The IPL auction is a whirlwind event that can completely change a player's life in just a few minutes. Many athletes walk away with hefty paychecks thanks to their talent. Take Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, for instance they were both snapped up by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a whopping INR 14.20 crores each during the IPL 2026 mini auction. But let’s be real, the auction can be pretty ruthless if you don’t keep up your performance. A player who rakes in a fortune one year might find themselves without a team the next. The IPL 2026 mini auction followed a similar pattern, with some players landing lucrative deals while others experienced a significant drop in their earnings. Here are five players whose salaries took a hit compared to IPL 2025. Rahul Tripathi Rahul Tripathi had a season to forget in IPL 2025. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) brought him on board for a hefty INR 3.40 crores before the season kicked off. Unfortunately, he struggled throughout the season, managing to play just 5 matches and looking completely out of sync. CSK initially gave him a chance, but they eventually had to let him go due to his disappointing performance. Fast forward to the IPL 2026 mini auction, and Tripathi found a new home with the Kolkata Knight Riders, one of his former teams, for a much lower price of INR 75 lacs. That’s a staggering drop of INR 2.65 crores, or about 77.94%. David Miller Delhi Capitals snagged IPL veteran David Miller for his base price of INR 2 crores. Just last season, he was with the Lucknow Super Giants, who picked him up for a hefty INR 7.50 crores. Unfortunately, Miller didn’t quite find his rhythm in IPL 2025, missing out on several games with LSG. While he’s shown some solid form in T20s outside of the IPL this year, he’s a great fit for the finisher’s role at DC. Still, it’s surprising to see the South African batter’s salary take a hit, dropping by INR 5.50 crores, which is a staggering 73.33%. Read also: Why is LSG Sending Their Bowlers to South Africa During SA20? Quinton de Kock Quinton de Kock, the wicket-keeper batter from South Africa, joined the Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2025, fetching a price of INR 3.60 crores during the auction. Fans had high hopes for him to shine on the batting-friendly pitch at Eden Gardens, but unfortunately, he struggled to make an impact. Now, the Mumbai Indians, a team he’s familiar with, have brought him back for a much lower price of INR 1 crore in the latest auction. In IPL 2025, de Kock only managed to play 8 matches, with just one standout performance where he scored 97 runs. This means his salary took a significant hit, dropping by INR 2.60 crores, which is a staggering 72.22%. Venkatesh Iyer Venkatesh Iyer made quite a splash as one of the top buys in IPL 2025, with the Kolkata Knight Riders snapping him up for an eye-popping INR 23.75 crores. He had a solid performance in IPL 2024, racking up 370 runs and playing a crucial part in KKR’s championship win. However, things took a turn for the worse as he only managed to play 7 games last season and didn’t bowl at all. Keeping Iyer on the roster for such a steep price would have put a strain on KKR’s finances, so they ultimately chose to let him go before the IPL 2026 auction. He was later picked up by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for INR 7 crores, marking a significant drop of INR 16.75 crores, or 70.53%. Anrich Nortje South African pacer Anrich Nortje was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping INR 6.50 crores during the IPL 2025 mega auction. However, he struggled with injuries and never quite found his rhythm, which showed in his performance. He only managed to play 2 games and took just one wicket. In the most recent auction, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) snagged Nortje for his base price of INR 2 crores. That’s a staggering drop of INR 4.50 crores, or a 69.23% decrease from his previous salary.