Prithvi Shaw is set to rule the big stage once again, as the Maharashtra opener has been named in the final list of players for the IPL 2026 auction, which will take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi.
After going unsold last year and going through the toughest phase of his career, Prithvi Shaw is aiming for a big comeback after his strong domestic performances for Maharashtra. Shaw has set his base price at ₹75 lakh as he aims to make a solid comeback in the IPL.
Prithvi Shaw enters IPL 2026 auction after dream domestic season with Maharashtra
The 26-year-old has enjoyed a stellar Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season so far, scoring 470 runs for Maharashtra, including a blistering double century off 72 balls against Chandigarh.
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Prithvi Shaw also captained Maharashtra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 and scored a half-century in 23 balls, proving that his power-hitting ability is very much alive.
This positive turnaround comes after a difficult year in which Shaw struggled with fitness concerns and disciplinary issues. Things got so bad that the young opening batsman was dropped from Mumbai’s Ranji team midway through the 2024 season and he didn’t find any takers in the IPL 2025 auction either.
Prithvi Shaw’s IPL career
Prithvi Shaw, once seen as one of India’s brightest young stars, has not played for the national team since 2021. But after shifting to Maharashtra, he has gradually rebuilt his game and his confidence. Now, Shaw hopes that an IPL franchise will take interest and give him a fresh start.
His last IPL appearance came for Delhi Capitals in the 2024 season, where he featured in eight matches. The Mumbaikar made his IPL debut with Delhi Capitals in 2018 and since then, he has played 79 matches and scored 1892 runs at an impressive strike rate of 147.46 with the help of 14 fifties.
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350 players set to compete for 77 spots in IPL 2026 auction
Meanwhile, a total of 350 players including 240 Indians and 110 foreigners will go under the hammer in the upcoming IPL 2026 auction on December 16. They will compete for only 77 available slots in 10 teams. Big international names also include South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock, who has been listed with a base price of ₹1 crore.
Australia batting icon Steve Smith, who last played IPL in 2021, also listed himself for the auction with a base price of ₹2 crore. Initially 1,390 players had registered for the auction. That number was reduced to 1,005 and eventually limited to 350 players who will now enter the auction.
Cameron Green, Steve Smith and David Miller lead the ₹2 crore category
The highest base price bracket of ₹2 crore includes Australia’s Cameron Green and Jake Fraser-McGurk, Smith, New Zealand’s Devon Conway and South Africa’s David Miller. Venkatesh Iyer, who was released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has also kept himself in the range of ₹2 crore.
Among the teams, KKR will enter the IPL 2026 auction with the largest purse of ₹64.3 crore after releasing several players. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are in second place with ₹43.4 crore, while Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have the third-largest purse with ₹25.5 crore.
