former indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund Picked four debutants to watch in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The 19th edition of the tournament is scheduled to begin on March 28, with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
Many franchises made significant investments in uncapped Indian players during the auction. Mukund highlighted two Chennai Super Kings (CSK) players Karthik Sharma and Prashant Veer as key possibilities. Both the players made headlines by becoming the most expensive uncapped players in IPL history, with CSK spending Rs 14.20 crore on them during the mini-auction.
“Both of them will start. I think Karthik Sharma is a bit ahead because a lot of teams are interested in him. He has exceptional middle-order hitting ability. He can also keep wickets, but I think it's his hitting ability, so I have kept him on one. Prashant Veer, is an exciting prospect. I am expecting another player from CSK,” Abhinav said on ESPNcricinfo.
Abhinav next picked Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi, who was signed by Delhi Capitals (DC) after a sensational Ranji Trophy season. Demonstrating his consistency and impact with the ball, Nabi finished as the leading wicket-taker with 60 wickets in 17 matches.
He also named Ashok Sharma, who was picked by Gujarat Titans (GT). The fast bowler previously served as a net bowler for Rajasthan Royals (RR) and has been a part of the IPL setup before, including stints with Rajasthan in 2022 and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2025. However, he has not made his debut in the tournament yet.
“Aaqib Nabi is the hero of Jammu and Kashmir. He has had a great red-ball season. How will he go in the white-ball? Another guy I am waiting for. A guy who is highly praised by almost all the fast bowlers across the country. Obviously he can bowl above 145 clicks, which is very rare. That is a rarity in Indian cricket,” Abhinav said.
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