IPL 2026 Unsold Players List: Biggest Names Who Went Unsold

The IPL 2026 mini auction featured several exciting signings, but many experienced cricketers failed to secure a contract. Established international players, former IPL performers and promising Indian talents could not attract successful bids from the franchises. Devon Conway, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jamie Smith, Deepak Hooda and Gerald Coetzee were among the notable names who remained unsold.

The auction took place in Abu Dhabi on 16 December 2025, with all 10 franchises participating. A total of 77 players were sold for ₹215.45 crore, while 79 players remained unsold. Interestingly, some big names who initially went unsold found teams during the accelerated rounds.

Here is the IPL 2026 unsold players list, featuring 25 notable names, their countries, playing roles and registered base prices.

IPL 2026 Unsold Players List with Base Price

The following table covers 25 prominent players who remained unsold after the IPL 2026 mini auction. It includes experienced overseas cricketers as well as Indian players who were looking for another opportunity in the league.

Player Name	Country	Role	Base Price
Devon Conway	New Zealand	Batter and Wicketkeeper	₹2 Crore
Jake Fraser-McGurk	Australia	Batter	₹2 Crore
Jamie Smith	England	Wicketkeeper	₹2 Crore
Gus Atkinson	England	Bowler	₹2 Crore
Gerald Coetzee	South Africa	Fast Bowler	₹2 Crore
Mujeeb Ur Rahman	Afghanistan	Spinner	₹2 Crore
Maheesh Theekshana	Sri Lanka	Spinner	₹2 Crore
Daryl Mitchell	New Zealand	All Rounder	₹2 Crore
Michael Bracewell	New Zealand	All Rounder	₹2 Crore
Sean Abbott	Australia	All Rounder	₹2 Crore
Rahmanullah Gurbaz	Afghanistan	Wicketkeeper	₹1.5 Crore
Spencer Johnson	Australia	Fast Bowler	₹1.5 Crore
Jonny Bairstow	England	Wicketkeeper	₹1 Crore
Wiaan Mulder	South Africa	All Rounder	₹1 Crore
Fazalhaq Farooqi	Afghanistan	Fast Bowler	₹1 Crore
Deepak Hooda	India	All Rounder	₹75 Lakh
K.S. Bharat	India	Wicketkeeper	₹75 Lakh
Mahipal Lomror	India	All Rounder	₹50 Lakh
Rajvardhan Hangargekar	India	All Rounder	₹40 Lakh
Vijay Shankar	India	All Rounder	₹30 Lakh
Yash Dhull	India	Batter	₹30 Lakh
Atharva Taide	India	Batter	₹30 Lakh
Tanush Kotian	India	All Rounder	₹30 Lakh
Kamlesh Nagarkoti	India	All Rounder	₹30 Lakh
Akash Madhwal	India	Bowler	₹30 Lakh

This table highlights 25 notable names and is not the complete list of all 79 unsold players. Base prices represent the players’ registered auction prices, not their previous IPL salaries.

1. Devon Conway

Source: mykhel

Devon Conway is a New Zealand top-order batter who can also contribute as a wicketkeeper. He previously represented Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and is known for his composed batting approach. Despite his experience, he could not attract a bid at his ₹2 crore base price.

2. Jake Fraser-McGurk

Jake Fraser-McGurk is an aggressive Australian batter known for his power hitting and attacking approach during the powerplay. He previously played for Delhi Capitals in the IPL. He entered the 2026 auction with a base price of ₹2 crore but remained unsold.

3. Jamie Smith

Source: Sky Sports

Jamie Smith is an England wicketkeeper batter who offers both batting ability and wicketkeeping skills. His international experience made him a notable overseas option for franchises. However, no team selected him at his ₹2 crore base price.

4. Gus Atkinson

Gus Atkinson is an England fast bowler known for his pace and ability to take wickets. He has represented England across international formats and entered the auction with a base price of ₹2 crore. Despite his bowling credentials, he remained unsold.

5. Gerald Coetzee

Source: India Today

Gerald Coetzee is a South African fast bowler recognised for his aggressive pace bowling and wicket-taking ability. He has also played in previous IPL seasons. The pacer registered at ₹2 crore but failed to secure a franchise for the 2026 season.

6. Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Mujeeb Ur Rahman is an Afghanistan spinner known for his variations and ability to bowl effectively in T20 cricket. His experience in international and franchise cricket made him an established name in the auction. However, he did not receive a successful bid at ₹2 crore.

7. Maheesh Theekshana

Maheesh Theekshana is a Sri Lankan off-spinner who uses variations and changes of pace to trouble batters. He has experience in international cricket and the IPL. Despite entering the auction at ₹2 crore, he remained without a team.

8. Daryl Mitchell

Source: DD India

Daryl Mitchell is a New Zealand all-rounder who provides batting depth and can contribute with the ball. His experience across international formats makes him a versatile T20 option. He registered at ₹2 crore but did not attract a successful bid.

9. Michael Bracewell

Michael Bracewell is a New Zealand all-rounder who offers left-handed batting and off-spin bowling. His ability to contribute in more than one department can provide balance to a T20 squad. However, franchises did not select him at his ₹2 crore base price.

10. Sean Abbott

Sean Abbott is an Australian pace-bowling all-rounder who can contribute with both the ball and lower-order batting. He has experience in domestic and international T20 cricket. Despite registering at ₹2 crore, he remained unsold.

11. Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Rahmanullah Gurbaz is an Afghanistan wicketkeeper batter known for his aggressive stroke play at the top of the order. He has previously featured in the IPL and brings international T20 experience. He entered the auction at ₹1.5 crore but did not find a team.

12. Spencer Johnson

Spencer Johnson is an Australian left-arm fast bowler who offers pace and bounce. His bowling style provides franchises with an alternative to right-arm fast bowlers. Despite a base price of ₹1.5 crore, he remained unsold in the auction.

13. Jonny Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow is an experienced England wicketkeeper batter who has represented multiple IPL franchises. He is known for his aggressive batting and ability to score quickly at the top of the order. He registered at ₹1 crore but failed to secure a contract.

14. Wiaan Mulder

Wiaan Mulder is a South African all-rounder who contributes as a middle-order batter and medium-fast bowler. His ability to perform in both departments makes him a flexible squad option. However, he remained unsold at his ₹1 crore base price.

15. Fazalhaq Farooqi

Fazalhaq Farooqi is an Afghanistan left-arm fast bowler known for his swing and ability to bowl during the powerplay. He has represented Afghanistan in international cricket and various T20 competitions. He entered the auction at ₹1 crore but did not receive a successful bid.

16. Deepak Hooda

Deepak Hooda is an Indian all-rounder who can contribute as a middle-order batter and occasional off-spinner. He has represented multiple IPL franchises and brings considerable league experience. Despite a base price of ₹75 lakh, he remained unsold.

17. K.S. Bharat

K.S. Bharat is an Indian wicketkeeper batter with experience in domestic cricket and the IPL. His wicketkeeping skills and ability to contribute with the bat make him a potential squad option. He registered at ₹75 lakh but did not attract a bid.

18. Mahipal Lomror

Source: India Today

Mahipal Lomror is a left-handed Indian batter who can provide middle-order support and contribute with his batting flexibility. He has previously played in the IPL and has experience in domestic cricket. He entered the auction at ₹50 lakh but remained unsold.

19. Rajvardhan Hangargekar

Rajvardhan Hangargekar is an Indian pace-bowling all-rounder who offers fast bowling and lower-order batting. He has previously been part of an IPL franchise setup. Despite a base price of ₹40 lakh, he could not secure a contract in the 2026 auction.

20. Vijay Shankar

Vijay Shankar is an Indian all-rounder who can contribute as a middle-order batter and medium-fast bowler. He has represented multiple IPL franchises and has experience in international cricket. He entered the auction at ₹30 lakh but remained unsold.

21. Yash Dhull

Yash Dhull is an Indian top-order batter who gained attention through his performances in age-group cricket. He has also been part of the IPL and domestic cricket circuit. Despite registering at ₹30 lakh, he did not attract a successful bid.

