Ashwin sheds light on IPL think-tank's approach for mini auction; risky formula for franchises: 'Costly picks will...'

"Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has made a bold claim that the foreign players will be in high demand during the IPL 2026 mini-auction. With the marquee Indian stars expected to be retained, the overseas players are once again expected to take advantage of the mini-auction. However, there are speculations that a few trade deals might also happen, as Sanju Samson is heavily linked to a move to the Chennai Super Kings. While Ashwin might also play for another franchise next season, he suggested that he had no communication with CSK regarding that. Ravichandran Ashwin shared how the IPL franchises approach the mini-auction.(AFP)

However, the veteran cricketer shared his insights on the IPL think-tank’s approach to preparing for a mini-auction, stressing why letting go of an Indian player can be a risky move.

"This will be a mini auction where you’ll find it tough to get Indian players. Maybe only new players will come. The costly picks will be overseas players. So, whether a franchise wants to keep or release a big Indian player, it’s a very risky formula. So many Australian players will come in the auction," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

"LSG could leave someone like Mayank Yadav"

The 38-year-old asserted that the likes of Cameron Green and Mitchell Owen are expected to trigger bidding wars in the mini-auction, with the all-rounder likely to be among the most sought-after names.

“Tim David is obviously with the RCB. The way he is playing, he’s batting brilliantly. And then you’ve got Mitchell Owen, he’s in the Punjab Kings, but that was a replacement player only for 2-3 games. And then you’ve got someone like a Cameron Green coming into the auction, so they are available and they’ll go at a big price because they are foreign all-rounders,” he added.

Meanwhile, he also suggested that a few teams might release some flop stars from last season to enter the auction with a bigger purse. He gave the example of Mayank Yadav, who is expected to be released by LSG.

"So, you might want to release your purse. And there’s a possibility that someone like LSG could leave someone like Mayank Yadav. I think this mini-auction will be a game of INR 25-30 crore for all teams," he concluded.

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