What happened on Day 1 of the IPL 2026 auction
The Day 1 session opened with the marquee set. Twelve players crossed the ₹10 crore mark in the first hour. The biggest buy was a left-arm seamer who will lead a new franchise's bowling attack — the desk flagged the move as fantasy-relevant because the venue notes favour seamers on green decks. The surprise release was a middle-order batter whose captain value was rated 8/10 last season; the squad that released him is now scrambling to fill the role.
At a glance
The top buys — who moved and what it costs
Twelve players crossed the ₹10 crore mark on Day 1. The biggest buy was a left-arm seamer at ₹14.5 crore. The second biggest was an opener at ₹12 crore. The third biggest was an all-rounder at ₹11.5 crore. The desk publishes the full list inside the brief and tags each buy with the fantasy-relevant flag.
The biggest surprise was the base-price steal: an uncapped wicket-keeper at ₹20 lakh who had a 70-point average in domestic cricket last season. The desk flagged the steal as a differential pick for fantasy contests — a low-owned player with high expected value.
The surprise release was a middle-order batter whose captain value was rated 8/10 last season; the squad that released him is now scrambling to fill the role.
Where can I read the full auction list? The desk publishes the full auction list inside the brief. Each buy is tagged with the fantasy-relevant flag and the captain pick impact.
The biggest surprise was the base-price steal: an uncapped wicket-keeper at ₹20 lakh who had a 70-point average in domestic cricket last season. The desk flagged the steal as a differential pick for fantasy contests.
The desk updates the brief within 24 hours of any auction update. The captain pick logic is updated for every franchise and the differential picks are flagged. The first fantasy contest after the auction will reflect the new squads in the lobby.
Surprise releases — three franchises reshuffle
Three franchises released marquee players. The first release was a middle-order batter whose captain value was rated 8/10 last season. The second release was a leg-spinner who had been the franchise's leading wicket-taker for three seasons. The third release was a fast-bowling all-rounder whose role had shifted in the previous season.
The desk tracks the role clarity of every released player. A released player with clear role clarity is a fantasy-relevant free-agent pick — they will find a new franchise and the role will translate to the new squad. A released player with unclear role is a wait-and-watch.
What it means for your fantasy XI
The auction reshapes the fantasy landscape in three ways. First, the new franchises have clear role openings — captain picks at those franchises shift to the new signings. Second, the surprise releases create free-agent picks — low-owned players with high expected value. Third, the base-price steals create differential picks — players in under 5% of lineups with high expected value.
The desk publishes the auction impact inside the brief. The captain pick logic is updated for every franchise and the differential picks are flagged. The first fantasy contest after the auction will reflect the new squads in the lobby.
The squads we are now watching harder
Three squads are on the desk's watch list. The first is the franchise that bought the left-arm seamer — the venue notes favour the bowler and the squad has a clear bowling attack. The second is the franchise that released the middle-order batter — the role is now open and the squad is scrambling to fill it. The third is the franchise that bought the base-price wicket-keeper — the differential pick will be on every differential lineup in the first contest.
The desk will publish a captain pick for each of the three squads within 48 hours of the auction closing. The captain picks will reflect the new role distributions and the venue notes.
The auction reshapes the fantasy landscape in three ways: new franchises have clear role openings, surprise releases create free-agent picks, and base-price steals create differential picks.
The biggest buy was a left-arm seamer at ₹14.5 crore. The second biggest was an opener at ₹12 crore. The third biggest was an all-rounder at ₹11.5 crore.
How does the auction affect my fantasy XI? The auction reshapes the fantasy landscape in three ways: new franchises have clear role openings, surprise releases create free-agent picks, and base-price steals create differential picks.
Three squads are on the desk's watch list. The first is the franchise that bought the left-arm seamer — the venue notes favour the bowler.
The desk will publish a captain pick for each of the three squads within 48 hours of the auction closing.
What is a base-price steal? A base-price steal is a player bought at the base price who had a strong domestic record.
Where can I see the venue notes? Venue notes are published inside the brief for every franchise. The notes include the pitch type, the boundary size and the average first-innings score.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I read the full auction list?
The desk publishes the full auction list inside the brief. Each buy is tagged with the fantasy-relevant flag and the captain pick impact.
How does the auction affect my fantasy XI?
The auction reshapes the fantasy landscape in three ways: new franchises have clear role openings, surprise releases create free-agent picks, and base-price steals create differential picks.
What is a base-price steal?
A base-price steal is a player bought at the base price who had a strong domestic record. The desk flags the steal as a differential pick for fantasy contests.
What is the captain pick impact?
The captain pick logic is updated for every franchise. New signings change the role distribution and the captain pick is updated to reflect the new role.
Where can I see the venue notes?
Venue notes are published inside the brief for every franchise. The notes include the pitch type, the boundary size and the average first-innings score.
When does the IPL 2026 start?
Late March. The full schedule is published inside the lobby and on the IPL 2026 desk.