IPL removes Virat Kohli admirer and 8 more players from 2026 auction list without explanation
Published - 13 Dec 2025, 11:59 AM | Updated - 13 Dec 2025, 11:34 PM
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unexpectedly removed nine names from the updated 2026 mini-auction list just ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction. However, no specific reason has been publicly shared by the BCCI, creating confusion among fans ahead of the auction.
Earlier, the BCCI announced a 350-player shortlist for the IPL 2026 mini-auction from more than 1,300 registrations. However, a revised list added nine more cricketers later the same day. Three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will enter with the largest purse of ₹64.30 crore and 13 vacancies to fill.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have a ₹43.40 crore budget and nine open slots. Both franchises are expected to be among the most active bidders at the auction, set to take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16.
IPL Removes Nine Newly Added Players From 2026 Auction List
Several players who were added to the IPL 2026 auction list were removed from the official portal by December 13, leaving fans confused. These names were visible for only a short time before they were removed again.
Mani Sankar Mura Singh, Chama Milind, K.L. Shrijith, Swastik Chikara, Rahul Raj Namala, and Virat Singh were removed from the list. All of them were listed with a base price of ₹30 lakh. Swastik Chikara, who was not retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), was one of the most talked-about names.
Three overseas players were also removed: South African cricketer Ethan Bosch, Australian all-rounder Chris Green, and Malaysia’s Virandeep Singh. Virandeep was the only player from an Associate nation in the entire auction pool, which made his removal even more noticeable.
Tripura’s Mura Singh and Swastik Chikara Among Indian Names
Tripura’s Mura Singh, known for his clean ball-striking, and young batter Swastik Chikara, who impressed in local tournaments after his stint with RCB, were among the Indian names added to the IPL auction list. Virat Singh previously played for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Virandeep Singh has scored more than 3,000 T20 runs and taken over 100 wickets. Fast bowler Eathan Bosch and off-spinner Chris Green were also listed at a base price of ₹75 lakh.
These nine players were added after the IPL shortlisted 350 names from over 1,000 registrations, but their sudden appearance and disappearance from the auction list came without any explanation from the league. The IPL has not clarified why the names were added or later removed.
The 9 Players Whose Names Have Now Been Removed:
| Player | Country | Association | DOB | Age | Role | Batting | Bowling | Caps | Base Price (INR Lakhs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mani Sankar Mura Singh | India | Tripura Cricket Association | 01/01/1993 | 33 | All-rounder | LHB | Right-arm Fast Medium | Uncapped | 30 |
| Virandeep Singh | Malaysia | — | 23/03/1999 | 27 | All-rounder | RHB | Left-arm Slow Orthodox | Associate | 30 |
| Chama Milind | India | Hyderabad Cricket Association | 04/09/1994 | 31 | All-rounder | LHB | Left-arm Fast Medium | Uncapped | 30 |
| K.L. Shrijith | India | Karnataka State Cricket Association | 12/08/1996 | 29 | Wicketkeeper | LHB | — | Uncapped | 30 |
| Ethan Bosch | South Africa | — | 27/04/1998 | 27 | All-rounder | RHB | Right-arm Fast Medium | Capped | 75 |
| Chris Green | Australia | — | 01/10/1993 | 32 | All-rounder | RHB | Right-arm Off Spin | Capped | 75 |
| Swastik Chikara | India | Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association | 03/04/2005 | 20 | Batter | RHB | Right-arm Off Spin | Uncapped | 30 |
| Rahul Raj Namala | India | Cricket Association of Uttarakhand | 10/05/2000 | 25 | Batter | RHB | Right-arm Off Spin | Uncapped | 30 |
| Virat Singh | India | Jharkhand State Cricket Association | 08/12/1997 | 28 | Batter | LHB | Right-arm Off Spin | Uncapped | 30 |
Also read: Four Assam players banned from cricket after corruption allegations in SMAT 2025
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IPL BCCI India National Cricket Team Royal Challengers Bangalore Sunrisers Hyderabad Swastik Chikara Virat KohliAbout the Author
Sai Vaitla is an author at Cricketaddictor and he has been working since September 2022. Sai Vaitla...
