Top 5 surprise of IPL 2026 mini-auction:Uncapped Prashant, Kartik become millionaires, Jason Holder bags ₹7 cr after going unsold for two seasons

The IPL 2026 mini auction was held on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, ahead of the new season that begins on March 26. All 10 franchises took part in the auction, bidding on 156 players. A total of 77 players were sold for a combined amount of ₹215.45 crore. While several well-known international stars were available, the biggest talking point of the auction turned out to be the unexpected rise of lesser-known Indian players. Young and uncapped cricketers, who were not in the limelight before the auction, attracted massive bids and surprised everyone. Players like Prashant Veer, Kartik Sharma and Aaqib Nabi Dar emerged as the biggest stories of the night. Their journeys, performances and sudden rise in value made this auction truly memorable. 1. Prashant Veer: Jadeja’s alternative who can handle pressure for Chennai Left-arm spinner Prashant Veer from Amethi became one of the biggest surprises of the auction. Coming in with a base price of ₹30 lakh, he was expected to go unsold initially. However, once bidding started, several teams entered the race. Also read: From Prashant Veer to Kartik Sharma: Fairy tale scenes from families as uncapped Indian players headline in IPL 2026 mini-auction | WATCH After intense competition involving LSG, MI, RR and SRH, Chennai Super Kings secured Prashant Veer for ₹14.20 crore. Prashant has impressed in domestic cricket. He was the Emerging Player in the UP T20 League, scoring 320 runs at a strike rate of 155.34 and taking 8 wickets. In the Under-23 tournament, he scored 376 runs and took 18 wickets, winning the Player of the Tournament award. 2. Kartik Sharma: Rajasthan’s ‘six-hitting machine’ for CSK Nineteen-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma is known for his powerful hitting. His ability to clear the boundary regularly has earned praise from Kevin Pietersen and Ravichandran Ashwin. With a base price of ₹30 lakh, Kartik triggered a bidding war involving MI, LSG, KKR, SRH and CSK. Chennai Super Kings finally signed him for ₹14.20 crore. Kartik scored 133 runs in the Mushtaq Ali Trophy at a strike rate of 160.24. Overall, he has scored 334 runs in 12 T20 matches with a strike rate of 164, hitting 28 sixes. Also read: IPL auction top trends- 6 Australians sold for ₹45.70 crore: 5 uncapped Indians bought for ₹45 cr; Prashant Veer, Kartik Sharma get mammoth salary hike 3. Auqib Nabi Dar: The ‘Steyn Gun’ from Baramulla Jammu Kashmir pacer Aaqib Nabi Dar shocked everyone after being picked by Delhi Capitals for ₹8.40 crore. Known for swinging the ball both ways, he impressed teams with his control in powerplay and death overs. Aaqib has taken 15 wickets in 7 Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches and 29 wickets in the Ranji Trophy so far, including three five-wicket hauls. 4. Mangesh Yadav: Reliable left-arm backup for RCB Left-arm pacer Mangesh Yadav from Madhya Pradesh was picked by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for ₹5.20 crore. He impressed with his swing, yorkers and ability to bowl in pressure situations. Mangesh took 16 wickets in 6 matches in the MP T20 League and also made a quick impact in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Also read: Focus on Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill’s form: India hold 100% win record in T20Is at Lucknow; can they take 3-1 series lead? 5. Jason Holder: Experienced finisher returns to IPL West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder made a surprise comeback after going unsold for two seasons. Gujarat Titans bought him for ₹7 crore. Holder has taken 31 wickets in 31 T20 matches this year and scored 255 runs at a strike rate of 149.12, proving his value as a finisher.