Auction day is officially upon us, Paltan! 💙 

As we’re just a night away from the IPL 2026 Auction, our think tank is locked in, spreadsheets are open and plans are falling perfectly into place. This is that phase of the pre-production where strategies are sharpened, combinations are debated & every call could shape the road to glory. 

With the core in place and a few final pieces left to be slotted in, the mission is crystal clear… build a squad ready to go all the way and bring home a record-breaking sixth IPL crown.

Moreover, we understand if our beloved Paltan still has doubts about the details and info of the event scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi!

But don’t you worry. This is your one-stop pit stop for everything you need to know about the IPL 2026 Auction - from dates and rules to purse details. So, here we goooo…

What time does the IPL 2026 auction start?

The IPL 2026 auction begins at 2:30 PM IST on December 16.

And what about the venue?

The Etihad Centre in Abu Dhabi will host the IPL 2026 auction.

How many players will go under the hammer?

A total of 1390 cricketers registered for the IPL 2026 auction, out of which 350 have been shortlisted. 

Among these 350 players, 240 are Indian and 110 are foreign players. Furthermore, 112 players are capped whereas 238 players are uncapped.

What’s the breakdown of base prices?

How many slots does MI need to fill?

Currently, we’ve 20 players in our squad ahead of the 2026 campaign. Hence, up to five players can be added to complete the quota of 25 players, with one slot remaining for an overseas player.

What’s the purse remaining with MI?

We head into the auction with INR 2.75 crores.

Tell us about MI’s activities during player trades

During the trade window, we roped in three players, namely Shardul Thakur, Sherfane Rutherford and Mayank Markande. Meanwhile, pacer Arjun Tendulkar made a move to the Lucknow Super Giants.

Which players will be auctioned first?

Capped batters will be the first batch to find their potential suitors. Thereafter, once the first 70 players are done, teams will be asked to submit names of unsold players from the overall pool to be considered in the accelerated rounds that follow. There’s no “marquee players” set.

Is there any RTM card this time out?

Since this is a mini-auction, franchises do not have the provision to use the Right-To-Match card.

Who’s the auctioneer?

Mallika Sagar, who took charge of the gavel during the WPL 2026 mega auction, will be in charge of the IPL 2026 auction.

What’s in store for Paltan?

As is the story of every auction, watch out for our think tank unearthing another young gem, who will go on to make the jaws drop with some 🔥 performances through the season.

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Paltan, tell us your shopping list for the IPL 2026 auction in the comments! 😉 

As usual, our think tank is keeping a close eye… 👀