Steve Smith's return unlikely; players with 2 cr base price who might go unsold in IPL 2026 auction

Steve Smith for Australia - (Source: AFP)

On Tuesday, December 2, the first list of 1355 players was made public, and it revealed that 45 stars have registered themselves at a base price of 2 crores. The list features top names such as Cameron Green, but also a few interesting and shocking names as well.

Meanwhile, this article will shed light on prominent names who might go unsold during the mini-auction on December 16 despite registering themselves at a base price of 2 crores.

1. Steve Smith 

One of the most shocking names in the entire list of registered players is Steve Smith. The right-handed batter has not featured in the cash-studded league since 2021. Smith is a red-ball talisman, but has not made a name for himself in the shortest format of the game.

Interestingly, the 36-year-old is not even in Australia's scheme of things for T20Is, and last played an international game in February 2024.

Since Smith has been out of action for such a long time, no team might be interested in roping in the former Australia captain for a whopping two crores. Further, most of the teams are settled at the top, and only two teams - Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders are looking for openers.

2. Naveen ul Haq

For IPL 2026, Afghanistan star bowler Naveen Ul Haq has registered himself for two crores. However, it is unlikely that the right-arm seamer finds any interest because he went unsold in IPL 2025 as well.  

It came as shocking news during the 2025 auction, but eventually, the decision turned out to be good because Haq's frequent injuries made him a difficult starter for any tournament.

Notably, Haq had a great chance to prove his mettle in the shortest format of the game during the Asia Cup 2025, but he was ruled out of the tournament because of another injury blow.

Thus, amid injury scares and form issues, Naveen Ul Haq is most likely to be unsold during the auction.

3. Jake Fraser-McGurk

 Jake Fraser-McGurk was touted to be the next big thing in the IPL when he took the league by storm after signing for Delhi Capitals in his debut season. It led to the Capitals, bringing back the Australia opener for a whopping 9 crores via RTM during the 2025 mega-auction.

However, the right-handed batter has been in dismal form and has only scored 55 runs in six innings, eventually leading him to be released from the team. 

Further, as mentioned earlier, there are a few slots available for the openers, and for JFM to make his way amid them will be a tough task. 

4. Josh Inglis

Josh Inglish is having the time of his life with the bat, but there is a different reason altogether for him to get unsold. Notably, Inglis have registered himself for 2 crores but has stated that he won't be available for the entire season and will play just 25% of his matches.

Thus, it is unlikely that the teams will look to buy a player who will not be there for the majority of the season. 

5. Gerald Coetzee

Gerald Coetzee, he too, has a similar story to Naveen ul Haq. The right-arm seamer from South Africa is an injury-prone player and has been out of action and has not played a single match for South Africa since July 2025. 

Thus, it is unlikely that Coetzee will find any buyer during the 2026 auction. 

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