- ₹215.45 crore IPL 2026 auction with record-breaking signings
- Cameron Green headlines ₹25.20 crore deal for KKR
- RCB lead title race, with MI close contenders
IPL 2026 team guide – Auction overview and early storylines
The fast-paced, high-octane, big-hitting tournament is back, and on a grander scale than ever before. The IPL burst onto the scene and has since helped reshape the global cricketing landscape, ushering in a crowded calendar of franchise leagues. Yet even with that expansion, the Indian Premier League continues to set the standard. It remains the competition others measure themselves against, still delivering spectacle with substance.
This year’s auction only reinforced that sense of scale. Franchises arrived with clear intentions, deep purses and little hesitation, driving prices to new heights and reshaping squads in bold and sometimes surprising ways. A total spend of ₹215.45 crore brought in 77 players, including 29 overseas signings, in a market that balanced proven stars with an increasing appetite for untapped domestic talent.
There were headline deals, of course. Kolkata Knight Riders’ pursuit of Cameron Green ended in a record ₹25.20 crore fee for an overseas player, the kind of signing that shifts both expectation and pressure. Just as notable was the willingness to invest heavily in uncapped Indian players. Chennai Super Kings led that charge with two ₹14.20 crore signings, a clear shift in their long-held approach.
Elsewhere, squads were refined rather than rebuilt. Some teams doubled down on continuity, others chased flexibility, and a few appear to be betting on upside rather than certainty. With the auction complete and combinations beginning to take shape, we are watching closely to see who sets the early pace.
This IPL 2026 team guide breaks down how each squad has been constructed and where the key questions lie heading into the new season.
IPL 2026 team guide – Team-by-team breakdown
Chennai Super Kings
CSK entered the auction with the second-largest purse at ₹43.40 crore and used it decisively. Two-thirds of that budget went on just two uncapped players, Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma, both commanding ₹14.20 crore deals.
That shift defines their squad. These are not peripheral additions; they are central to the side’s balance, and their adaptation to IPL level will be critical. Alongside that gamble, CSK made more measured calls. Akeal Hosein and Matt Henry offer plug-and-play options depending on conditions, particularly at Chepauk.
What stands out is how different this looks from the traditional CSK model. There is still a core in place, but the reliance on unproven players through the middle order and bowling attack introduces a level of uncertainty rarely associated with this side.
Squad
Batters: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Matt Short
Wicketkeepers: Sanju Samson, MS Dhoni, Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma
Allrounders: Shivam Dube, Zak Foulkes, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Aman Khan, Prashant Veer
Spinners: Noor Ahmad, Rahul Chahar
Fast bowlers: Khaleel Ahmed, Nathan Ellis, Matt Henry, Gurjapneet Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
RCB arrive as defending champions after finally securing Virat Kohli’s first IPL title last season, and their auction approach reflected that position. With a settled core already in place, the focus was on refinement rather than change.
The headline move was bringing in Venkatesh Iyer for ₹7 crore, a sharp contrast to the ₹23.50 crore they were prepared to spend on him previously. He offers a genuine option at No. 3, although that would require a reshuffle at the top of the order.
The fact that he is the only realistic addition to their strongest XI underlines just how stable this squad is. Beyond that, the work was about depth. Jacob Duffy comes in as cover for Josh Hazlewood, while Mangesh Yadav, a 140 kph-plus left-arm quick, offers like-for-like support for Yash Dayal.
There is no overhaul here. This is a champion side building towards a title defence.
Squad
Batters: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Devdutt Padikkal
Wicketkeepers: Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Jordan Cox
Allrounders: Jacob Bethell, Venkatesh Iyer, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Romario Shepherd, Satwik Deswal, Kanish Chouhan, Vihaan Malhotra, Vicky Ostwal
Spinners: Suyash Sharma
Fast bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam, Mangesh Yadav, Yash Dayal, Jacob Duffy, Nuwan Thushara, Abhinandan Singh
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad came into the auction with the third-largest purse but were relatively quiet early on. Their only major investment was ₹13 crore on Liam Livingstone.
