As the Test season comes to an end, we now turn toward an exciting T20 home calendar beginning next year, led by the T20 World Cup 2026 and followed by the biggest cricket league in the world, the Indian Premier League 2026. Before the tournament begins, however, the league hosts its annual player auction. Just like the IPL season itself, the auction attracts enormous attention from fans and has become one of the most captivating off-field events in world cricket.
Supporters are naturally curious about how the entire process works. Unlike routine team selections, the auction transforms player signings into a dramatic and high-stakes contest where a cricketer’s fortunes can shift within minutes. This blend of strategy, money, and unpredictability keeps fans glued to every bid, making the auction an event almost as thrilling as the season that follows.
The IPL conducts two types of auctions: mega and mini, each with a different purpose. Mega auctions occur every three years and are designed to rebuild teams almost from scratch, allowing only a few player retentions while most re-enter the pool. Mini auctions take place annually between those cycles, with teams retaining most of their squads and making only targeted additions using their remaining purse. This year’s mini auction focuses on strategic fine-tuning rather than a complete team overhaul.
What Is the IPL Auction and Why Is It Conducted?
While at first glance the auction may look like a simple method of selecting a pool of players to create a team, a deeper look reveals that it carries immense strategic depth. Every franchise enters the auction with a fixed purse, limited squad slots, and very specific role-based requirements. This combination creates a challenging balance between budgeting, forecasting, and player assessment.
Purse management becomes one of the biggest strategic hurdles in the IPL. Entire think tanks work together to make decisions on the players available in the auction pool. Teams cannot afford to overspend early, yet holding back too much can mean losing out on proven match-winners. Franchises are constantly faced with the decision of whether to invest in experienced stars who can deliver immediate results or to invest in young talents who have the potential to become long-term assets. And because the auction is competitive, a player targeted by one team can easily be bought by another if the bidding price escalates. This is why every franchise enters the room with clear Plan A, B, and C options.
How Does IPL Auction Work? Step-by-Step Process
1. Players Registration
Players register for the IPL auction by submitting their names through their national cricket boards, which must approve their participation. Once registered, players are placed into categories based on their experience. Capped players are those who have represented their national team in international matches, while uncapped players have not yet played for their country but may have domestic or franchise experience. Overseas players include both capped and uncapped cricketers from outside India.
2. Player Shortlisting
After the successful submission of registrations, the IPL Governing Council and franchise representatives review the players and prepare the final shortlist for the auction. Each team submits the names of players they are interested in, and those who receive the most interest are included in the auction pool. This review process is not random; it is based on several evaluation factors, such as a player’s recent performance, their role, overall demand, and how well they fit the tournament’s requirements.
3. Set Creation
The shortlisted players are then grouped into categories such as batters, all-rounders, bowlers, wicketkeepers, capped, uncapped, and overseas. Among these, the cricketing superstars are classified as marquee players. These are usually top international performers or high-profile Indian cricketers who naturally attract intense bidding interest. Placing them at the beginning of the auction sets an exciting tone and helps teams shape their strategy for the rest of the event.
4. Base Price Announcement
Players choose their base price while registering for the auction, selecting from predefined brackets set by the IPL, such as ₹20 lakh, ₹50 lakh, ₹1 crore, ₹1.5 crore, and so on. Experienced or highly sought-after players usually opt for a higher base price to reflect their market value, while younger or lesser-known cricketers tend to choose lower brackets to improve their chances of being picked. The base price sets the minimum bid, shaping team budgets and strategy. It influences how franchises allocate funds, prioritise roles, and plan their overall auction approach.
5. Live Bidding by Teams
Live bidding in the IPL auction takes place in a controlled, fast-paced environment led by an auctioneer. Each franchise sits at its designated team table, where representatives use electronic paddles or signal cards to place their bids. However, several important rules govern how teams participate in this process. Every franchise must operate within a fixed purse limit, which is the total budget available to buy new players and pay retained ones. The league also enforces strict squad size regulations, requiring teams to have at least 18 players and allowing a maximum of 25. Moreover a franchise may sign up to eight overseas players for its squad, but only four can feature in the playing XI of any match.
6. Highest Bid Wins
The franchise with the highest bid secures the player, and once bought, the player signs a standard IPL contract outlining salary, obligations, availability, commercial commitments, and conduct rules. These contracts typically last one season with options for retention. The franchise must pay the full auction amount in scheduled instalments, even if the player is injured or benched, and also covers all travel, accommodation, and training expenses.
7. Accelerated Auction Round
Before the auction concludes, an accelerated quick-fire round takes place, where bidding moves rapidly, players are introduced in quick succession, and teams must make split-second decisions based on their remaining purse and specific role needs. During this stage, franchises also have the option to recall earlier unsold players. If any team shows renewed interest in a previously unsold cricketer, that player is brought back into the auction for another chance at being signed.
8. Unsold Players and Replacement Rules
However, even after the main and accelerated rounds, some players remain unsold, but they still have a chance to be picked later as injury replacements if teams need cover during the season. According to IPL Governing Council rules, franchises can select a replacement only from the original auction pool, and the replacement’s salary cannot exceed that of the injured player.
What Are the Key Rules Teams Must Follow During the IPL Auction
Squad size limits:
Minimum – 18
Maximum – 25
Overseas player slot restrictions:
A franchise may sign a maximum of 8 overseas players, but only 4 can be included in the playing XI for any match.
Total purse limit per team.
The purse limit for the Mega Auction 2024 was set at ₹125 crore, and the same limit applies for the 2025 auction.