IPL 2026 auction held in Abu Dhabi made headlines for several reasons. Huge signings, youngsters signing for staggering amounts, and franchises openly moving on to new Indian talent were the key takeaways. But beneath all the glamour and attention, a different tale was also being written silently - the list of experienced and tested cricketers who were left unsold. The IPL auction that took place this year has also revealed that teams are taking different approaches. The teams are placing big bets on uncapped Indian players and younger overseas players, even at the cost of parting with recognized performers. This has resulted in big stars, recognized match-winners, and good Indian performers not getting a single bid. Below is the list of the Best Unsold XI of IPL 2026. This list is inclusive of some of the best and most prolific players who are still capable of being part of any IPL lineup but were left unsold during the auction. Best Playing XI of Unsold Players from the IPL 2026 Mini Auction 1. Jamie Smith (England) - Opener Image Source: ECB via Getty Images Jamie Smith was one of the hopeful ones who entered the auction. Jamie Smith is a promising English wicketkeeper-batter. He has been performing well in domestic cricket and is considered a promising face for England. His fearless batting approach and neat keeping abilities make him a likely recruit for a first IPL deal. However, despite his quality skillset, Smith went unsold at a base price of ₹2 crore. This is because the franchises already had their set preferences for wicket-keepers, with most franchises showing interest in either players with experience in the IPL or players with an incredible record in Indian conditions. Smith's turn may come, but it is certainly not in 2026. Also Read | Worst Buys in IPL 2026 Auction: Detailed Analysis 2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan) - Opener Image Source: BCCI Rahmanullah Gurbaz has featured in the last three seasons of the IPL and has remained a hot favorite for Kolkata Knight Riders. With the ability to play shots during the powerplay, the Afghani opener has churned out a few match-winning performances. However, after being released, there were expectations that he might be snapped up again based on his strike rate and experience. However, with many franchises chasing young Indian openings partnerships, Gurbaz was left unsold. This was one of the major surprises of the day. 3. Jonny Bairstow (England) - WK Image Source: Associated Press Jonny Bairstow has always had moments of high importance while playing in the Indian Premier League. He has made decisive contributions, adjusted his role, and displayed the skills to handle spin and fastbowling attacks easily. The fact that he was so flexible with his batting position made him the most reliable overseas option. Nevertheless, Bairstow found no taker this time. He is 36 years old, and his current performance may have been a factor. However, this came as a shock to everyone because Bairstow is a tested performer in the IPL. 4. Deepak Hooda (India) - All-Rounder Image Source: BCCI Deepak Hooda had a good Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 season with three half-centuries for Rajasthan. Deepak Hooda can play many roles in the IPL, like a middle-order batsman, finisher, and even a part-time off-spinner. Although they have a quite competitive base price, no franchise put in a bid. This was because most teams wanted youth with an uncapped base price, which would be valuable to them in the long run. This meant that Hooda, with his capability of taking key middle-order knocks, was also left out. Also Read | Steal Deals of IPL 2026 Auction: Smart Buys That Shocked Everyone 5. Abhinav Manohar (India) - Batter Image Source: Associated Press Abhinav Manohar had previously been a part of Gujarat Titans as well as Sunrisers Hyderabad, displaying some finisher qualities to his play. However, with all these teams hunting for some power-packed finishers, his name was left out of all squads this year. Although he has some talent, the level of competition in his category was really high. Clubs were keen to scout young, uncapped batsmen, and this left Manohar contractless. 6. Yash Dhull (India) - Batter Image Source: BCCI Yash Dhull, the emerging star in the domestic league, had a starting bid of ₹30 lakh. The right-handed batter has scored 261 SMAT 2025 runs at a average of over 37. He has scored two fifties. However, the teams have not even cast their eyes on this talented cricketer. Most IPL teams already had young Indian options in the middle-order batting lineups. Thus, Dhull missed out on selection as teams look for specialists in particular slots. His stint in the IPL may well be yet to come. However, 2026 was a disappointing season. 7. Vijay Shankar (India) - All-Rounder Image Source: BCCI Vijay Shankar has had experience playing for many IPL teams and has the skill set that allows him to deliver with both bat and ball. However, his IPL 2025 campaign with Chennai Super Kings was not that good, and there were doubts about whether a team should pick an all-rounder with such dodgy performances. With a lowest starting cost of only ₹30 lakh, no one bid for Shankar either. The influx of new Indian all-rounders made his job even more challenging. Also Read | IPL 2026: Four Indian Players Who Can Revive Their Careers 8. Karn Sharma (India) - Spinner Image Source: BCCI Karn Sharma’s unsold status in the auction was quite surprising, especially in view of his extensive experience in the IPL. He has bagged 87 wickets in 90matches, and his performances have significantly contributed to teams like CSK, RCB, and MI. However, he couldn’t spot any takers. The squads were more interested in either the young Indian left-arm spinners or the foreign wrist-spinners. 9. Akash Madhwal (India) - Medium-Pacer Image Source: Associated Press Akash Madhwal has bowled one of the best spells in the playoffs of any IPL season. He has 23 wickets in 17 matches. He is known for his yorkers. However, owing to some recent inconsistency and very tough competition for places among Indian pace bowlers, he was overlooked. This was because many teams wanted their pace bowlers with some recent domestic success. 10. Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka) - Spinner Image Source: BCCI A former regular in the CSK team followed by Rajasthan Royals, Maheesh Theekshana's strengths include accuracy and the ability to function in powerplay conditions. Nonetheless, his form in the past year has not been quite good, and there were doubts about his effect in the present season. With franchises spending heavily on domestic spinners and wrist spinners, he lacked the bid despite being a quality leg-spinner. 11. Chetan Sakariya (India) - Medium-Pacer Image Source: BCCI Chetan Sakariya took 20 wickets in his first 20 matches in the IPL. He is in good touch in the SMAT 2025-26 season, performing remarkably well for Saurashtra. His left-arm angle and swing abilities make him an important bowler in T20 formats. However, with teams looking for express pace or young Indian bowlers, Sakariya was left unsold. Nevertheless, his recent domestic show has got him a spot in the "Best Unsold XI" lineup for IPL 2026.