The IPL 2026 auction once again showed the growing value of domestic talent. Franchises spent big money on young uncapped players. Several bidding wars broke out for Indian prospects. Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, and Auqib Nabi were among the biggest winners.
Their performances in domestic cricket played a major role. Teams were ready to invest in future potential. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) led the charge for young Indian players.
CSK’s young talents who stole the spotlight
Kartik Sharma became one of the biggest stories of the auction. The 19-year-old wicketkeeper batter was bought by CSK for INR 14.2 crore. He was the joint-costliest uncapped player, along with Prashant Veer.
Kartik comes from Rajasthan. He announced himself with a century on Ranji Trophy debut against Uttarakhand. Since then, he has been a regular run-scorer for his state side. In the last Vijay Hazare Trophy, Kartik scored 445 runs in eight innings.
He struck at an impressive rate of 118.03. He usually bats at No.4 and controls the middle order. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 334 runs in 11 innings. His strike rate was a strong 162.92.
He also impressed in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 in 2024. There, he scored 457 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 168.01.
Prashant Veer was CSK’s other big buy at INR 14.2 crore. The 20-year-old all-rounder is from Uttar Pradesh. He is a left-handed batter and a slow left-arm spinner. Prashant had an excellent UPT20 season. He scored 320 runs and took eight wickets in 10 matches.
His strike rate was 155.34. He carried that form into the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He scored 112 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 169.69. With balance in both batting and bowling, Prashant offers strong squad flexibility. The IPL 2026 auction made one thing clear.
Indian domestic talent is now a top priority for franchises.
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