The Hundred 2026 auction created a lot of buzz in the past week as many big names went under the hammer. Teams invested a lot of money to build stronger squads for the tournament. While many players made it big, few known names surprisingly went unsold. The biggest buy of the auction was all-rounder James Coles. The 21-year-old from Sussex made history when he was bought for 390,000 (approx 4.80 crore INR) by Southern Brave, making him the most expensive player in the first-ever Hundred auction. A number of big names such as Joe Root, Adil Rashid and Aiden Markram were picked in the auction. The added element this year was the presence of four franchises which have owners from the Indian Premier League. But, it was surprising that certain players who will be part of IPL 2026, could not find an IPL team in The Hundred auction. Here are 5 such players: 5 IPL 2026 Cricketers Who Went Unsold in The Hundred Auction Lungi Ngidi (Delhi Capitals) The South African fast bowler had a successful campaign in T20 World Cup 2026, and his side finished at the semi-final of the tournament. Lungi Ngidi picked up 12 wickets in seven games, delivering some brilliant spells, most notably against India and West Indies, with his cutters and slower balls puzzling many batsmen. Based on his current form, he was expected to attract a lot of attention in the Hundred auction, and has become a regular in Delhi Capitals playing XI of IPL 2026. However, no team placed a bid when his name came up in the auction, raising questions especially since DC co-owner also holds a stake in Southern Brave. Also Read | Sunrisers Face Backlash After Signing Abrar Ahmed Akeal Hosein (Chennai Super Kings) The West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein is one of the most successful spinners in T20 cricket, and despite being a finger-spinner, he has been effective enough in the shortest format. Trinidad & Tobago-born, the left-arm spinner was picked by Chennai Super Kings at a price of 2 crore INR in IPL 2026 auction. Hosein is known for his accuracy and can be lethal at any stage of the innings. He has performed consistently in other T20 leagues too, but he could not find any bidders for The Hundred 2026. It was rather surprising because he had previously played for two seasons. Azmatullah Omarzai (Punjab Kings) The Afghanistan all-rounder is one of the rapidly emerging players in the world and his recent exploits have helped him gain recognition in many T20 leagues, including IPL, SA20, ILT20 and BPL. Azmatullah Omarzai is a quality all-rounder, capable of contributing both with the bat and the ball and has become a vital part of the Punjab Kings outfit. His style of cricket is also believed to suit English conditions by experts. Despite all these qualities, the Afghan all-rounder could not attract a bid in the Hundred auction. Also Read | List of Pakistani Players in Indian-Owned Franchises Across Global Cricket Leagues Anrich Nortje (Lucknow Super Giants) The South African speedster Anrich Nortje was once considered as the fastest bowler in the world, and has always been a dangerous bowler in T20 cricket. But injuries have bothered him in recent years. The franchise later decided to retain him for the IPL 2026 edition, after signing him at 2 crore INR during the mini-auction. He was expected to make a comeback, but when his name came up in the Hundred auction, no franchise showed any interest. Xavier Bartlett (Punjab Kings) Xavier Bartlett is rated as one of the most promising fast bowlers in his country. His sheer pace, accuracy and wicket-taking abilities make him a quality player who can perform well on any pitch. Bartlett came into the limelight in 2024 when he was signed by Punjab Kings in the IPL, who later decided to retain him. He has even represented teams in other leagues such as the Major League Cricket, but failed to get a bid from any franchise in the Hundred 2026 auction. It did come as a shock to many cricket fans.