Ahead of the much-anticipated IPL 2026 Auction, controversy has erupted after nine players were quietly removed from the final auction list, just days before the event in Abu Dhabi. The mini-auction is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, December 16, with all 10 IPL franchises set to strengthen their squads for the upcoming season.
The sudden removal of players—who were added to the list only recently—has sparked confusion among franchises and fans, raising questions over whether the move was due to a technical glitch or a deliberate decision by the IPL committee.
IPL 2026 Auction: Teams, Purse Value, and Slots
The IPL 2026 Auction will feature intense bidding as franchises look to fill 77 available slots with a combined purse of ₹237.55 crore.
-
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): ₹64.30 crore (highest purse)
-
Chennai Super Kings (CSK): ₹43.40 crore
-
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG): ₹22.95 crore
-
Mumbai Indians (MI): ₹2.75 crore (lowest purse)
With a limited budget, Mumbai Indians are expected to focus on value-for-money picks, while teams with bigger purses could engage in aggressive bidding wars.
9 Players Removed From IPL 2026 Auction List
Initially, the IPL committee released a list of 350 players, comprising 240 Indian and 110 overseas cricketers. Later, nine additional players were added, expanding the list to 359 players.
However, just days before the Abu Dhabi auction, those same nine players were removed, reverting the list back to 350 players.
Indian Players Removed (Base Price: ₹30 lakh each)
-
Mani Sankar Mura Singh
-
Chama Milind
-
K.L. Shrijith
-
Swastik Chikara
-
Rahul Raj Namala
-
Virat Singh
Overseas Players Removed
-
Virandeep Singh (Malaysia, Associate all-rounder) – ₹30 lakh
-
Eathan Bosch (South Africa) – ₹75 lakh
-
Chris Green (Australia) – ₹75 lakh
Notably, Virandeep Singh was the only associate nation player included in the auction before being dropped.
Why Were the Players Removed? IPL Yet to Clarify
The IPL governing council has not released any official statement explaining why the nine late-added players were removed from the auction list. This lack of transparency has fueled speculation over whether:
-
The inclusion and removal were due to a technical or administrative error, or
-
The decision was a last-minute deliberate move by the IPL authorities
It is also unclear whether all 10 franchises were informed in advance about the removals or if the decision was taken unilaterally.
Final IPL 2026 Auction Overview
Despite the controversy, the IPL 2026 Auction will proceed as scheduled with:
-
350 players going under the hammer
-
77 slots available
-
10 franchises competing in Abu Dhabi
Franchises will now focus on squad-building amid lingering questions over the sudden roster changes.
What’s Next?
With the auction just days away, all eyes are on the IPL committee to see whether an official clarification will be issued regarding the late additions and abrupt removal of nine players. Until then, the incident remains one of the biggest talking points ahead of the IPL 2026 season.
Stay tuned for live updates and in-depth coverage of the IPL 2026 Auction in Abu Dhabi.
also see
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus Price in India, Launch Date, Camera, and More
Donald Trump’s $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee Faces Legal Challenge From 20 U.S. States