Unpacking IPL 2026 Auction: A Breakdown of Sets and Player Categories

The ten Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises are preparing to address squad gaps at the IPL 2026 auction, set for December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

A total of 359 players have been shortlisted for the auction. Initially, the franchises selected 350 players, and nine additional names were subsequently added.

These 359 players are categorized into 42 sets according to their primary roles—batters, bowlers, all-rounders, and wicketkeepers—and whether they are capped or uncapped. Each set is assigned a number, and the auction will proceed in numerical order.

Set 1 includes capped batters with prominent names like Cameron Green, David Miller, and Prithvi Shaw. The first group of uncapped players is in Set 6, featuring uncapped batters such as Atharva Taide, Abhinav Manohar, and Yash Dhull.

Unlike a mega auction, there is no separate marquee set; even the most notable players are distributed within their discipline-based sets following the standard auction format.

Published on December 13, 2025