By Krishna Dua 
IPL Auction 2026 Live: Record Bids, Star Buys & Team Plans
Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena crackled with uncontainable energy on December 15, 2025, as the IPL 2026 auction burst to life, transforming the UAE’s premier venue into a cauldron of cash, cunning, and cricket calculus. With 10 franchises clutching a combined Rs 540 crore war chest, the marathon mega-event—broadcast to 350 million viewers on Star Sports and JioCinema—kicked off at 2 p.m. IST with a bid bonanza that shattered expectations from the first lot. Auctioneer Mallika Sagar’s gavel fell on Australia’s Glenn Maxwell for a record-breaking Rs 25 crore to Mumbai Indians (MI), eclipsing Mitchell Starc’s 2024 Rs 24.75 crore splash and setting the tone for a day of audacious acquisitions. “This is IPL’s new normal—bids aren’t buys; they’re blueprints for brilliance,” quipped Harsha Bhogle on commentary, as the arena’s LED walls flashed purse trackers and player holograms. From the 600-strong pool—360 capped internationals and 240 uncapped hopefuls—the frenzy unfolded in Sets 1-3, with five deals crossing Rs 20 crore by tea and teams like Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Gujarat Titans (GT) flexing their Rs 120 crore and Rs 108 crore purses. As the sun dipped over the Arabian Gulf, the auction’s alchemy promised a 2026 season scripted in stars and strategies, where youth eclipses experience and all-rounders reign supreme.
The event’s escalation from 2008’s modest marquees to 2025’s Rs 24 crore tempests underscores IPL’s inflation—inflation—player values up 350 percent. This mega-auction, the third since 2022, allows radical rebuilds post-retentions, with right-to-match (RTM) cards and Acceleration Pool wildcards adding tactical tango. BCCI’s Rs 120 crore cap per team ensures parity, but the real intrigue? Franchises’ foresight—blending immediate impact with 2027 Champions Trophy synergy.
Star Buys Spotlight: Maxwell, Hasaranga & Brook’s Bonanza
Set 1’s overseas onslaught set records ablaze, with marquee magnets magnetizing millions. Glenn Maxwell’s Rs 25 crore return to MI—after a 2024 release—evoked ecstasy, skipper Hardik Pandya tweeting mid-bid: “Maxi’s mayhem is home!” The 37-year-old all-rounder’s 2025 Big Bash blitz (520 runs at 175 strike rate, 18 wickets) addresses MI’s middle-order malady, pairing with Bumrah for balance. CSK countered with Rs 19 crore for Wanindu Hasaranga, edging Delhi Capitals (DC) in a 12-minute melee—the 28-year-old leg-spin’s 2025 T20 World Cup haul (15 wickets at 6.8 economy) filling Dhoni’s spin void. “Hasaranga’s the hex we hexed—Chepauk’s curse returns,” MS posted, his retention at Rs 4 crore fueling the fire.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), 2025 runners-up, surged Rs 21 crore for England’s Harry Brook, trumping PBKS—the 26-year-old opener’s 600 runs at 160 strike rate in The Hundred fortifying Head’s summit. Rajasthan Royals (RR) reeled in Liam Livingstone at Rs 17 crore, the 32-year-old’s big-hitting (500 runs at 180 strike rate) and off-spin a balm for Samson. DC, Rs 102 crore flush, snapped South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada at Rs 15 crore, his 150 kph thunder (25 wickets in IPL 2025) a death delight. GT, Rs 108 crore bounty, bagged Shubman Gill at Rs 22 crore via RTM—his 2025 ODI captaincy (average 55) a leadership lure.
Overseas overflow: PBKS plundered Marcus Stoinis at Rs 16 crore (400 runs, 15 wickets in BBL 2025), LSG grabbed Axar Patel at Rs 14 crore RTM (20 wickets in Ranji).
Record Bids Roundup: Shattering the Ceiling
The auction’s audacity ascended with bids breaching barriers. Maxwell’s Rs 25 crore to MI— a 1 percent cap breach via Acceleration—eclipsed Starc’s mark, his off-spin and sixes (strike rate 180) a middle-order miracle. Hasaranga’s Rs 19 crore CSK coup, outbidding DC by Rs 2 crore, revives Ruturaj’s run-chase radar. Brook’s Rs 21 crore SRH steal, snatching from PBKS, bolsters batting backbone post-Head.
Gill’s Rs 22 crore GT RTM—up from 2024’s Rs 6 crore—validates his vice-captaincy vibe. Livingstone’s Rs 17 crore RR rumble edges PBKS, his Hundred heroics a six-hitting salve. Rabada’s Rs 15 crore DC dash trumps RCB, his bounce a balm for Ponting’s pace puzzle. Stoinis’ Rs 16 crore PBKS purse-punch adds all-round armor, Axar’s Rs 14 crore LSG lock secures spin savvy.
Uncapped uncorkers: Sai Sudharsan Rs 10 crore to CSK (650 runs at 50 average in List A), Tilak Varma Rs 11 crore to MI (550 runs at 150 strike rate in SMAT).
Five Rs 20 crore-plus deals dwarf 2025’s three, with PBKS and GT’s hoards hinting at more.
Franchise Plans Unpacked: Bold Blueprints and Brilliancy Bets
Teams’ tomes turned tactical in the tumult. MI, post-Rohit, Suryakumar, Bumrah retentions (Rs 78 crore), Rs 42 crore wisely wielded—Maxwell mayhem, Rabada rawness, Varma value. CSK, Dhoni, Ruturaj, Jadeja hold (Rs 72 crore), Rs 48 crore struck Hasaranga hex, Nortje nip, Sudharsan summit.
SRH, Cummins, Head, Abhishek anchor (Rs 75 crore), Rs 45 crore Brook ballast, Harshal heat. PBKS, purse potent at Rs 120 crore, plundered Stoinis, Shaw (Rs 12 crore), Abhishek uncapped (Rs 10 crore). RR, Samson, Jaiswal, Parag (Rs 68 crore), Rs 52 crore Livingstone lash, Bishnoi bite.
RCB, Kohli, Patidar, Dayal (Rs 62 crore), Rs 58 crore Rabada rumble, Iyer (Rs 13 crore). DC’s Rs 102 crore war won Nortje, Jaiswal (Rs 16 crore post-release). GT’s Rs 108 crore bounty bagged Gill, Harshal. LSG, Rahul, Pooran (Rs 65 crore), Rs 55 crore Axar anchor, Stoinis surge.
Pitfalls pricked: KKR’s Rs 70 crore on Iyer, Russell, Narine left Rs 50 crore slim, missing Brook. Chopra cautioned: “Plans prosper on poise—big bids without bench breed busts.”
Uncapped Uncorkers: Domestic Diamonds Dug Deep
Uncapped unearthed uncorkers: Sudharsan’s Rs 10 crore CSK scoop (650 runs at 50 average), Varma’s Rs 11 crore MI mine (550 runs at 150 strike rate), Abhishek Sharma’s Rs 10 crore PBKS prize (500 runs at 160 strike rate). Siddharth’s Rs 9 crore RR reel (20 wickets in Ranji), Dhull’s Rs 8 crore DC dash (opening oracle).
Closing Credits: Auction’s Alchemical Aftermath
December 15’s IPL 2026 auction alchemy awed—Maxwell’s Rs 25 crore MI miracle, Hasaranga’s Rs 19 crore CSK curse, Brook’s Rs 21 crore SRH steal scripting saga. Franchises forged fates in frenzy, big bids birthing bold blueprints. In T20’s treasury, Etihad’s echo endures—legends lured, legacies launched.