The IPL 2026 auction, held on Tuesday, December 16, in Abu Dhabi, produced several surprises. While franchises spent heavily on young Indian talent and carefully filled their overseas slots, many well-known and capable players were left unsold.
Several proven performers, both Indian and overseas, failed to attract bids despite strong domestic or international credentials. Based on balance and roles, here is the best IPL XI made entirely of unsold players, along with an analysis of why teams chose to ignore them.
Openers
Jonny Bairstow
Criteria
Data
Innings
52
Runs
1674
Avg
34.87
SR
146.07
(Jonny Bairstow's IPL stats)
Jonny Bairstow going unsold was one of the biggest shocks of the auction. A proven IPL performer, Bairstow has scored 1,674 runs in 52 matches at an average of 34.87 and a strike rate of 146.07. So, in this unsold playing XI, we have kept Jonny Bairstow in place of Devon Conway (29 matches in 1080 runs at a strike-rate of 139.71).
Despite his pedigree, franchises were extremely cautious with overseas slots. Most teams preferred younger overseas players who could contribute in multiple seasons or uncapped Indian openers who offered similar returns without using a foreign slot. Bairstow’s age (36 years) also worked against him, and he went unsold in IPL 2026.
Yash Dhull
Yash Dhull’s omission raised eyebrows, especially after his brilliant Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 season. He scored 435 runs in just eight innings at an average of 87 and a strike rate of 167.31. His overall T20 record is also impressive, he made 1,087 runs in 35 matches at an average of 40.25.
Despite his domestic form, teams appeared hesitant to invest in top-order batters without sustained IPL success, especially when several younger uncapped options were available.
Released by the SRH after scoring just 61 runs in five innings in IPL 2025, Abhinav Manohar was impressive in domestic cricket. He scored 284 runs in the Maharaja Trophy at a strike rate of 165.12 and has also performed well in the Ranji Trophy. He made 211 runs in 5 innings at a strike-rate of 52.62 and average of 42.20.
Despite his strong domestic numbers, IPL franchises were unwilling to overlook his recent IPL struggles.
Vijay Shankar
Vijay Shankar entered the auction as an uncapped player with a base price of ₹30 lakh, but still found no buyers. Having played for multiple franchises, his experience should have helped.
A disappointing IPL 2025 season with CSK significantly dented his value. He made 118 runs in 6 matches at an average of 39.33 and a strike-rate of 129.67. Teams are now demanding consistent impact rather than experience alone, and Shankar's form and age did not justify investment, even at a low base price.
Mahipal Lomror
Mahipal Lomror has earlier played for RCB in IPL and has been a consistent domestic performer. Mahipal Lomror offers balance and flexibility. Playing in SMAT 2025, he has played 10 innings and scored 270 runs at a strike rate of 125.58 and an average of 33.75.
The intense competition among Indian middle-order batters worked against him in IPL 2026. Teams preferred younger uncapped finishers and multi-skilled all-rounders, leaving Lomror out despite his proven IPL skill set.
Tanush Kotian
Tanush Kotian has been one of the standout performers in Indian domestic cricket. He played a crucial role in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy triumph and even earned a call-up for the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad.
Despite strong numbers, 33 wickets in 36 T20 matches at an economy of 6.65. The heavy competition among spin all-rounders and limited squad slots likely cost him a contract.
Wiaan Mulder
The South African all-rounder was expected to attract interest due to his ability to contribute in both departments. Mulder had a limited impact in IPL 2025 with SRH, and franchises preferred overseas players with proven T20 match-winning ability. His skill set, though balanced, did not stand out enough in a highly competitive overseas pool.
Maheesh Theekshana, Karn sharma, Spencer Johnson , Akash Madhwal
Maheesh Theekshana
Criteria
Data
Innings
38
Wickets
36
Economy
8.26
(Maheesh Theekshana's IPL stats)
Maheesh Theekshana has struggled with consistency in recent seasons in the cash-rich league. He even had a below-par IPL 2025 with Rajasthan Royals (11 wickets in 11 matches at an economy rate of 9.76). Poor recent form at both the IPL and international level for Sri Lanka significantly reduced his demand, and he went unsold in IPL 2026.
Karn sharma
Karn Sharma actually had a decent IPL 2025, taking seven wickets in five matches. Across his IPL career, he has 83 wickets in 90 matches at an economy rate of 8.38. However, despite his experience, he went unsold in the IPL 2026 mini-auction.
Another reason that might have gone against him is his age. At nearly 39, franchises opted for younger spinners who can serve as long-term investments.
Spencer Johnson
Known for his pace and bounce, Spencer Johnson offers a skill set in T20 cricket. The auction trend favoured Indian left-arm pacers, who provide similar attributes without taking an overseas slot. In IPL 2025, Johnson played four matches for KKR and took just one wicket at an economy rate of 11.73.
Akash Madhwal
Akash Madhwal has taken 23 wickets in 17 IPL matches, including a memorable five-wicket haul for the Mumbai Indians. His recent form has been a concern. Over the last three seasons, playing for two different franchises (MI, RR), he conceded runs at an economy rate of 10.05. One main reason that IPL Franchises were hesitant to invest in a bowler whose death-over control remains inconsistent.
Strongest playing XI of players in IPL 2026 auction
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Jonny Bairstow and Devon Conway (Source: AFP).jpg)
