IPL 2026: 3 Released Indian Players Who Might Go Unsold in the Mini Auction
The Indian Premier League (IPL) will be back in 2026, and this season will have a new auction style. The mini auction is likely to happen in Abu Dhabi on December 16. Like every year, teams have already released some big players from their squads.
Some of these players may still get picked by other teams, but there are a few Indian cricketers whose recent form and situation suggest that they might remain unsold in the upcoming auction.
Vijay Shankar
Vijay Shankar is the first name on this list. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) picked him for ₹1.2 crore last season. He got many chances to perform, but he could not live up to the expectations.
He batted in five innings and scored 118 runs. Even though his average of 39.33 looks fine, he could not make any big impact. He also kept changing his batting position in the middle order, which affected his rhythm. His strike rate of 129.67 was seen as too slow for a middle-order power-hitter in T20 cricket.
IPL Stats
| Tournament | Teams | Matches | Innings | Not Out | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL | 4 Teams | 78 | 65 | 18 | 1233 | 69* | 26.23 | 129.78 |
Mohit Sharma
Next is Mohit Sharma, who was bought by Delhi Capitals for ₹2.20 crore last season. Mohit is a strong IPL fast bowler in the past and he won the Purple Cap once. But now at 37 years old, he is not able to bowl with the same energy and pace as before. Age seems to be affecting his performance, which could make teams think twice before picking him.
IPL Stats
| Tournament | Teams | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Best Bowling | Average | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL | 4 Teams | 120 | 119 | 134 | 5/10 | 26.21 | 8.77 |
Deepak Hooda
Finally, Deepak Hooda has also been released. CSK bought him for ₹1.70 crore, expecting him to add strength and power in the middle order. But sadly, his performance dropped a lot and he could not deliver as the team expected.
IPL Stats
| Tournament | Teams | Matches | Innings | Not Out | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Balls Faced | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL | 5 Teams | 125 | 101 | 16 | 1496 | 64 | 17.60 | 1172 | 127.64 |
