IPL 2026: Auqib Nabi to Prashant Veer - 5 Uncapped Indian Players Rewarded for Domestic Performance

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The IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16, 2025, transformed uncapped Indian talents into crorepatis. Franchises splurged on domestic stars to strengthen squads ahead of the start of the season.

Amid intense bidding wars, several young guns emerged as crorepatis, underscoring the growing emphasis on homegrown players for depth in batting, bowling, and all-around skills.

In this article, let's have a look at five uncapped Indian players who have got their IPL deal after a strong showing in the domestic circuit.

Kartik Sharma

The 19-year-old Rajasthan wicketkeeper-batter joined Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a joint-record ₹14.2 crore after fierce bidding. His explosive lower-order finishing delivered 334 runs in 12 T20 matces at a 164 strike rate, with 28 sixes fueling Rajasthan's SMAT knockout run. A perfect CSK power-hitter.

Salil Arora

Punjab's 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batter went to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for ₹1.5 crore. His SMAT fireworks included a 125* off 45 balls, where he hit 11 sixes. The youngster is known for his fireworks and is a player who can be an asset for the Orange army. A versatile finisher and keeper, he's a middle-order steal for SRH.

Auqib Nabi

Jammu & Kashmir's ace pacer fetched ₹8.4 crore from Delhi Capitals (DC). He snared 15 wickets in seven SMAT games at under 8 economy, with death-overs edge from net-bowling stints. Ready-made boost for DC's pace unit. Apart from that, Auqib Nabi has been a sensation in recent times, as he spearheaded J&K to their first Ranji Trophy title with 60 wickets to his name.

Prashant Veer

Uttar Pradesh's 20-year-old left-arm spin allrounder matched Sharma's ₹14.2 crore price tag to CSK. In UP T20 and SMAT/U-23, he scored 112 runs at 170 strike rate and took 9 wickets at 6.76 economy. Veer is known for his spin bowling and ability to hit big sixes. The UP-born youngster can be a big boon for CSK in the coming years.

Ashok Sharma

Rajasthan's 22-year-old seamer (high 140s kph, heavy ball) joined Gujarat Titans (GT) for ₹90 lakh. He topped SMAT group wickets with 19 in seven games for Rajasthan Versatile across phases. His transformation from erratic to versatile across phases, plus stints with various franchise squads, positions him as an emerging pace option for the Titans.