The upcoming edition of IPL 2026 mini-auction is going to be an interesting affair. The Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi is all set to host the event on Tuesday, December 16. 369 players are ready to participate in the auction. 10 franchises will have a chance to fill 77 slots during the much-awaited event.
It is important to note that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is entering the auction with the highest purse. He has Rs 64.3 crore in his kitty.
KKR won the IPL title for the third time in 2024. However, in the IPL 2025 mega-auction, they failed to secure the services of players like Phil Salt and Mitchell Starc, who played crucial roles for them in their victorious campaign last season. to sign again Venkatesh Iyer The hefty price tag of Rs 23.75 crore also seemed a questionable move.
KKR's team lacked balance as well as depth and newly appointed captain Ajinkya Rahane had to do his job. The Knights finished eighth in the points table, with many of their players failing to perform up to their potential.
The three-time champions decided to make massive changes ahead of IPL 2026. They released nine players including the great Andre Russell. The Caribbean all-rounder later retired and joined the Knights' support staff as power coach.
Current team and retained players: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakraborty.
KKR is expected to try to rope in the services of star Australian all-rounder Cameron Green in the IPL 2026 mini-auction. Prithvi Shaw could be one of their major targets. The 26-year-old went unsold in last year's auction but has performed well while playing for his new state Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Mathisha Pathirana could be one of their key targets in the seam-bowling department.
Get every cricket update! Follow us,
Leave a Reply