Excitement is already rising with business buzz surrounding IPL 2026. The much-awaited mini-auction is expected to be held in Abu Dhabi during the third week of December.
There were initial discussions about holding this auction in India, but it seems that the BCCI is determined to hold this auction abroad for now, to give it a grand international character. IPL franchises have already been informed about the retention deadline of November 15.
BCCI is planning a grand IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi this December
According to a Times of India report, the IPL 2026 auction is likely to take place between December 15 and 16 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This will be the third consecutive year that the IPL auction will be held outside India, while the previous editions were held in Jeddah and Dubai.
Also Read: Ravindra Jadeja placed in CSK’s retention list along with MS Dhoni amid RR trade rumours.
One of the most talked-about developments is the blockbuster trade between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), which is said to be in its final stages. In one of the biggest changes in IPL history, Sanju Samson is likely to join CSK while Ravindra Jadeja is set to move to RR.
The Royals had held talks with several teams about Samson’s move, but it was CSK who made the most progress, finalizing talks which are now close to completion.
Notably, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction is scheduled to take place on November 27 in Delhi, where all five franchises will complete their squads for the upcoming season. With retentions already confirmed, WPL teams are now preparing for a high-stakes bidding competition.
Suresh Raina urges Mumbai Indians to retain Rohit Sharma ahead of IPL 2026 auction
Meanwhile, ahead of the retention announcements, former India cricketer Suresh Raina has suggested releasing England all-rounder Will Jacks ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. He wants Mumbai Indians to retain Rohit Sharma considering the stature of the senior player.
“They should retain him (Rohit Sharma); they have won a lot of trophies for them. Deepak Chahar is there right now; it depends on what options they have, so they can either release him or retain him, but they may not get players in the auction, so I think they should retain him,” Raina said on Star Sports.
Also read: Big blow to CSK! GT refuses to trade Washington Sundar as Ravindra Jadeja prepares for exit
Mohammad Kaif challenges Rohit Sharma to break the 600-run barrier in IPL 2026
On the other hand, former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif recently highlighted an interesting fact about Rohit Sharma’s IPL career. Despite being one of the most successful captains in the history of the tournament, Rohit has never scored more than 600 runs in a single IPL season.
His best performance came in 2013, when he scored 538 runs in 19 matches – the only time he crossed the 500-run mark in a season – and now Kaif wants the Hitmen to cross that figure in the 2026 season. Kaif has urged Rohit to score 600 runs in a season.
