News Desk , Dec 16 : In an unprecedented last-minute move, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has added 19 players to the IPL 2026 auction list, taking the total number of registered cricketers to 369, less than 24 hours before bidding begins at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
According to a report by Cricbuzz, the sudden expansion of the auction pool so close to the event has surprised franchises and officials alike. One franchise official described the development as “unprecedented”, stating that such a large number of late additions had never been seen at this stage of an IPL auction.
The most high-profile Indian addition is Bengal captain Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has been included at a base price of ₹30 lakh. A consistent performer in domestic cricket and a long-time national contender, Easwaran has been slotted at No. 360 in the auction register.
Several overseas players have also been added, significantly strengthening the international contingent. South Africa’s wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne enters the auction at a base price of ₹1.25 crore, while fellow South African all-rounder Ethan Bosch has been listed at ₹75 lakh. Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani, known for his height and pace, has also been included at ₹75 lakh. New Zealand fast bowler Ben Sears, one of the costliest late entrants, has been set at ₹1.50 crore. Australian all-rounder Chris Green joins the pool at ₹75 lakh, while Malaysia international Virandeep Singh has been listed at ₹30 lakh.
The domestic additions include Manisankar Murasingh (Tripura), Swastik Chikara (Uttar Pradesh), Chama Milind (Hyderabad), K.L. Shrijith (Karnataka), Rahul Raj Namala (Chhattisgarh), Virat Singh (Jharkhand), Tripuresh Singh (Madhya Pradesh), Rajesh Mohanty (Odisha), Swastik Samal (Odisha), Saransh Jain (Madhya Pradesh), Sooraj Sangaraju (Andhra) and Tanmay Agarwal (Hyderabad) — all listed at a base price of ₹30 lakh.
Notably, nine players, including Murasingh, Chikara and Bosch, had been briefly added to the auction pool earlier before being withdrawn. They have now been reinstated following fresh requests from franchises.
With the auction register now expanded to 369 players, franchises can bid for a maximum of 77 cricketers, applicable only if all teams complete their full 25-player squad quota.
The last-minute changes add an extra layer of intrigue to the IPL 2026 auction, as teams recalibrate strategies just hours before the hammer goes down in Abu Dhabi.
