Rejected by Gautam Gambhir, domestic cricket veteran storms into IPL 2026 auction after franchise rebellion

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has added extra players to the list of registered players just days before the IPL 2026 auction, which is set to take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16. India A opener Abhimanyu Easwaran is among the late additions to the vast player pool ahead of the mini auction.

Franchises have already reached Abu Dhabi and begun final preparations for the big day. The BCCI has already finalized a list of 350 players who will go under the hammer, though several well-known names are notably absent from the shortlist. Teams can sign a maximum of 77 players, including 33 overseas players.

Abhimanyu Easwaran Added to IPL 2026 Auction List After Franchise Request

According to a report by Cricbuzz, Abhimanyu Easwaran has been added to the IPL 2026 mini-auction list after a request from one of the franchises. His name was not part of the original list but was included later following the team’s recommendation.

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The 30-year-old has been around the Indian Test squad for a few years but is yet to make his international debut. In recent times, his chances of breaking into the playing XI have reduced after he was left out of the home Test series against the West Indies and South Africa.

Easwaran was part of the Indian squad that toured England for a five-match Test series earlier. Along with him, the BCCI has added a few more players to the auction pool. The board is expected to share the final and updated list of players with all franchises during their meeting on December 15.

Abhimanyu Easwaran Enjoyed a Stellar Outing in SMAT 2025

Abhimanyu Easwaran enjoyed an excellent 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy season for Bengal. He scored 266 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 152. The right-handed batter scored an unbeaten 130 off 66 balls against Punjab, where he hit several boundaries and showed strong attacking intent.

In the past, Easwaran has entered IPL auctions but did not receive any bids, including the 2025 mega auction. However, his recent aggressive batting in domestic T20 cricket has helped him gain fresh attention from IPL teams.

Franchises such as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC), who are looking for Indian top-order batters, could be interested in him for the IPL 2026 auction.

Easwaran is yet to make his IPL debut, but he has good numbers in T20 cricket. He has scored over 1,200 runs in the format, with two centuries and six half-centuries.

Final Player List Announced Ahead of IPL 2026 Mini-Auction in Abu Dhabi

The IPL 2026 mini-auction will be held in Abu Dhabi on December 16. The BCCI has released the final list of players who will be part of the auction.

A total of 1,390 players had registered, but only 350 were shortlisted before a few more additions and removals were made. Most of the players on the list are Indian, along with a good number of overseas cricketers. Many of them are uncapped players, while a smaller group has already played international cricket.

All ten IPL teams will try to fill up to 77 vacant slots during the auction. Out of these, 31 places are reserved for overseas players. Players have different base prices, starting from ₹30 lakh and going up to ₹2 crore.

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