IPL 2026 Mini Auction: Team-Wise Top Target Player

The mini-auction for IPL 2026 is just around the corner, and all ten franchises will be looking to get their squads ready after the events of 2025. Each team will look to drop players that performed poorly, address the weak areas of their squad, and put together a strong balanced team for the following season.

IPL 2026 Auction: Top Players Each Team May Target

Matthew Short - Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Winners of IPL 2025 Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will want to retain their strength and find solutions to a few issues in their batting line-up. Australian Matthew Short could be an excellent choice. RCB struggled for consistent impact from their middle order last season and Short can bat either in the middle or open the batting. He plays aggressively, runs well between wickets and plays spin well - keeping the run rate going and assisting RCB in winning the title again.

Cameron Green - Punjab Kings

Punjab Kings may have struggled for much of last season trying to find balance in their team and Australian all-rounder Cameron Green may be the player they need. Green has the ability to bat up the order as well as bowl critical overs. With the unpredictable form of Glenn Maxwell, Green could well be a grade up. He has a major hitting method and also bowls well, which could assist PBKS in putting their name back in the hat for contention.

Jonny Bairstow – Mumbai Indians

The Mumbai Indians, or MI, always welcome aggressive and attacking players to their roster, meaning Jonny Bairstow fits beautifully. He had a decent IPL 2025 in limited appearances, and the England wicketkeeper-batter has made a name for himself in T20 cricket by providing his teams with fast starts in the powerplay. MI could be bolstered with Bairstow's batting and keeping attributes.

Matt Henry – Gujarat Titans

The Gujarat Titans (GT) could entrench New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry into their pace attack, should they be looking to improve quality. GT last season lacked a stable overseas pacer that could help fill their woes in the pace department. Henry bowls at a decent speed without sacrificing line and length, and the bonus is, he wicket-taking is crucial in the early stages of the innings - something GT desperately craved last season.

Ben Duckett – Delhi Capitals

After a disastrous 2025 season in which the Delhi Capitals (DC) failed to build dynamic partnerships at the top of the order, an aggressive opening partner like England batter Ben Duckett could assist in building common partnerships for DC. Duckett plays very aggressively and has demonstrated he able to handle both pace and spin. Duckett is able to score rapidly through his innovation and aerobics approach to batting, making Duckett a valuable asset to strengthen the top-order of India's capital.

William O’Rourke – Lucknow Super Giants

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have reliable batting options in Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, and Rishabh Pant, but are in need of a quality overseas bowler. New Zealand pacer William O'Rourke would be a solid choice for them, as he has already played successfully for them in the past. He bowls quickly and can be valuable in both the powerplay overs and the death overs, adding robustness to the bowling unit. 

Jason Holder – Sunrisers Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) could reinforce their experience by bringing back Jason Holder. The West Indies all-around option has performed decently well in IPL previously. SRH's Mohammed Shami has not looked up to par, so Holder's steady bowling combined with his reliable batting can bring some stability and calmness to SRH's potentially inexperienced squad. 

Mark Chapman – Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) enjoyed a roller-coaster of a season in 2025, and they need to tackle the concern over their top-of-the-order batting. New Zealand batter Mark Chapman might provide KKR with value on this front. KKR's openers, Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, arguably proved inconsistent, and Chapman would provide them some stability at the top of the order but also the pace, which KKR lacked last season.

Kyle Jamieson – Rajasthan Royals

Last season, Rajasthan Royals (RR) had a power-hitting batting side with the contributions of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, though their bowling attack was very weak overall. Kyle Jamieson could be that missing piece. He is an excellent height for a pacer which helps him get extra bounce, but he can also add some runs. RR could certainly use his all-around arsenal. 

Narayan Jagadeesan – Chennai Super Kings 

After finishing dead last in IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be determined to improve their performance. Narayan Jagadeesan could be a shrewd selection. CSK's middle order, including Rahul Tripathi and special attention on Vijay Shankar performed poorly and Ishaan Kishan will help this.

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