bairstow, noting his solid ball-striking and versatility. The wicketkeeper-batter, he said, could attract bids from KKR and Delhi Capitals, both of whom require top-order firepower.
Chopra declared Australian all-rounder Cameron Green as the uncontested No. 1 overseas target, predicting an intense bidding war for him.
“Cameron Green will be at No. 1, there’s nobody even close. The bidding could go up to ₹25 to 28 crore. KKR and CSK will definitely go after him.”
Although the maximum salary cap for a single player is fixed at ₹18 crore, Chopra believes the bidding will surpass even the ₹27 crore spent on Rishabh Pant at the IPL 2025 mega-auction.
