IPL 2026 auction: witnessed a historic moment on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi as two young Indian cricketers, Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma, became the most expensive uncapped players ever in IPL history. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) made a bold statement by acquiring both players for a staggering ₹14.2 crore each, surpassing the previous uncapped record of ₹10 crore set by Avesh Khan in 2022. Twenty-year-old Prashant Veer, a left-arm spin allrounder from Uttar Pradesh, saw his base price of ₹30 lakh skyrocket after intense bidding involving Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and CSK. Despite limited domestic experience, Veer impressed scouts with strong performances in the UPT20 League, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and Under-23 matches. CSK followed up aggressively by securing 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma from Rajasthan at the same price. Known for his explosive finishing ability, Kartik has scored 334 runs in 12 T20 matches at a strike rate of 164, including 28 sixes. The auction also proved rewarding for other uncapped Indian talents, with Auqib Nabi (₹8.4 crore to Delhi Capitals), Mangesh Yadav (₹5.2 crore to RCB), Tejasvi Dahiya (₹3 crore to KKR), and several others crossing the ₹1 crore mark. The IPL 2026 auction underlined franchises’ growing trust in young Indian talent and highlighted a clear shift toward investing heavily in future stars.
