As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction approaches, all franchises are gearing up to strengthen their squads with star players and promising talents. Ahead of the auction, former Team India cricketer Irfan Pathan weighed in on pacers who could attract strong bids.
Speaking on JioStar, the former cricketer mentioned the names of three players, Matheesha Pathirana, Gerald Coetzee, and Ashok Sharma, who can emerge as hot picks during the auction.
“Look, if you talk about international fast bowlers, I think Matheesha Pathirana will still be a hot pick because of the skill level he brings, even though he`s had some fitness issues and an off year. Gerald Coetzee is another interesting name — not just for his bowling, but he can also bat down at No. 8, which adds balance. And then there`s Ashok Sharma, whose speed and ability to hit the stumps make him one to watch. These three are the ones I think will be hot picks in the auction,” he said.
On the other hand, Mohammad Kaif feels that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will go all out to acquire the services of Australia`s star all-rounder Cameron Green and also said that the right-hander will be the perfect replacement for Andre Russell.
“He`ll go to KKR because their plan is to dominate the auction. They released so many players to free up money. With Cameron Green available, I think KKR will go all out — money will dominate their bid, and they need a replacement for Russell, so he`s the best fit,” said Kaif.
The cash-rich league is set to take place from March 26 to May 31. Although the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to release the complete schedule, the upcoming edition of the marquee event is expected to begin around three weeks after the T20 World Cup 2026.
The 2026 auction will take place in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The player list for the 2026 season auction has been finalised, with 350 players, including 240 Indian cricketers and 110 overseas.
KKR retained 12 players (2 overseas), spending a total of Rs 60.70 crores. Their caps have Rs 64.30 crores left.
List of 12 players retained: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy.
(With ANI Inputs)