IPL 2026 moved out of India as event dates finally revealed

The excitement around IPL 2026 is already heating up with the trade buzz. The much-awaited mini-auction is expected to be held in Abu Dhabi during the third week of December.

There were early talks about holding this auction in India, but the BCCI seems determined to keep the auction overseas for now, giving it a grand international flavor. The IPL franchises have already been informed about the November 15 retention deadline.

BCCI plans grand IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi this December

As reported by The Times of India, the IPL 2026 auction is likely to be held between December 15 and 16 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This will be the third straight year that the IPL auction takes place outside India, with Jeddah and Dubai conducting the previous editions.

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Read Also: Ravindra Jadeja placed on CSK’s retention list alongside MS Dhoni amid RR trade rumours

Among the most talked-about developments is a blockbuster trade between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), which is said to be in its final stages. In one of the biggest swaps in IPL history, Sanju Samson is likely to join CSK, while Ravindra Jadeja is set to move to RR.

The Royals had held talks with multiple teams about Samson’s move, but it was CSK that made the most progress, finalizing negotiations that are now close to completion.

Notably, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction is scheduled to take place in Delhi on November 27, where all five franchises will complete their squads for the upcoming season. With retentions already confirmed, the WPL teams are now gearing up for a high-stakes bidding event.

Suresh Raina urges the Mumbai Indians to retain Rohit Sharma ahead of the IPL 2026 auction

Meanwhile, ahead of the retention announcements, former India cricketer Suresh Raina has suggested releasing England all-rounder Will Jacks ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. He wants the Mumbai Indians to keep Rohit Sharma, given his stature as a senior player.

Raina said on Star Sports, “They should hold him (Rohit Sharma); he has won a lot of trophies for them. Deepak Chahar is just in; it depends on what options they have, so they can either release him or retain him, but they might not get players at the auction, so I think they should retain him.”

Read Also: Big blow for CSK! GT turn down Washington Sundar trade as Ravindra Jadeja set for exit

Mohammad Kaif challenges Rohit Sharma to break the 600-run barrier in IPL 2026

On the other hand, former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif recently highlighted an interesting fact about Rohit Sharma’s IPL career. Despite being one of the most successful captains in the tournament’s history, Rohit has never scored more than 600 runs in a single IPL season.

His best performance came back in 2013, when he scored 538 runs in 19 matches—the only time he crossed the 500-run mark in a season—and now Kaif wants the Hitman to cross that mark in the 2026 season. Kaif has urged Rohit to score 600 runs in a season.