1,005 Players Rejected from IPL 2026 Auction… Says BCCI

Preparations for the IPL 2026 season are moving ahead at a rapid pace. In this context, the mini-auction is scheduled to take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. Out of the 1,355 players who applied for the auction, the BCCI shortlisted only 350. The remaining 1,005 names being removed from the list has become a major talking point. The board also announced that 35 new players have been added to the list. According to the email BCCI sent to the franchises, the IPL auction will begin at 2:30 PM. The initial bidding round for capped players will be conducted in the following order:
Batters → All-rounders → Wicket-keeper batters → Pacers → Spin bowlers. After that, uncapped players may enter the auction in the same order.

Reliable sources suggest that South African star Quinton de Kock was included in the shortlist after a specific request from one of the franchises. De Kock, who had earlier announced his retirement from international cricket, later reversed his decision. Recently, he smashed a century in the ODI series between India and South Africa held in Visakhapatnam, proving that he is in top form. For the upcoming auction, De Kock’s base price has been set at ₹1 crore. Compared to the previous auction, this is a 50% reduction. Last time, KKR had acquired him for ₹2 crore.