Ashutosh Sharma becomes MPL’s costliest player:Malwa Stallions buy IPL star for ₹15 lakh; Akshat Raghuvanshi Aniket also fetch big bids

Ashutosh Sharma has become the most expensive player in the Madhya Pradesh Premier League (MPL). He was bought by Malwa Stallions for ₹15 lakh. Akshat Raghuvanshi emerged as the second-highest pick, with Rewa Jaguars securing him for ₹13.80 lakh. The third-highest bid went to Aniket Verma, who was signed by Bhopal Leopards for ₹13.20 lakh. Shivang Kumar was picked up by Bundelkhand Bulls for ₹13 lakh. Meanwhile, Avesh Khan was bought by Chambal Ghariyals for ₹8.20 lakh, and Shivam Shukla joined Indore Pink Panthers for ₹6.60 lakh. The auction, being held at the Brilliant Convention Centre in Indore, features bidding for 244 players. Each franchise has been allotted a purse of ₹50 lakh to build their squad. The MPL is scheduled to be held in June 2026 across Indore and Gwalior. Age eligibility rule
Players under the age of 19 are not permitted to participate in the MPL. This rule aligns with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) policy, which does not conduct T20 tournaments for younger age groups in domestic cricket. The aim is to encourage budding players to focus on longer formats, such as red-ball cricket.