IPL 2026: Green may be a hot property; Maxwell pulls out of mini auction

The IPL 2026 will be missing out on a number of usual suspects who have been a part of it’s journey for years – Glenn Maxwell being the most conspicuous absentee who decided not to put his name for the mini auction later this month. The BCCI has collated a list of 1355 players to start with after the deadline for registration ended on 30 November, from which only 77 slots need to be filled on 16 December in Abu Dhabi.

 A veteran of 13 seasons and 141 games, Maxi had been a part of the Punjab Kings last season – though he had spent most of his career with Royal Challengers Bangalore. Incidentally, Faf du Plessis and Moen Ali, two other former IPL winners have also pulled out of the most rewarding franchise league – sensing that they could go unsold – and made themselves available for the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Andre Russell was the other high profile performer who called time on his IPL career but has joined his team Kolkata Knight Riders as the power coach.

Interestingly, the ball was set rolling for such a template by David Warner – a IPL giant in his own right – and Kane Williamson last season when they went unsold in the IPL mega auction. Both were picked up by Karachi Kings in what could be a precedent for ageing overseas stars in the IPL as with both the leagues now happening in the same window, names like Warner, Williamson or Faf can add some gravitas to the PSL roster.

While refusing to call time with his IPL association altogether, 41-year-old Faf, a vice-captain with Delhi Capitals last season said in an official statement: ‘’After 14 seasons in the IPL, I’ve decided not to put my name into the auction this year. It’s a big decision, and one that comes with a lot of gratitude when I look back. This league has been a massive part of my journey.’’

Announcing his decision on Instagram handle, Maxwell said: ‘’After many unforgettable seasons in IPL, I've decided not to put my name into the auction this year. It’s a big call, and one I make with a lot of gratitude for everything this league has given me,’’ Maxwell said – though it will be interesting to see if he also opts for a PSL bait where he could be one of the top grossers.

‘’The IPL has shaped me as a cricketer and as a person. I’ve been lucky to play with world-class teammates and perform in front of fans whose passion is unmatched. The memories, the challenges, and the energy of India will stay with me forever. Thank you all for your support over the years, hopefully see you soon.’’

Meanwhile, Australian allrounder Cameron Green looks set to be one of the headline acts as he is one of the 45 players whose base price have been kept at Rs 2 scores. The grapevines say that KKR, who has the maximum available purse of Rs 64.30 crores after having released the likes of Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell, may pull out all stops for him – though they will not be alone in the race.

The 10 IPL franchises collectively have Rs 237.55 crore to play with at the auction, with Chennai Super Kings being second on the rich list with a purse of Rs 43.40 cr at their disposal. There are 77 slots to be filled including 31 overseas positions.

The auction register has leading international names from England, Australia, South Africa and Afghanistan – with a breakdown of 1062 Indians and 293 overseas players. Mayank Agarwal, KS Bharat, Rahul Chahar, Ravi Bishnoi, Akash Deep, Deepak Hooda, Venkatesh Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, Prithvi Shaw and Umesh Yadav top the list of Indian aspirants. Incidentally, Iyer – vice-captain of KKR and the third highest paid player in IPL 2025 – has been released by KKR after a dismal season with the bat. The list incorporates 212 capped, 1,121 uncapped and 22 associate players.

Players with Rs 2 crore base price

India: Ravi Bishnoi, Venkatesh Iyer

Afghanistan: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen Ul Haq

Australia: Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Ben Cutting, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Steve Smith

Bangladesh: Mustafizur Rahman

England: Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Daniel Lawrence, Liam Livingstone, Tymal Mills, Jamie Smith

New Zealand: Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, William O'Rourke, Rachin Ravindra

South Africa: Gerald Coetzee, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, David Wiese

Sri Lanka:Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Teekshana

West Indies: Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein and Alzarri Joseph