The mini auction for IPL 2026 will be held in Abu Dhabi on 16 December, the third consecutive year this will happen outside India. Most teams go into this auction with clearer plans than usual, with many franchises wanting minor upgrades and a few looking at a major rebuild to plug the gaps from last season. Every side has a different purse size, different player requirements, and different overseas roles to fill. What follows is a comprehensive team-wise look at what each franchise needs, the size of their purse, the key areas they want to fix, and which players the sides are likely to target. Each of the three sections provides detailed paragraphs to give you the clearest picture of every team's plans. Mumbai Indians (Purse: ₹2.75 crore, 5 slots left) MI’s Auction Strategy The Mumbai Indians go into the 2026 mini auction with one of the smallest purses among all teams. With just ₹2.75 crore remaining, they cannot participate in big bidding wars but will have to focus on relatively cheaper domestic players. MI already have a strong first-choice XI, so the aim is to find back-up options rather than major stars. Their main area of attention will be top-order batting and wicketkeeping bench strength. Domestic Targets MI will keenly have a look at young Indian talent from the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Haryana's Yashvardhan Dalal has been in great form and is a realistic target as his selection fits in MI's requirement for a domestic wicketkeeperbatter. At a base price of ₹30 lakh, Dalal is affordable while promising. MI scouts have a great record of spotting uncapped talent, and Dalal fits the exact profile they need. MI may also think about strengthening their spin attack, with Vignesh Puthur likely returning into the squad after being released. Possible Overseas Targets If MI were to spend almost half their purse on one overseas player, Jonny Bairstow could be a bold but possible pick. He has a ₹1 crore base price and provides top-order power-hitting along with wicketkeeping. This is an auction for small but smart additions for MI. Also Read | Most Expensive Players from Each IPL Mini Auction (Year-Wise List) Chennai Super Kings (Purse: ₹32.5 crore, 10 slots left) CSK Look to Rebuild Their Spin Core Chennai Super Kings are entering a big transition phase after the exit of Ravichandran Ashwin and the trade of Ravindra Jadeja to Rajasthan Royals. Replacing two legends is not easy, and the management knows they must rebuild their entire Indian spin unit. Their top priority is signing an Indian wrist-spinner or an experienced finger-spinner who can lead the middle overs. All-rounders Are Major Factors in Their Plans CSK will go all out in their bid for Cameron Green. For a base price of ₹2 crore, Green is likely to start a bidding war between CSK and KKR. Should CSK fail to get him on board, they might head toward Daryl Mitchell or Dasun Shanaka as options that bring middle-order stability with medium-pace support. England's Liam Livingstone is another strong option simply because of his spin-hitting and part-time off-spin. Overseas Fast Bowling Options CSK also seek a foreign quick bowler as cover for Nathan Ellis. The biggest names in this regard are Gerald Coetzee, Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi. Ngidi has already represented CSK in the past and can be a reasonably affordable cover option. With an enormous purse and so many slots opening up, CSK are expected to be among the busiest teams in this auction. Kolkata Knight Riders: (Purse: ₹ 64.3 crore, 13 slots left) KKR Have the Largest Purse Kolkata Knight Riders enter the auction with a purse of ₹ 64.3 crore and 13 slots open including six overseas slots, which means that they would take priority on the auction table. Their biggest buy this time would be replacing Andre Russell, who retired from the IPL after 11 years of service. They need a seam-bowling all-rounder who can finish matches and bowl at the death. Top Targets for the All-Rounder Role Cameron Green should be their first preference. KKR will very likely go all out for Green, even if the bidding crosses ₹20 crore. If they miss out on him, players like Daryl Mitchell or Liam Livingstone become strong alternatives. KKR might also attempt to buy back Venkatesh Iyer at a cheaper rate after releasing him to free up funds. Wicketkeeper and Left-Arm Pacers in Focus KKR want an explosive wicketkeeper-batter to open the innings. Quinton de Kock and Jonny Bairstow are high on the list. They may also want a left-arm pacer for variety, and Fazalhaq Farooqi is a likely target. With the largest purse, KKR will shape the early trends of the auction. Also Read | IPL 2026 Auction: 5 Oldest Players Set to Go Under the Hammer Punjab Kings: (Purse: ₹11.5 crore, 4 slots left) PBKS Want a Maxwell-Style All-Rounder Punjab Kings had a very strong season, reaching the final, but fell short once again. With Glenn Maxwell deciding to opt out of the auction, there is a major gap in the middle order that the franchise needs to fill. Punjab Kings will be looking at players who can hit spin, bowl part-time overs, and give depth to the batting order. Top Overseas Targets Liam Livingstone fills the Maxwell mold, and hence, he will be their first choice. Cooper Connolly and Rachin Ravindra will be their other good options. Ravindra's left-hand batting, combined with his spin ability, makes him a very good fit to perform for the style of PBKS. Coach Ricky Ponting might advocate for an Australian player like Connolly, who fits the bill of his aggressive mindset. Top-Order Wicketkeeper Option PBKS may also target a wicketkeeper-batter as a back-up for Prabhsimran