The IPL 2026 Auction has kicked off with plenty of excitement and high-stakes bidding, but not every big name found a buyer. Some talented players went unsold, including India’s Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
In the first set of players, the explosive opener Prithvi Shaw went unsold, despite his impressive recent performances in domestic cricket. Shaw has been in good touch and was expected to attract interest from several franchises, but no team showed interest in him at the auction.
Prithvi Shaw goes unsold at IPL 2026 Auction in Abu Dhabi
The Mumbai-born batter entered the auction with a base price of ₹75 lakh, but no franchise showed interest. Shaw had already gone unsold at the 2025 mega auction after Delhi Capitals (DC) released him, despite having retained him for ₹6 crore in a previous season.
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Shaw’s IPL journey began in 2018 when Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) picked him for ₹1.2 crore. He came into the IPL fresh from leading India to the Under-19 World Cup title and made an instant impact. In just his second IPL match, he scored a quick 62 off 44 balls.
Over the years, Shaw has been a key player for the Delhi franchise. In 79 IPL matches, he has scored 1,892 runs, including 14 fifties for DC. His aggressive batting style was once highly rated.
Sarfaraz Khan fail to attract bids despite form at IPL 2026 Auction
Another notable name to go unsold was Mumbai’s hard-hitting batter Sarfaraz Khan. The seasoned batter has been in sensational form in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025. Yet, even with many record-breaking performances, Sarfaraz failed to find a buyer at the IPL 2026 Auction.
In the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, the right-handed batter scored 329 runs in seven innings at an incredible strike rate of 203.08. He already smashed three half-centuries and his first-ever T20 century, showing how dangerous he has been with the bat.
Despite this stunning form, Sarfaraz went unsold yet again at the IPL auction. This is the third straight IPL auction where no franchise picked him. His last appearance in the IPL came in 2022, when he played for Delhi Capitals. Sarfaraz made his IPL debut back in 2015 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru at just 17 years old, becoming the youngest player to play in the league.
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He later represented Punjab Kings from 2019 to 2021 and then Delhi Capitals in 2022 and 2023. Across around 50 IPL matches, he has scored close to 585 runs at an average of about 22 and a strike rate of over 130. Now, fans have been expressing their disappointment seeing India’s talent going unsold at the auction despite performing brilliantly in the domestic cricket.
Here’s how fans react after Prithvi Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan left unsold at the IPL 2026 Auction:
These foreigners gets 25 crores whereas the deserving players like Sarfaraz Khan gets unsold in the IPL Auction #SarfarazKhan #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/htmaLxM4kf
— Himanshu (@meri_mrziii) December 16, 2025
IPL teams, don’t ignore this talent — Sarfaraz Khan deserves a contract! #IPL2026Auction #sarfarazkhan #CricketTwitter #bcci
jiohotstar pic.twitter.com/wSxZs1dzgi
— CricInformer (@CricInformer) December 16, 2025
sarfaraz khan unsold hone ke baad#IPL2026Auction #SarfarazKhan #iplauction2026 pic.twitter.com/gSlszMni3t
— मराठी ‘भैय्या’ (@swapnilarsekar) December 16, 2025
इधर IPL में शाहरुख की KKR ने गौरे कैमरून ग्रीन पर 25 करोड़ से भी ऊपर पैसे लुटा दिए
जैसे ये सोने की मींगनी देता हो
लेकिन अपने देश व मज़हब के Talented खिलाड़ी #SarfarazKhan
को 75 लाख बेस प्राइज भी नही दे सका
#IPL2026 #IPLAuction | #CameronGreen pic.twitter.com/XtMYzmpIRI— rk_vishnoe (@am_raju09) December 16, 2025
Form ho to Sarfaraz Khan jaisi
Phir bhi IPL auction mein koi buyer nahi
Aur ₹25 crore ka price tag bina form ke
Yahi hai IPL auction ka sach — talent hamesha nahi bikta #SarfarazKhan #IPLAuction #TalentVsPrice #CricketTwitter #FormOverHype #IPLDrama pic.twitter.com/J4J8TaQ46C— Sumer 11 (@Lifestyl17Dream) December 16, 2025
DOMESTIC STAR WOES!
Despite strong domestic form, a few key Indian batters went UNSOLD in the opening sets:
Prithvi Shaw (Base ₹75 L) Sarfaraz Khan (Base ₹75 L) Deepak Hooda (Base ₹75 L) K.S. Bharat (Base ₹75 L)#IPL2026Auction #SarfarazKhan #PrithviShaw
— Arun R Arya (@arunarya6396) December 16, 2025
Itna achha khel raha hai phir bhe koi nhi kharida. So sad #SarfarazKhan
— SUHAIL (@SUHAIL52181933) December 16, 2025
Auctions reward perception far more than performance.#IPLAuction #CameroonGreen #SarfarazKhan
— Rogue Entertainer (@IceRogueX) December 16, 2025
Sarfaraz Khan sitting alone after going unsold in IPL 2026 Auction domestic beast, international spark, yet no takers at base price. Heartbreak for the fighter.#IPLAuction2026 #SarfarazKhan pic.twitter.com/gbEN4abP6C
— Logout (@Error___401) December 16, 2025
Feeling sad #IPL2026Auction #PrithviShaw pic.twitter.com/K3CVvDhQSm
— Anusurya (@Anusuryatomar3) December 16, 2025
From being compared to the next Sachin, Sehwag, and Lara to going unsold in the IPL
– feeling really bad for shaw #iplauction2026 #PrithviShaw pic.twitter.com/C3hewoUC30
— Harsh shekhawat (@wordofshekhawat) December 16, 2025
#iplauction2026 #PrithviShaw #Unsold pic.twitter.com/oCvP6zwpzB
— Online Me (@Online0809) December 16, 2025
पृथ्वी शॉ का समय बहुत खराब चल रहा है जिसको एक टाइम पर दूसरा सचिन बोला जा रहा था अब वो IPL खिलने लायक तक नहीं है #PrithviShaw #UnsoldAtAuction https://t.co/1RQLtgTp1y
— VIKASH YADAV (@VIKASHYA99) December 16, 2025
Prithwi shaw was next Sachin but made himself next Kambli!#unsold #IPL2026 #PrithviShaw pic.twitter.com/KaCOyHAtOa
— Agyani (@AgyaniSpeaks) December 16, 2025
Mai toh Muslim bhi nahi hun, mai kyu unsold hua #IPL2026Auction #PrithviShaw #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/AiYm0kukKJ
— Himanshu (@meri_mrziii) December 16, 2025
Dardnaak sach
Sirf talent se kuch nahi hota — discipline, mehnat aur focus hi career ko bachata hai.
Ab bhi waqt hai, bas khud par control lana hoga.#PrithviShaw #DisciplineMatters #CricketLife #TalentVsDiscipline #RealityCheck #ComebackPossible https://t.co/sZAWDoP865— af__memes__shorts (@af_memes_shorts) December 16, 2025
