The IPL 2026 auction will take place on Tuesday (December 16) – here are the holes each team will be looking to fill.
Chennai Super Kings
Auction purse: 43.4 crore
What they have: CSK's top-order is more or less sorted. Their bowling also remains relatively solid, with only minor reinforcements required. A few domestic players will certainly arrive to take up bench spots as well.
What they need: First and foremost, two batters in the lower-middle order. Their starting top five looks solid enough, but the gap to Dhoni potentially at eight needs to be bridged. Cameron Green will be the prime target, but they will likely be outbid for him. Liam Livingstone could well be in yellow next season, as well as one of the high-intent domestic batters that are on the market this time around. CSK will also likely be looking for a spinner who can bat, to take up the Ravindra Jadeja mantle. Watch out for Prashant Veer, or a slightly more left-field shout in Mahipal Lomror.
Read more: IPL 2026 auction: Five little-known overseas players who could go big
Delhi Capitals
Auction purse: 21.8 crore
What they have: A competent and competitive starting XII. The core remains intact, with decent enough backups through the middle-order and the bowling.
What they need: Openers. KL Rahul batted in the middle last time around, so he could move back to the top, but even then DC will need one starter and a couple of backups. There are two pieces of good news; India is rarely short of opening batters, and DC have four overseas slots available, so even two foreign openers could fit the bill. Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Tim Seifert and the like could be targets, as well as domestic players like Tushar Raheja. Another backup Indian spinner would be ideal as well, and if they have the budget, an overseas middle-order batter in the mould of Jordan Cox.
Also read: IPL 2026 auction: Five overseas superstars who could go unsold
Gujarat Titans
Auction purse: 12.9 crore
What they have: Twenty players, with only one spot in the XI really needing to be filled. Uncapped and/or initially unsold players should pad out the squad.
What they need: A batter at No.5/6. They traded Sherfane Rutherford to Mumbai Indians, and Glenn Phillips could come into the XI but they would want some explosive options in the middle in the (likely) event that the top three of Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Buttler do not repeat their heroics from last season. One big buy in the form of Liam Livingstone, Jordan Cox or even an uncapped player like Kartik Sharma might be the way they go.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Auction purse: 64.3 crore
What they have: Not much. KKR need to buy at least six players at the auction, and barely have a functioning XII at this point. Naturally, they also have the largest purse due to all the releases.
What they need: Almost everything. Their lower-order axis of Ramandeep-Rinku is intact, and it remains to be seen where Sunil Narine will bat. One expects them to re-sign Venkatesh Iyer at much lower than the eye-watering 23 crore from last year, and there is a good chance they blow everyone else out of the water for Cameron Green. Apart from that, openers and domestic spinners will be the priorities, and they also need a starting wicketkeeper. There will be many names on their list of targets.
Lucknow Super Giants
Auction purse: 22.95 crore
What they have: Indian quicks (almost too many). But that is largely to cover for the dubious fitness statuses of Mohsin Khan and Mayank Yadav. The majority of their starting lineup remains intact.
What they need: One, or maybe two, lower-order hitters. They can afford for one to be an overseas player as well, and will likely go after an overseas quick to give themselves some flexibility with respect to the starting XII. LSG may also want an Indian spinner to take Ravi Bishnoi's place, and compete with Digvesh Rathi as the frontline slow bowler. Adding one explosive batter, and Rishabh Pant returning to form would turn them into a fearsome lineup.
Mumbai Indians
Auction purse: 2.75 crore
What they have: Basically everything.
What they need: Almost nothing. MI may as well not show up at the auction if they feel so inclined, but will – potentially to fill in their one remaining overseas slot and pick up a youngster or two at base price.
Punjab Kings
Auction purse: 11.5 crore
What they have: Finalists last year, Punjab have also kept almost all of their squad together.
What they need: With 11.5 crore in the purse, they can afford to push other teams hard for some of the premium domestic talent in the auction. PBKS also let go of Josh Inglis, who has limited availability for the upcoming season. If they wish, an overseas player – Tim Seifert or Tim Robinson perhaps – could be drafted in to replace him.
Rajasthan Royals
Auction purse: 16.4 crore
What they have: A solid batting core, and extra power with the trade of Donovan Ferreira. RR also have an excellent seam-bowling set on quality, but Nandre Burger and Jofra Archer in particular can have some flimsy fitness.
What they need: Perhaps another genuine all-rounder to supplement Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Apart from that, RR will be in the market mainly for backup players; they have a track record of unearthing young talent and could simply continue that this year. They only have one overseas slot available too, so expect them to go harder for the uncapped Indians.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Auction purse: 16.05 crore
What they have: Their title-winning starting XII.
What they need: Backups through the squad. Jacob Bethell covers the opening slot and Nuwan Thushara will be Josh Hazlewood's understudy, but there is a real chance here for the defending champions to future-proof their squad with some domestic talent. A backup overseas finisher for Tim David is also likely to be high on the agenda. Remember, they were also the team that pushed KKR for Venkatesh Iyer last year, so they may still be interested in him.
Read more: IPL 2026 auction: Five Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy standouts who could land a big payday
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Auction purse: 25.5 crore
What they have: A fearsome batting lineup, and two stellar uncapped talents in Ravichandran Smaran and Harsh Dubey.
What they need: An Indian quick. They traded away Mohammed Shami, leaving Jaydev Unadkat and Harshal Patel as the frontline options. Pat Cummins, Brydon Carse and Eshan Malinga should suffice as the overseas players in that category. They could also do with a starting-level finisher, overseas or Indian, and a couple of backup openers.
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