The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released the official shortlist of cricketers for the 2026 IPL mini auction, which is scheduled to take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. All ten franchises have submitted their retention lists, and they will attempt to fill the remaining vacancies in their squads during the auction.
A number of big names left to free up salary space have registered for the auction. Most of them have returned to the pool in search of new bids. The original registration list contained over a thousand players, but after discussions with teams, this was reduced to 350, with late additions also made.
While many foreign stars attract attention, many big names may still remain unsold. Form concerns, team combinations and changes in franchise strategies could all play a role in shaping their fortunes.
Star players teams can ignore on purpose in IPL 2026 auction:
Jake Fraser-McGurk
The 2025 IPL season was a tough one for Jake Fraser-McGurk. He had a great first year in 2024, where he scored runs at a rapid pace and looked like a future star. However, his form dropped as he scored only 55 runs in six matches for Delhi Capitals and the team decided to release him.
Even though his numbers were bad last season, Jake is still only 23 years old and has a lot of talent. A lot of teams know he can hit the ball hard and can change games if he gets going.
Some franchises looking to build for the future may still show interest. But his base price is ₹2 crore higher, so there is also a possibility that teams may hesitate, and he may remain unsold.
Steve Smith and Ben Duckett
Steve Smith and Ben Duckett are two foreign batsmen who may remain unsold in the auction. Smith impressed with his batting performances in the BBL and MLC. However, he has not played in the IPL since 2021. Teams can still show interest if they are willing to invest at his base price of ₹2 crore.
Ben Duckett is a reliable opening batsman for England across all formats and has been in great form in white-ball cricket. He remained unsold in the last IPL mega auction. Duckett also has experience in tournaments like BBL and The Hundred. However, teams may be hesitant due to his availability issues.
Kyle Jamieson and Anrich Nortje
Teams may choose to ignore Kyle Jamieson and Anrich Nortje despite their reputations. Nortje bowled the fastest ball in the league in 2020 and played a big role in taking Delhi Capitals to the final that year.
However, he managed to play only two matches for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2025. His pace remains a weapon, but his fitness record may make franchises cautious.
Jamieson’s IPL journey has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries, causing him to miss the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He made a comeback with the Punjab Kings in 2025 and took five wickets in four matches, but questions remain about his durability.
Also read: Jitesh Sharma exposed Sanju Samson’s age fraud? RCB star’s “big brother” comment for CSK keeper goes viral