That leaves them with a squad that still has gaps. The biggest concern is the pace attack. With a senior figure no longer part of the setup, SRH have turned to a group of domestic seamers, but it remains unclear whether any can lead the line.
Their spin attack also leans heavily on inexperience, although the addition of a left-arm wristspinner gives them a slightly different look. They were willing to stretch to ₹7 crore for Ravi Bishnoi before losing out, which suggests they were aware of that gap.
There is attacking potential in the batting, but the bowling unit feels less settled.
Squad
Batters: Travis Head, Aniket Verma, R Smaran
Wicketkeepers: Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, Salil Arora
Allrounders: Liam Livingstone, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Brydon Carse, Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, Kamindu Mendis, Harsh Dubey, Jack Edwards, Shivang Kumar, Krains Fuletra
Spinners: Zeeshan Ansari, Amit Kumar
Fast bowlers: Eshan Malinga, Jaydev Unadkat, Shivam Mavi, Onkar Tarmale, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge
Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians were among the least active teams at the auction, reflecting the strength of the squad they already had. With only five slots to fill, they targeted specific roles rather than chasing marquee names.
They brought in four players, including Quinton de Kock and Atharva Ankolekar, both at base price. It was efficient rather than aggressive.
This remains a squad built on versatility. There are multiple allrounders who can slot in as either batter or bowler, giving MI flexibility in how they structure their XI depending on conditions.
Continuity is the defining feature here.
Squad
Batters: Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Danish Malewar
Wicketkeepers: Robin Minz, Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock
Allrounders: Shardul Thakur, Sherfane Rutherford, Corbin Bosch, Hardik Pandya, Mitchell Santner, Naman Dhir, Raj Bawa, Tilak Varma, Will Jacks, Atharva Ankolekar
Spinners: Mayank Markande, AM Ghazanfar, Raghu Sharma
Fast bowlers: Ashwani Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Mohammed Izhar
Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans entered the auction with ₹12.90 crore and relatively few gaps to address. Their biggest signing was Jason Holder, who adds another seam-bowling allround option and will compete with Glenn Phillips for a spot.
They also added Tom Banton and Luke Wood at base price as backup options, along with two uncapped Indian fast bowlers. Notably, they did not use their full overseas quota, which suggests confidence in their existing core.
The squad remains well organised, though the middle order still lacks a clearly defined finisher.
Squad
Batters: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Tom Banton, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan
Wicketkeepers: Jos Buttler, Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra
Allrounders: Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Rahul Tewatia, Nishant Sindhu, Jayant Yadav, Arshad Khan
Spinners: Sai Kishore
Fast bowlers: Kagiso Rabada, Luke Wood, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Sharma, Prithvi Raj Yarra
Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR entered with the largest purse and used it to reshape their squad. The centrepiece was Cameron Green, signed for ₹25.20 crore, a record fee for an overseas player in the IPL.
He is expected to fill the role previously occupied by Andre Russell, offering both batting power and seam options. Around him, KKR have built significant depth. There are multiple aggressive wicketkeeping options at the top, a range of death-bowling specialists, and a strong supporting cast.
The question now is one of balance, particularly how to structure the batting around incumbent captain Ajinkya Rahane. With so many options available, settling on the right combination will be key.
Squad
Batters: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Rahul Tripathi, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell
Wicketkeepers: Finn Allen, Tejasvi Dahiya, Tim Seifert
Allrounders: Anukul Roy, Cameron Green, Daksh Kamra, Ramandeep Singh, Rachin Ravindra, Sarthak Ranjan, Sunil Narine
Spinners: Prashant Solanki, Varun Chakravarthy
Fast bowlers: Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Kartik Tyagi, Matheesha Pathirana, Mustafizur Rahman, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals addressed their priorities directly. They secured Ravi Bishnoi for ₹7.20 crore to rebuild their spin attack and added further wrist-spin options to strengthen that department.
