IPL 2026 Auction: KKR, CSK or RCB - Who have the Best Purchasing Power in Mini Auction? All 10 Teams Ranked by Purse per Player

The IPL 2026 auction is less than a month away, with the mini auction slated to take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16.

Ahead of that, the 10 IPL teams announced their retention list for the upcoming season. Several prominent players were released, ensuring an eventful auction as teams confirmed their final retained lists ahead of the mini auction.

IPL 2026 Auction Who have the Best Purchasing Power in Mini Auction Purse Per Player Analyzed

Kolkata Knight Riders created headlines by releasing Venkatesh Iyer, the most expensive player on the list, who was bought for a staggering Rs 23.75 crore. The two-time IPL champions also parted ways with pacers Spencer Johnson and Anrich Nortje. However, the most notable departure is that of Andre Russell, bringing an end to his iconic 12-year association with KKR as he enters the auction pool.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru decided to move on from England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, along with young pacer Rasikh Dar. Chennai Super Kings, meanwhile, bolstered their squad by acquiring Sanju Samson through a trade deal, although they released Sri Lankan quick Matheesha Pathirana.

Punjab Kings underwent limited changes this time, choosing to retain most of their core. Yet, Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell will return to the auction pool after a below-par IPL 2025 campaign. Lucknow Super Giants decided to release Akash Deep and Ravi Bishnoi, while Gujarat Titans let go of South African pacer Gerald Coetzee.

In a significant trade development, Rajasthan Royals bid farewell to their captain Sanju Samson-who moved to Chennai in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja. Mumbai Indians also made notable moves in the trading window, adding Shardul Thakur (from LSG), Sherfane Rutherford (from GT), and Mayank Markande (from KKR) to their roster.

Interestingly, released players can still seal short-term signings with other teams before the auction if mutual agreements are reached in time.

IPL 2026 Auction Purse: KKR Lead the Pack

Among the ten franchises, Kolkata Knight Riders enter the mini auction with the largest purse- Rs 64.3 crore. Chennai Super Kings follow with Rs 43.4 crore remaining, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru possess around Rs 16 crore. On the other end, Mumbai Indians will have to be the most strategic, holding the smallest purse of just Rs 2.75 crore.

But who has the most purchasing power? In this article, we shall take a look at the teams and their ability to carve out their optimum deal in the mini auction.

IPL 2026 Auction Purses and Remaining Slots

Team	Purse Remaining (in Rs Crore)	Slots Remaining	Overseas Slots
Kolkata Knight Riders	64.3	13	6
Mumbai Indians	2.75	5	1
Lucknow Super Giants	22.95	6	4
Royal Challengers Bengaluru	16.4	8	2
Rajasthan Royals	16.05	9	1
Chennai Super Kings	43.4	9	4
Delhi Capitals	21.8	8	5
Punjab Kings	11.5	4	2
Sunrisers Hyderabad	25.5	10	2
Gujarat Titans	12.9	5	4

Which IPL Team has the Best Purchasing Power?

The Knight Riders have a Rs 64.3 crore auction purse, but they will have to bring in 13 players, and 6 of them can be overseas players. The KKR franchise have their task cut out to formulate a strong squad. Although they have more than Rs 20 crore than their closest rival in the auction, it won't be a cakewalk for them. Roughly, the Knights have an average of Rs 5 crore (Rs 4.94 crore) to sign a player, but their overseas acquisitions can cost them around Rs 35 crore and more.

For CSK, the amount is around Rs 4.82 crore per player, and they have to bring in 4 foreigners. Delhi Capitals can be in a spot of bother as they have around Rs 21.8 crore for eight players, and five of them can be foreigners. For DC, the 2.725 crore per player can be further constrained as they will have to accommodate overseas players. Mumbai Indians have a purse of Rs 2.75 crore and have just one foreigner left, hence it will mostly be an idle one for them, as the Paltans will be aiming to rope in base price acquisitions.

Rajasthan Royals have around Rs 16 crore for nine players, and the Royals also have a small margin for error in the auction. For RCB and PBKS, the purchasing power hovers around Rs 2 crore per player, and they will have to be careful with their business.