The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction is scheduled to be held on December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Fans are eagerly waiting to see how their favorite teams will perform at the auction table ahead of next year's IPL.
A total of 350 cricketers, including 240 Indians, will go under the hammer in the IPL auction. 40 cricketers have opted for the highest base price bracket of Rs 2 crore. On the other hand, 227 uncapped domestic players have had their base price fixed at the lowest bracket of Rs 30 lakh.
Speaking to Star Sports, former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn picked his five most desirable players for the auction. Australian all-rounder cameron green This is at the top of the list. Steyn believes that whichever team ropes in Green, he will be extremely beneficial because of his all-round talent.
“He has the ability to bat and bowl, so he is an incredible all-rounder. He has flexibility in his batting. If you want, you can open the batting with him or have him bat at No. 3 or bring him in later down the order, maybe at No. 6. He has the ability to hit the ball out of the ground, which is what you want in players in the IPL. And then he can also open the bowling, so he is an all-rounder. player, he is the perfect player and fits in perfectly in most teams,” Steyn said while speaking to Star Sports.
Steyn named veteran David Miller as the second most desirable cricketer available in the auction. The cricketer turned commentator described Miller as an ideal middle-order batsman in the shortest format.
Steyn said, “He fits in perfectly at No. 5, sometimes even at No. 4. He's a finisher of the game, but someone who can also play long innings. So if you find yourself in trouble, two or three wickets fall, he can take over the innings and still take advantage at the end. One of the most destructive players, and it's not just slogging, it's calculated hitting. He's absolutely perfect in T20s in the middle order.” The right batsman.”
Meanwhile, Mathisha Pathirana was the third name chosen by Steyn. The young Sri Lankan seamer was released by Chennai Super Kings after disappointing performances last season. However, if the young player finds his rhythm and form then he can be beneficial for the team.
“He is an absolutely unique bowler. Bowls a brilliant slower ball and brilliant yorkers, and can trouble you with bouncers. Batsmen need a few balls to get used to him, resulting in dot balls which are absolute gold dust in T20 cricket.”
At the No. 4 spot, Steyn went with England all-rounder Liam Livingstone. The latter played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2025 without much success.
Venkatesh Iyer – the only Indian player in Stan's list
Venkatesh Iyer He was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 23.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega-auction. However, he failed to live up to his expectations last season and was released by the three-time champions later in November. Steyn believes that Iyer can be a valuable addition to the team, especially because of his rich experience.
“He has shown what he is capable of. And he is a high-profile Indian who is not playing for the national team right now. But he has a lot of experience, and when you have that, and you are an Indian player, the rest of the team takes advantage of that. He will bring all the other guys together, which is always a good sign,” Steyn said.
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