They also brought in Adam Milne to bolster their pace resources, a move that could ease some of their reliance on Jofra Archer across the season. The squad now has more flexibility across different conditions.
They did attempt to add an allrounder but were unable to secure one, which leaves a slight imbalance in certain combinations.
Squad
Batters: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Aman Rao
Wicketkeepers: Dhruv Jurel, Ravi Singh
Allrounders: Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Riyan Parag, Yudhvir Singh
Spinners: Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Raj Punja, Vignesh Puthur
Fast bowlers: Jofra Archer, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, Sushant Mishra, Adam Milne, Kuldeep Sen, Brijesh Sharma
Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings made minimal changes after reaching the final last season. Their key adjustment was replacing Josh Inglis with Cooper Connolly, who offers both batting aggression and left-arm spin.
Ben Dwarshuis adds experience to the pace attack and provides cover for early-season availability concerns. There are also a few domestic additions, including a legspinner and a young seamer identified through scouting.
The core of the squad remains intact.
Squad
Batters: Harnoor Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shreyas Iyer
Wicketkeepers: Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod
Allrounders: Azmatullah Omarzai, Ben Dwarshuis, Cooper Connolly, Harpreet Brar, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Owen, Musheer Khan, Shashank Singh, Suryansh Shedge
Spinners: Praveen Dubey, Yuzvendra Chahal
Fast bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Vishal Nishad, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur
Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals have assembled one of the more flexible squads in the competition. They can adjust their balance depending on conditions without weakening either batting or bowling.
But that flexibility will be tested following Ben Duckett’s late withdrawal from the competition. It is just as well, then, that there are other specialist batters in the squad who they will be hoping are primed to step in and fill that spot.
There are multiple options at the top of the order, and the squad allows for switches between domestic and overseas combinations. That flexibility extends to the pace attack, where they can rotate depending on form and conditions.
It is a squad built around adaptability, but one that will rely on clear decision-making.
Squad
Batters: Prithvi Shaw, Karun Nair, Nitish Rana, Pathum Nissanka, Ashutosh Sharma, David Miller, Sameer Rizvi, Sahil Parakh
Wicketkeepers: KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs
Allrounders: Axar Patel, Vipraj Nigam, Kyle Jamieson, Auqib Nabi, Madhav Tiwari, T Vijay, Ajay Mandal
Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav
Fast bowlers: Mitchell Starc, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, Lungi Ngidi, Dushmantha Chameera
Lucknow Super Giants
Lucknow Super Giants still have a key gap. The absence of a proven finisher remains an issue, particularly with Josh Inglis, signed for ₹8.60 crore, unavailable for much of the season.
They added Wanindu Hasaranga to strengthen their allround options and secured Anrich Nortje at a base price of ₹2 crore. Both bring quality, but there are ongoing concerns around fitness within the pace group.
The squad has strength at the top but still feels slightly unbalanced overall.
Squad
Batters: Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Aiden Markram, Akshat Raghuwanshi
Wicketkeepers: Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Josh Inglis, Mukul Choudhary
Allrounders: Arshin Kulkarni, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed
Spinners: Digvesh Rathi, M Siddharth
Fast bowlers: Akash Singh, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, Anrich Nortje, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Mayank Yadav, Naman Tiwari
IPL 2026 team guide – Who can challenge RCB?
If RCB arrive as the benchmark, they do so without having needed to change very much. Continuity, depth and a settled core give them a strong platform to defend their title, and in a tournament where momentum matters, that stability could prove decisive.
But there is no shortage of challengers. Kolkata Knight Riders have assembled perhaps the most dynamic squad on paper, with Cameron Green at the centre of a side packed with options. Mumbai Indians remain quietly formidable, built on balance and experience, while Gujarat Titans look organised enough to stay competitive if they can solve their middle-order puzzle.
There is little to separate the leading contenders on paper. Now the focus shifts to execution, and who can deliver under pressure.
The IPL gets underway on Saturday 28th March, click here to see the latest IPL fixtures and results.
