The IPL 2026 auction is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 16. The mini-auction will see 350 players go under the hammer, shortlisted from an initial pool of 1,390 registered cricketers. Although 350 names have made the final list, only 77 slots will be available, including 31 earmarked for overseas players.
The final roster for the IPL 2026 auction comprises 240 Indian players and 110 overseas cricketers. Among them are 224 uncapped Indian players and 14 uncapped overseas players, while the capped contingent includes 16 Indians and 96 overseas players. The auction will feature eight base-price slabs, ranging from a minimum of ₹30 lakh to a maximum of ₹2 crore.
Seventeen players fall into the ₹1 crore base-price bracket. In this article, we focus on three ₹1 crore reserve-price players who could potentially remain unsold at the IPL 2026 auction.
#3 Reeza Hendricks (South Africa)
South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks is yet to make an appearance in the IPL. An established top-order batter, he has represented the Proteas in 88 T20Is, amassing 2,491 runs at an average of 29.30 and a strike rate of 129.53. His overall T20 numbers also reflect a strike rate below 130, having scored runs at 127.95 across 286 matches, a factor that may not appeal to many IPL franchises at the mini-auction.
In the CSA T20 Challenge, the 36-year-old enjoyed a decent outing for the Lions, accumulating 211 runs in five innings at an impressive average of 52.75 and a strike rate of 139.73, including three half-centuries. However, he was dismissed for just eight in the second T20I against India in Mullanpur, falling to Varun Chakaravarthy.
Given these factors, Hendricks could once again struggle to find a buyer at the IPL mini-auction.
#2 Josh Tongue (England)
England pacer Josh Tongue has set his base price at ₹1 crore for the IPL 2026 auction. The right-arm fast bowler is yet to represent England in white-ball cricket and has so far featured only in the longest format. In six Test matches, he has picked up 31 wickets at an average of 30, including two five-wicket hauls and one four-wicket haul. He has also posted respectable figures in first-class cricket.
However, his T20 record tells a slightly different story. Tongue has played 21 T20 matches, taking 29 wickets at an impressive average of 19.03 and an economy rate of 9.07, with best figures of 3/21. He also topped the wicket charts in The Hundred, claiming 14 wickets in six innings while conceding runs at 8.08 per over.
Despite these numbers, Tongue may struggle to attract bids at the IPL 2026 auction, as he is not widely viewed as a specialist T20 bowler.
#1 Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka’s T20I skipper Charith Asalanka has produced fairly modest returns in the shortest format. Across 70 T20I appearances, he has accumulated 1,357 runs at an average of 22.61 and a strike rate of 126.35, registering six half-centuries. His overall T20 record mirrors these numbers, with 3,015 runs from 153 matches at a strike rate of 127.80. Asalanka is not particularly known for scoring quickly in T20 cricket.
Focusing on his T20I performances in 2025, the left-handed batter has struggled for consistency, managing just 156 runs in 12 innings at an average of 15.60 and a strike rate of 121.87, with a top score of 46. There have also been reports suggesting that Sri Lanka Cricket is contemplating removing him as T20I captain ahead of the World Cup.
In light of these factors, Asalanka may find it difficult to attract strong interest at the IPL 2026 auction.
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