IPL 2026 Mini-Auction The value of domestic Indian talent witnessed an unprecedented rise, culminating in a historic moment where two uncapped players were bought by the same franchise for the same record-breaking price.
wicketkeeper-batsman Karthik Sharma Became the second player from Rajasthan to be bought for ₹14.20 crore in the auction. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)Joining the all-rounder Prashant Veer On top of the salary list of uncapped players. Starting at a base price of ₹30 lakh, the 19-year-old waged a prolonged bidding war, mainly Kolkata Knight RidersFirst Sunrisers HyderabadThe late challenge was overcome by CSK, who showed a clear, aggressive strategy to build up their Indian core.
Prashant Veer becomes the most expensive uncapped player of IPL
The bidding for Prashant was one of the most unexpected and explosive moments of the IPL 2026 auction, which instantly grabbed attention as many teams recognized his potential. The harsh speech started slowly Mumbai Indians (MI) And Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Picking up the paddle at the start.
However, the real fireworks began when CSK entered the race, followed closely by Rajasthan Royals (RR)Pushed the bid beyond ₹6 crore. After this the fight turned into a fierce clash between CSK and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)Both the franchises were working tirelessly, leading to the price surpassing the previous uncapped record of ₹10 crore Avesh Khan in 2022) and a field of established international players.
CSK and SRH exchanged bids more than 40 times, with the price rising by ₹20 lakh at one point. The bid crossed ₹10 crore, then ₹12 crore and finally ₹14 crore. SRH made a final bid of ₹14.00 crore, but CSK responded with a final, successful bid of ₹14.20 crore, making Prashant Veer the most expensive uncapped player ever sold in the IPL auction.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bought a possible successor to Ravindra Jadeja.
Chennai’s aggressive attempt to buy Prashanth for ₹14.20 crore is a clear strategic move to fill the void left by the departure of the experienced all-rounder. Ravindra Jadeja In the previous retention window. Prashant Veer’s profile perfectly fits the “next Jadeja” template for the franchise: a left-handed batsman who can stabilize the middle to lower order and a left-arm orthodox spinner who is capable of delivering crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs at the spin-friendly Chepauk Stadium. His recent domestic form, which brought him into the limelight of the auction, justified CSK’s big investment.
His key performances highlighted his high-impact potential:
- A strike of 167 runs in T20 confirms his ability to provide explosive finishing power.
- He demonstrated his true all-round utility, scoring 320 runs and taking 8 wickets in 10 matches in the UPT20 League 2025.
- He provides flexibility in the middle overs, which CSK needs to maintain the momentum after the powerplay.
Here’s how fans reacted:
There is no bigger pivot in the history of IPL than CSK moving from tried and tested experienced players to untested and promising youngsters. Prashant Veer and now, Kartik Sharma.
– Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) 16 December 2025
Very busy search on Google for Prashant Veer
– Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) 16 December 2025
Prashant Veer is the best Indian No. 8 we have in the market, apart from the price it is a great buy.
– Travis Bickle (@TravisbickleCSK) 16 December 2025
How else to enter the world of yellow?🥳🔥
Prashant Veer, the most expensive uncapped player of IPL!📈📈#whistlepoddu #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/OwJY0FhoZK– Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) 16 December 2025
The most expensive uncapped player in IPL history! Prashant Veer bought by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 14.20 crore#IPL #csk #IPLAuction #ChennaiSuperKings #IPL2026 pic.twitter.com/Aa0BbbgY3w
– CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) 16 December 2025
Record-breaking battle for Karthik Sharma to become jointly the most expensive uncapped player
The bidding for the uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman, Karthik, was one of the longest and most aggressive of the IPL 2026 auction, culminating in Chennai securing him for a historic ₹14.20 crore, taking the record for the most expensive uncapped player ever. Starting at his modest base price of ₹30 lakh, the 19-year-old immediately attracted interest Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) And Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)LSG eventually backed out at ₹2,60 crore, but KKR, who had already made a record purchase in the auction, went head-to-head with CSK,
The rivalry turned into a war of attrition, with both franchises constantly raising the price by as much as ₹20 lakh at a time. The bid quickly crossed ₹5 crore and in its upward move crossed the crucial ₹10 crore mark and then touched ₹12.80 crore, with KKR still challenging CSK. In a late, decisive move, SRH entered the fray, and showed their intent by increasing the price to ₹14.00 crore. However, CSK were determined to land the high-impact WK-batsman, placing a final, winning bid of ₹14.20 crore. This spectacular acquisition demonstrated CSK’s strong commitment to investing heavily in homegrown talent, with Karthik Sharma seen as a key, long-term asset to strengthen their batting and wicketkeeping options.
Importance of ₹14.20 crore bid for Karthik Sharma
The successful bid of ₹14.20 crore for Karthik reinforced Chennai Super Kings’ aggressive auction strategy focused on securing top-tier Indian talent for the future.
- Combined uncapped record: By matching the price paid for Prashant Veer, Karthik Sharma became the joint-most expensive uncapped player in IPL history, which is a huge endorsement of his raw talent and proven domestic T20 strike rate of 167.
- Wicketkeeper-batsman premium: His ability to keep wickets while providing explosive middle-order batting (evident in his 334 runs in 11 SMAT innings) made him a two-in-one package. This versatility is highly valued by IPL franchises looking to maximize their Indian slots.
- CSK’s future core: The consistent bid against KKR and SRH highlights that CSK sees Karthik as an important part of their long-term plans, especially in the post-Dhoni era, where they need a reliable, high-impact domestic batsman.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Karthik Sharma at Chepauk.#IPL2026Auction
– Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) 16 December 2025
The good thing about Karthik Sharma is that he can play loft through cover without charging the deck.
Many modern-day batsmen possess excellent bat speed to play some innovative shots as well as bounce across the line. But at the highest level, this cannot happen…
– Bharat Ramraj (@Fancricket12) 16 December 2025
Kartik Sharma, 19 years old from Rajasthan. The big-hitting wicketkeeper-bat, who has scored 160+ so far in this SMAT 2025-26. Batting at 4/5. And do wicketkeeping. You can see why teams would be eager to nab him.
CSK bought him for Rs 14.20 crore, the same price as Prashant Veer. #IPLAuction
-Saurabh Somani (@Saurabh_42) 16 December 2025
Karthik Sharma is a solid investment for CSK at 15 and since it is a short auction, his price tag should not be taken into consideration.
– Sujeet V (@Sujeet1727) 16 December 2025
I really hope that we don’t underuse Karthik and Prashant like we did with Rizvi and give them a proper role in 12th and guide them. Both are 19 and 20 year old youngsters who are going to play the toughest roles for a cricketer at the highest level.
– Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) 16 December 2025
