With limited slots and most cores already locked in, each franchise walks in with a very clear philosophical brief – one word that captures how it intends to behave, bid, and build.
Chennai Super Kings – Continuity
CSK approach auctions the way they play cricket: calm, role-driven, and allergic to panic. With a purse of 43.40 cr and 9 slots with 4 overseas slots, CSK will go after role clarity. With Sanju Samson traded in and a strong Indian bowling base retained, their shopping list screams: a reliable overseas top-order bat, a death-overs specialist, and one seam-bowling all-rounder to keep the XI flexible. Their likely targets are Anrich Nortje and Venkatesh Iyer
Mumbai Indians – Restraint
With a tight purse and a heavyweight core already in place, MI’s auction is about discipline rather than drama. Expect minimum bids, uncapped Indians, and injury cover rather than headline buys. With Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, SKY, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Mitchell Santner and Will Jacks already in, they won’t chase names..they’ll chase availability and injury cover.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Balance
With star power at the top and experience in the bowling group, their auction focus is about bridging the middle overs – finding players who can offer both control and acceleration. They’ll look for skill combinations rather than specialists, hoping to finally smooth out the peaks and troughs that have defined their seasons. Their release of Liam Livingstone and Lungi Ngidi will mean they will look at an overseas fast-bowling option. Akshat Raghuvanshi with his six hitting prowess is the other potential player they will look for.
Kolkata Knight Riders – Aggression
With a big purse and multiple slots, they are positioned to dictate tempo and inflate prices. Expect them to go hard early, chase impact players, and rebuild muscle – especially all-round power and express pace. Releasing Andre Russell, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Anrich Nortje and Venkatesh Iyer leaves both money and narrative. Their retained spine (Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rinku Singh, plus Indian pace options) means they can do two things: rebuild power and buy high-end pace. So Cameron Green is a natural fit here.
Delhi Capitals – Insurance
They already have a solid core, so the focus shifts to contingency – finishers for tough chases, bowlers for unfriendly surfaces, and backups for long tournaments. DC will bid conservatively but intelligently, ensuring they are never short of options when the season stretches. DC could sniff at a name like Liam Livingstone for power plus offspin/legspin flexibility
Gujarat Titans – Precision
With a low purse and a strong spine, GT’s auction is a scalpel, not a hammer. One overseas-impact piece, one Indian to increase depth – that’s the brief. They’ll hunt undervalued specialists who plug exact gaps, trusting their leadership and cohesion to do the rest. Every bid will have intent; nothing will be ornamental.
Lucknow Super Giants – Recalibration
LSG enter the auction looking to rebalance, especially around bowling combinations and middle-order stability. Having doubled down on aggressive batting personalities, they’ll now seek control players who can steady games when chaos doesn’t work. Expect them to rethink spin, roles, and match-ups rather than chase raw power.
Punjab Kings – Validation
Punjab’s auction is about proof. With leadership and bowling largely set, they want players who can finish games consistently and justify the promise of their squad on the field. They won’t chase many names, but the ones they do will be expected to deliver immediately.
Rajasthan Royals – Indigenisation
With overseas slots almost sealed, RR’s focus is firmly Indian. Fast-bowling depth, domestic batting cover, and future-proofing the squad will dominate their thinking. Their one overseas slot will be highly specialised, but the broader auction philosophy is about strengthening the Indian pipeline that has served them well.
Sunrisers Hyderabad – Control
SRH already possess devastating batting firepower. Their auction, therefore, is about taming games rather than blowing them apart – adding bowlers who can defend totals, slow games down, and impose discipline in the middle overs. Expect them to prioritise bowlers who reduce risk rather than amplify it. Perhaps a new ball bowler.
Follow Revsportz for latest sports news
