IPL 2026 Auction: The IPL 2026 begins! Player auction to take place today, who will get the highest bid?

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The mini-auction for the 19th season of the IPL will begin today in Abu Dhabi at 2:30 PM. The ten teams have a total purse of 237.55 crore rupees available. 350 players will participate in the auction, but bids will be placed for only 77 spots. Among these, 40 players have a base price of 2 crore rupees, while for 227 players, it will start from 30 lakh rupees. A total of 1390 players registered from around the world, but the BCCI has shortlisted the top 350.

Teams spend large amounts in the mini auction. Historically, Rishabh Pant became the most expensive, bought by Lucknow Super Giants for 27 crores last year. Previously, six players were sold for more than 16 crores. BCCI organizes the Women's Premier League along with IPL. Mallika Sagar will be present as the auctioneer on the same day. A mega auction occurs every three years, where teams can retain only six players. In the two intervening years, mini auctions take place, resulting in fewer purchases due to more retentions. With the mega auction in 2025, there will be minis for 2026-27.

The secret bidding process is important in the auction. The winning team must pay the amount to the BCCI within 30 days from December 16. Players like Kieron Pollard, Shane Bond, and Ravindra Jadeja were bought through secret bidding. If two teams are tied on the same bid, a tiebreaker will apply. In this, the team that has filled in the higher secret amount will get the player, but that extra amount will go to the BCCI and the player will get the original price. This rule has been in place since 2010. Cricket fans are eager to see which stars will be sold in today's auction.