CSK's IPL veteran Devon Conway snubbed: Big names that went unsold in 2026 mini auction

Big names who went unsold [Source: AFP Photo]

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini auction is over as all ten franchises have spent a hefty amount to acquire the services of some of the best in the business. Some of the big names who were expected to fetch a high amount deservingly got what they deserved, while other superstar names, who had done well in the past, were snubbed in the auction.

In this piece, we take a look at 5 such big names, who put forward their names in the auction, but went unsold.

1) Devon Conway

Once an undisputed starter for the Chennai Super Kings, Kiwi opener Devon Conway was released by the franchise, and he couldn’t attract a single bid in the IPL mini auction as the player went unsold. In the 2023 season for CSK, he played a pivotal part as the batter racked up 672 runs, and helped the team win the title.

However, tables turned in the 2025 season as Conway only scored 156 runs with a strike rate of 131, and the franchises showed no interest and he was ignored in the auction.

2) Jake Fraser-McGurk

The Australian power-packed opener lit up the IPL in the 2024 season as the opening batter was at his imperial best for the Delhi Capitals and scored 330 runs in nine matches with a strike rate of 234. However, the following season, disaster struck and the numbers tell the story.

(JFM in IPL 2025)

• After witnessing the highs in 2024, JFM witnessed a downfall as the explosive batter scored just 55 runs in 2025, and had a strike rate of just 105, and he was released by the franchise.
• However, he has been a proven IPL performer, but no paddle was raised when Fraser-McGurk’s name was mentioned in the IPL mini auction.

3) Jonny Bairstow

Last season, Jonny Bairstow came in as a last-minute replacement player in the Mumbai Indians side, and he actually performed exceedingly for the former IPL winners.

(Bairstow for MI in IPL 2025)

• He just played two matches for MI, and was one of their best performer with a stellar strike rate, but despite that, no franchise showed interest in the English star and he went unsold in the mini auction.
• He was also a proven performer for SRH and PBKS, but the teams that needed a solid wicket-keeper ignored the English player.

4) Jamie Smith

The breakout England star, Jamie Smith, was touted to get a buyer in the IPL mini auction, as several sides needed a world-class keeper, but the surprise came when nobody went after him. This was a shocker since Smith has been good for England in the shortest format.

One major reason why Smith perhaps went unsold was due to his recent Test form in Australia, which hampered his chances of getting a buyer in the IPL mini auction.

5) Daryl Mitchell

One of the most in-form international cricketers at the moment, Daryl Mitchell has been in some form as of late, and he was expected to fetch a hefty amount in the auction.

Teams like the Gujarat Titans needed a solid number 4, but they ignored the Kiwi batter. One main reason for his ignorance was the fact that he had an underwhelming IPL season for the Chennai Super Kings, and teams couldn’t look past his previous IPL performances.

---

ALSO READ

Kohli to open with Salt; Venkatesh Iyer to replace Padikkal: RCB strongest XI for IPL 2026

---