Singh. Rahmanullah Gurbaz is likely to be one option considering his fearless batting and the ability to take the attack early on. Since there are only four slots to fill, PBKS can afford to spend big on one or two players. Delhi Capitals: (Purse: ₹21.8 crore, 8 slots left) DC Need Top-Order Batting Reinforcement Delhi Capitals narrowly missed out on a playoff spot last season, and now rebuild their top order after releasing Jake Fraser-McGurk and Faf du Plessis. Either a robust overseas opener or an assured Indian top-order batter is required. They can fight for some big names with ₹21.8 crore in the kitty. Overseas Opener Options They will also look at the likes of Jonny Bairstow, Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Another exciting choice is Pathum Nissanka, due to his consistent streak in runs. DC can also opt to bring Prithvi Shaw into the team if they think he can regain his form. Pace Bowling Needs DC want a young Indian fast bowler to partner Mitchell Starc. Auqib Nabi Dar is in good form and has already completed trials with the team. He is one of their strongest domestic targets. DC may also look at middle-order options like Livingstone to add finishing power. Also Read | 5 Young SMAT Stars Who Can Trigger Big Bidding Wars in IPL 2026 Mini Auction Royal Challengers Bengaluru: (Purse: ₹16.4 crore, 6 slots left) RCB Look for a Back-Up for Josh Hazlewood Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the defending champions and have a fairly settled core. The main concern is the injury record of Josh Hazlewood. A trusted overseas pacer, who can take the new ball or bowl in the death overs if Hazlewood gets injured, is required. Overseas Pace Options That makes Gerald Coetzee and Anrich Nortje strong candidates, with Matt Henry an option for swing and control. RCB might even contemplate bringing back Lungi Ngidi after releasing him this year. There is one left-field but exciting pick in Matheesha Pathirana- a high-risk, yet potentially high-reward signing. Domestic Options RCB will also look for a domestic spinner as Suyash Sharma was inconsistent last year. Ravi Bishnoi or Rahul Chahar are good options. They may also add young Indian batters like Atharva Taide or Tejasvi Dahiya as back-ups. Sunrisers Hyderabad: (Purse: ₹25.5 crore, 9 slots left) SRH Need an Indian New-Ball Bowler Sunrisers Hyderabad, on paper, have a strong batting unit but struggled with the ball last season. Having traded Mohammed Shami to LSG, SRH are without a proven Indian new-ball bowler. They will look to fix this gap with someone reliable. Top Domestic Targets Akash Deep and Shivam Mavi are on the radar of SRH because of their international experience. Auqib Nabi Dar and Vidwath Kaverappa offer strong options in domestic cricket. SRH want someone who can bowl early overs with discipline. Lower-Order Batting Worries Even though their top six is very strong, SRH have a relatively weak lower order. Kartik Sharma is in good nick this domestic season and could be a good Indian pick. If they cannot find proper domestic options, they might tweak the overseas combination. Also Read | 3 England Cricketers Banned from IPL 2026 Auction Under New BCCI Rule Lucknow Super Giants: (Purse: ₹22.95 crore, 8 slots left) LSG Want a Replacement for David Miller The Lucknow Super Giants had a mixed season and now need a strong middle-order batter to replace the weak year thrown up by David Miller. Miller could also return if LSG want familiarity at a lower price. Key Foreign Targets Liam Livingstone will be most likely LSG's top target for the middle order. Jonny Bairstow can be another possible pick as he gives both power and experience. Cameron Green might be avoided because of the budget constraints. Bowling Options LSG have already let go of Mohammed Shami and Arjun Tendulkar. Replacement for Ravi Bishnoi is what they need now. Rahul Chahar could be a decent, budget pick. A steady overseas back-up batter might be hunted too. Gujarat Titans: (Purse: ₹ 12.9 crore, 6 slots left) GT Need Strong Overseas Back-Ups The Gujarat Titans had a decent league season but did not make it count in the playoffs. Their first-choice XI is sorted, so they only need reliable overseas back-ups. They have four overseas slots left and ₹12.9 crore to spend. Batting Options GT need backups for Jos Buttler and their top order. Pathum Nissanka, Finn Allen, Jonny Bairstow, Jamie Smith, and Shai Hope are the main targets. They might go for a safe pick in the form of Nissanka or go after a proper power hitter like Finn Allen. Pace Bowling Options For overseas pace, GT will look at Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Coetzee, Anrich Nortje and Will O’Rourke. They can go big on one and use the remaining purse for cheaper foreign players. Also Read | 2026 IPL Mini Auction: Full Player List & Key Highlights Rajasthan Royals (Purse: 18.75 crore, 7 slots left) RR Need Bowling Reinforcements Rajasthan Royals had a poor season and avoided the last place only because of net run rate. Although they fared better on the batting front during the trade window with the acquisition of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, their bowling still has big gaps. Overseas New-Ball Options RR need a new-ball partner for Jofra Archer. Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Will O'Rourke are the leading options. They may also look at left-arm bowlers like Spencer Johnson or Ben Dwarshuis. Indian Spinners Needed RR badly need Indian spinners, especially a wrist-spinner. The domestic market this year does not have many options. Scouts will have to work hard. RR have to be smart and efficient as they will have a limited purse.