No buyers for CSK reject: 5 big names who might go unsold in IPL 2026 mini auction

Big names who could go unsold [Source: AFP Photo]

The wait is almost over as the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini auction is set to take place on Tuesday, December 16, with nearly 350 players going under the hammer as ten teams fight it out to assemble the best squad possible for the next IPL season.

All ten sides have some or the other loopholes to fill in, and the mini auction provides them a chance to do just that. While some players are guaranteed to be sold in the mini auction, there are some high-profile names who might not attract buyers and could be unsold.

Here are 5 big names who might not gain attraction in the mini auction and could be unsold in the marquee event.

1) Devon Conway

Devon Conway was CSK’s mainstay during their 2023 IPL title-winning campaign, but unfortunately, he couldn’t replicate the same performance last season and was also dropped midway through the campaign. He couldn’t play the 2024 season, and in 2025, the numbers reflected a sorry state of affairs.

(Conway in IPL 2025)

• Just 156 runs in six innings with a strike rate of 131 defined his IPL 2025 journey. The Kiwi star looked a pale shadow of his former self and in one of the games against the Punjab Kings, Conway was deliberately retired out and was called back as he failed to steer the team to a win.
• At 34, Conway is in the twilight of his career, and perhaps, teams would like to get a young and aggressive opener in their side instead of a 34-year-old player.

2) Steve Smith

Steve Smith went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction, but interestingly, the batter registered himself for a base price of INR 2 crore in the mini auction. The issue with Smith is that he is known for his Test match batting, and franchises have a belief that he can’t play the new aggressive brand of T20 cricket.

(Steve Smith in IPL)

• He has runs under his belt in the IPL, but those have come at a strike rate of just 128, and modern day T20 cricket requires batters to go aggressive right from the word go. Hence, the Aussie legend might not attract bidders in the mini auction.

3) Anrich Nortje

• One of the best South African pacers, Anrich Nortje, has been dealing with injuries for the last few years, and despite this, KKR banked on him when they purchased him for 6.50 crore. He looked a pale shadow of his former self and only played two matches in IPL 2025 and conceded runs at 11.86 runs per over.
• While no one doubts Nortje’s ability to take wickets, but he is injury-prone at the moment, and teams might invest in a bowler who might not play 14 league stage games.

4) Josh Inglis

• Josh Inglis was one of the star performers for the Punjab Kings last season as he played two crucial knocks in the final league stage game and the Qualifier 2,a but there is a different reason why he might not be sold.
• Inglis has already informed that he will only play a maximum of four IPL matches due to his wedding dates colliding with the IPL schedule. Hence, teams might back out as they probably won’t invest in a player who will only play 25 percent of matches for them in the league.

5) Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav was unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction, and there is a good chance that the same could be repeated again. He is in the twilight of his career at 38, and in recent years, the IPL numbers have been underwhelming.

(Umesh Yadav in IPL 2024)

• In the last IPL season that he played (2024), Umesh Yadav looked rusty and couldn’t deliver the goods as he only scalped 8 wickets in seven matches, and conceded runs at an economy of 10.
• At 38, teams probably might not be interested in acquring his services for IPL 2026.

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