IPL 2026 auction: Why did teams splurge on uncapped players?

The Indian Premier League 2026 mini-auction delivered record spending and a clear shift in team priorities, as franchises splurged on Indian domestic talent alongside marquee overseas names. While Cameron Green became the costliest overseas buy in IPL history, the night belonged to uncapped players, several of whom attracted multi-crore bids and reshaped auction dynamics.
In this episode of In Focus, The Hindu’s Amol Karhadkar reports from the auction venue in Abu Dhabi. Amol analyses the biggest purchases, the rise in demand for domestic uncapped players and strategies adopted by teams such as CSK and KKR.
Guest: Amol Karhadkar, The Hindu’s sports reporter

Host: Reuben Joe Joseph

Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

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