The Indian Premier League (IPL) continuously provides a structured platform for budding domestic cricketers to showcase their talents against international level players. As the 2026 season approaches, many extremely talented young players are preparing to showcase their skills.
His aim will be to attract the attention of the selectors through his performances. Notably, the tournament has highlighted international stars like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya by rewarding those who perform consistently under pressure with opportunities.
While the senior players grab most of the headlines, the upcoming 19th edition features a number of expensive uncapped auction selections who are well-positioned to make a strong impact throughout the competition.
IPL 2026 will begin on Saturday, March 28, with the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Vaibhav Suryavanshi enters the new season as the youngest active player in the tournament at just 14 years of age. Rajasthan Royals secured the left-handed opening batsman when he was only 13, buying him for ₹1.1 crore.
He became the youngest cricketer to sign an Indian Premier League franchise contract. During the 2025 season, he justified the investment by becoming the youngest century-scorer in men’s T20 cricket history.
The left-handed batsman scored 101 runs in 38 balls against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Jaipur. He reached the century mark in 35 balls and registered the second fastest century in the tournament.
He finished the season with 252 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 206.55. He opened the innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal. Rajasthan Royals management is hopeful that the youngster will continue to deliver explosive starts in the upcoming season.
Ayush Mhatre
Ayush Mhatre arrived for the tournament after successfully leading the India Under-19 team to the World Cup title. The 18-year-old top-order batsman from Mumbai started playing cricket at the age of five. He made his first-class debut at the age of 17 and recorded his maiden century in his third Ranji Trophy match.
Mhatre scored 181 runs off 117 balls in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match on December 31, 2024. He became the youngest player to score 150 or more runs in a List A match. Despite going unsold in the IPL 2025 auction, he received a mid-season call-up.
Chennai Super Kings included him as an injury replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad. He made a memorable start by scoring 32 runs in 15 balls.
He finished the 2025 season with 240 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 188.97. The franchise retained him for ₹30 lakh and he is expected to open the innings alongside Sanju Samson or Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Prashant Veer
Chennai Super Kings bought Prashant Veer for ₹14.2 crore during the recent auction. The 20-year-old left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder had sparked an intense bidding war between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before joining CSK.
Management targeted him as a direct replacement for Ravindra Jadeja after the offseason trade. He was nicknamed “Miller” in age-group cricket due to his power-hitting ability. Veer scored 320 runs and took eight wickets for Noida Super Kings in the UP T20 League.
During the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 112 runs at a strike rate of 169.69 and took nine wickets at an economy rate of 6.76. He recently revealed that upon reaching Chennai, MS Dhoni advised him to give priority to saving the auction money rather than focusing on the strategy on the field.
Karthik Sharma
Chennai Super Kings also spent ₹14.2 crore to buy 19-year-old wicketkeeper Karthik Sharma in the auction. The Bharatpur right-handed batsman attracted the interest of several franchises due to his ability to consistently hit boundaries during the middle overs.
He impressed for Rajasthan in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 334 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 162.92, which included 28 sixes. Sharma showcased his red-ball ability by scoring a century on his Ranji Trophy debut against Uttarakhand.
During the last Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign, he finished as the leading run-scorer for his state with 445 runs at a strike rate of 118.03. He will now work under the guidance of MS Dhoni and Sanju Samson in Chennai, which will help him further hone his finishing skills and wicket-keeping.
Ashok Sharma
Ashok Sharma has emerged as a fast bowling prospect for Gujarat Titans after consistently clocking speeds above 140 km/h during the recent domestic season. The 23-year-old right-arm fast bowler previously served as a net bowler for Rajasthan Royals.
He was a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders team in 2023 without making his debut. Sharma changed his bowling approach in the last two seasons and developed into a reliable seamer. This development became evident during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he emerged as one of the leading wicket-takers.
Representing Rajasthan, he took 20 wickets in eight matches at an average of 12.10 and an economy rate of 8.84. He recorded best figures of 4/16. His performances inspired the coaching staff of Gujarat Titans, led by Ashish Nehra, to invest in his raw pace and improved accuracy.
Mangesh Yadav
Mangesh Yadav provides Royal Challengers Bangalore with a valuable left-arm pace option for the upcoming season. The 23-year-old all-rounder from Madhya Pradesh caught the attention of scouts with his performances in the local T20 tournament.
Playing in the Madhya Pradesh Premier League, he took 14 wickets at an average of 12.00 in just six matches. He demonstrated his wicket-taking ability by taking four wickets three times and proved his ability to dismantle batting lineups under pressure.
Apart from his bowling, he also contributes as a capable left-handed lower-order batsman. The RCB management hopes that he will use his left-arm natural variety to deliver significant success during the middle and death overs.
Mangesh could replace Yash Dayal, another left-arm fast bowler who was part of RCB’s title-winning campaign last year. He entered the auction with a base price of ₹30 lakh, but Royal Challengers Bangalore signed him for ₹5.20 crore after an intense bidding war with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Sahil Parakh
Sahil Parakh was bought by Delhi Capitals for ₹30 lakh during the recent auction. The 18-year-old left-handed batsman has established his reputation as a reliable opening option for the India Under-19 team after making his youth international debut against Bangladesh in 2023.
In September 2024, he scored a match-winning performance of 109 runs off 75 balls against the Australia Under-19 team.
If there is any injury concern or poor form among the openers then Delhi Capitals management can choose Sahil. With T20 cricket demanding an aggressive approach from the first ball, his fearless style suits the modern requirements of the format.
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