22. Atharva Taide

Atharva Taide is a left-handed Indian batter who can provide options at the top of the batting order. He has experience in domestic cricket and has previously featured in the IPL. He entered the auction with a base price of ₹30 lakh but remained unsold.

23. Tanush Kotian

Tanush Kotian is an Indian spin-bowling all-rounder who contributes with off-spin and lower-order batting. His performances in domestic cricket have helped him gain recognition. However, he did not secure an IPL contract at his ₹30 lakh base price.

24. Kamlesh Nagarkoti

Kamlesh Nagarkoti is an Indian fast bowler known for his pace and previous appearances in the IPL. He has been part of different franchise setups and has experience in domestic cricket. He registered at ₹30 lakh but remained unsold.

25. Akash Madhwal

Source: National Herlad

Akash Madhwal is an Indian fast bowler who has previously represented Mumbai Indians in the IPL. He gained attention for his performances as a specialist pace bowler, particularly in high-pressure matches. Despite entering the auction at ₹30 lakh, he did not receive a successful bid.

Players Who Initially Went Unsold but Found Teams in Accelerated Rounds

Going unsold during the initial auction rounds did not mean that every player had missed their chance. Several prominent cricketers returned to the auction table during the accelerated rounds and eventually secured contracts.

Some of the biggest examples included:

Player	Base Price	Final Price	Franchise
Prithvi Shaw	₹75 Lakh	₹75 Lakh	Delhi Capitals
Liam Livingstone	₹2 Crore	₹13 Crore	Sunrisers Hyderabad
Josh Inglis	₹2 Crore	₹8.60 Crore	Lucknow Super Giants
Rachin Ravindra	₹2 Crore	₹2 Crore	Kolkata Knight Riders

These players initially went without a successful bid but attracted interest when their names came up again. Prithvi Shaw returned to Delhi Capitals at his base price, while Liam Livingstone secured a ₹13 crore deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad. Josh Inglis joined Lucknow Super Giants for ₹8.60 crore, and Rachin Ravindra was picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹2 crore.

This distinction is important when checking the final unsold list. The 25 players included in the table above did not secure contracts during the later accelerated rounds either.

Why Did Big Players Go Unsold in the IPL 2026 Auction?

An unsold result does not always reflect a player’s ability. Franchises make auction decisions based on their squad structure, available budget and the roles they need to fill.

Some of the main reasons include:

• Limited squad spaces: Every franchise has a restricted number of positions available. Teams must prioritise the players who fit their plans.
• Budget management: A player may have a strong record, but their base price might not match the franchise’s remaining purse.
• Role availability: Teams may already have enough batters, wicketkeepers or specialist bowlers and may focus on other positions.
• Overseas player combinations: Franchises need to maintain a balanced group of overseas players within the permitted squad limit.
• Recent performances: Current form, fitness and availability can influence how franchises value a player.
• Competition: Several players may be competing for the same role, giving teams more options to consider.

The IPL auction is not simply a selection of the most famous cricketers. It is a process in which teams try to build a balanced squad within specific financial and player limits.

Can Unsold Players Still Get a Chance in IPL 2026?

Yes, an unsold player may still get an opportunity if a franchise requires a replacement during the season. Injuries, withdrawals and other availability issues can create vacancies in a squad.

However, a player cannot automatically join a franchise after going unsold. Any replacement signing must follow the applicable IPL regulations, including eligibility and approval requirements.

Players can also continue to compete in domestic cricket and other T20 tournaments. Strong performances in those competitions may help them attract attention from franchises in future seasons.

Conclusion

The IPL 2026 unsold players list featured several established international cricketers and experienced Indian performers. Devon Conway, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jamie Smith, Jonny Bairstow, Gerald Coetzee and Deepak Hooda were among the biggest names who missed out on contracts.

The auction saw 77 players sold for ₹215.45 crore, while 79 remained unsold. However, the accelerated rounds also gave some initially overlooked players another opportunity. Prithvi Shaw, Liam Livingstone, Josh Inglis and Rachin Ravindra were among those who eventually found teams.

The results highlighted the importance of squad balance, budget planning and team requirements during the auction. For players who remained unsold, future domestic and T20 performances may provide another opportunity to return to the IPL.

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