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With franchises done with retentions and player releases, all eyes will now be strained on the upcoming IPL 2026 Mini Auction. There are a few surprising players in the pool for the auction, and fans will be buzzed to see how much these talents might go for.
With every team looking to bolster their squads, a few have huge auction purses to work with. And that might very well translate into some never-thought-of prices for some of the names in the pool. The bidding wars will soon commence, so let's look at 5 names that are sure to bag hefty bags for IPL 2026.
1. Andre Russell
The Kolkata Knight Riders ended a long-standing relationship with their muscle-man power-hitter, Andre Russell. The 37-year-old, however, is a complete package perfect for any T20I side in the world. The Caribbean all-rounder can bowl in the death, and his slower-ball variations and precise yorkers are a thing to worry about for the opposition. His ability on the field, despite his huge frame, is top-notch as well.
With the game evolving more and more into a destructive batter's paradise, Andre Russell will have a lot of suitors at the Mini-Auction.
2. Matheesha Pathirana
Everyone had a feeling that the Chennai Super Kings would have a major overhaul after last season, but no one imagined that they would let go of Matheesha Pathirana. Even though the Sri Lankan didn't have a great season, picking up 13 wickets in 12 IPL matches, he still seems a pacer with a lot of room to improve.
His sling-action, reminiscent of Lasith Malinga, pulled a lot of eyes in his direction with his ability to trouble batters. Many teams will be on the lookout for a pacer with age on their side who could be a staple in the team for the next 5-10 years, and the 22-year-old fits the description perfectly.
3. Glenn Maxwell
With the 'Big-Show', it's a case of on what side of the bed he gets up on. If he gets going on a certain day, it's his world, and the opposition is just existing. The Punjab Kings, however, might've gotten tired of waiting around for the reliability factor to show up as they let go of Glenn Maxwell.
But that just means the IPL journeyman and T20 Specialist will have another long list of teams vying to get him on board for IPL 2026. In Glenn Maxwell, you get the perfect T20 batter, a handy spinner and a gun fielder, all-in-one.
4. Venkatesh Iyer
After a massive bidding war between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders for his services, Venkatesh Iyer failed to live up to his 23.75 crore price tag. But that doesn't mean his value on the market has decreased all that much, and one can expect a similar bidding war for him in the upcoming IPL 2026 Mini-Auction.
5. Ravi Bishnoi
The youngster needs a refresh button to his career trajectory, and a change of scenarios would serve him pretty well. The young leg-spinner had one bad IPL season, but that doesn't mean anything with so many teams in the hunt for a spinner who could carry the legacy for a decade or so. And Ravi Bishnoi will be at the top of the list with his ability to pick up crucial wickets. For India and India A, Ravi Bishnoi has performed much better than in IPL 2025.
And there will be a big number of franchises that will be preparing for a mega-battle for his signature.
