CSK creates history by shelling out ₹28.40 crore to buy two uncapped Indian players in IPL 2026 auction

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) created a new record for uncapped players in the IPL 2026 auction. The five-time champions spent ₹14.2 crore each to buy left-arm spinner Prashant Veer and wicketkeeper-batsman Kartik Sharma. Both players had a base price of ₹30 lakh each. Notably, the Super Kings entered the auction with the second highest purse at INR 43.40 crore.

For Veer, CSK’s winning bid came after an intense bidding war involving Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Mumbai Indians (MI), Rajasthan Royals (RR) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). The Super Kings then beat MI, LSG, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and SRH to buy Kartik.

Veer took nine wickets in seven matches for UP in the Syed Mushtaq Ali (SMAT) Tournament 2025. The 20-year-old bowled with an impressive economy rate of 6.76 with best figures of 3/20 against Jammu and Kashmir. The left-handed hitter is also handy with the bat in the lower order. He returned with scores of 37*, 22* and 40* against J&K, Maharashtra and Bihar, respectively.

The Super Kings have apparently replaced Ravindra Jadeja (traded to RR) with Prashant Veer. Notably, Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement ahead of IPL 2026 retentions.

On the other hand, Kartik Sharma has accumulated 133 runs in five matches for Rajasthan in 2025 SMAT. In total, the right-hander has amassed 334 runs in 11 T20 innings at a strike rate of 162.92, including two half-centuries. It is worth mentioning that the middle-order batter has five tons in domestic cricket having played just 17 matches, including 11 first-class and eight List A innings.

Notably, the 19-year-old smashed a century on his Ranji Trophy debut, scoring 113 off 115 balls against Uttarakhand in the 2024-25 season. He is CSK’s fourth choice wicketkeeper after MS Dhoni, Sanju Samson and Urvil Patel.

Previously, Avesh Khan was the most expensive uncapped player in the IPL, bought for ₹10 crore by LSG in 2022.

CSK’s purchases in IPL 2026 auction (so far)

Prashant Veer – ₹14.20 crore

Kartik Sharma – ₹14.20 crore

Akeal Hosein – ₹2 crore

Remaining scholarship: ₹13,00,000

Players selected: Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, *Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni, Mukesh Choudhary, *Nathan Ellis, *Noor Ahmad, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Sanju Samson (T), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Shreyas Gopal, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Ayush Mhatre, *Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel.