IPL 2026: RAPP List Offers Lifeline As Franchises Look To Tackle Injury Crisis - Here’s How Teams Can Strengthen Their Squad?

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As franchises navigate injuries ahead of IPL 2026, the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP) has emerged as a crucial mechanism in post-auction team building.

The RAPP is a pool of players from which franchises can sign replacements during the season. Recently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India shared an extensive list of 1,307 players with teams.

This includes cricketers who registered for the auction but remained unsold after the December 16 event in Abu Dhabi.

Big Names Available In The Pool

The list features several high-profile international players such as Steve Smith, Reece Topley, Jamie Smith and Jonny Bairstow, offering franchises experienced options for replacements.

New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell is also part of the pool, listed with a base price of ₹2 crore. He recently impressed with a Player of the Series performance against India, further enhancing his appeal.

Among Indian players, the list includes notable capped names like Mayank Agarwal, KS Bharat, Deepak Hooda, Navdeep Saini, Chetan Sakariya, Sandeep Warrier and Umesh Yadav, all priced at a base of ₹75 lakh.

BCCI Guidelines For Replacement Signings

As per BCCI regulations, franchises cannot sign a replacement player from the RAPP list for a fee lower than their reserve price. Additionally, teams do not hold exclusive rights over players they may engage as net bowlers. If another franchise approaches such a player for a replacement role, he must be released immediately upon agreement.

With multiple injuries already impacting squads, the RAPP list is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping team combinations as IPL 2026 progresses.

What Is RAPP?

The Registered Available Player Pool is a complete list of players who were part of the Player Auction for the season, subject to the condition that:

• Player has not been selected by any franchise in the auction
• Player has not withdrawn from the auction

To be eligible as a Replacement Player, a player must be listed on the RAPP (Registered Available Player Pool) for that season, and their full-season fee must be at least equal to their reserve price.

If a player from the RAPP list is signed by a franchise as a net bowler, that team has no exclusive rights over him. If another franchise offers him a replacement contract, he must be released immediately upon agreement.