IPL 2026 Auction: R Ashwin Names Uncapped Hidden Gems Who Could Turn Crorepatis
Ravichandran Ashwin has shifted the spotlight from big stars to some uncapped Indian players who could becomecrorepatisat theIPL 2026 mini-auctionin Abu Dhabi on December 16.
Ravichandran Ashwin has shifted the spotlight from big stars to some uncapped Indian players who could become crorepatis at the IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16. Speaking on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, the former India spin ace highlighted exciting young wicket-keeper batters Kartik Sharma and Salil Arora as the two uncapped names likely to trigger bidding wars among franchises. Ashwin also backed Tushar Raheja as a value pick who could surprise teams. His insight comes as franchises prepare to fill 77 slots with a large pool of fresh talent this year.
Ashwin's take is rooted in auction psychology, where teams often chase a particular profile and end up paying big if they miss out on one target and switch to a similar one next. “Bohot mushkil hain. To stick out your neck and say, yeh jayega bohot paiso ke lie. But do playero ke beech mein, I think one will go expensive. One is Kartik Sharma and the other is Salil Arora, jo Punjab ka player hain.” Ashwin said, referring to Kartik, Salil and Tushar all three of them listed at a base price of ₹30 lakh. Their presence in the uncapped wicketkeeper-batter pool makes them especially valuable for sides looking for middle-order firepower and keeping flexibility.
Punjab's Salil Arora has grabbed attention with a blistering unbeaten 125 off 45 balls in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, smashing 11 sixes and nine fours a knock that put him firmly on the radar ahead of the auction. His aggressive batting and keeping skills make him a compelling target for multiple teams. Kartik Sharma, another uncapped Indian wicketkeeper-batter, also fits the high-impact profile teams desire, while Tushar Raheja from Tamil Nadu offers similar depth lower down the order. All three players could see their auction prices surge well beyond their modest base tags as franchises chase squad balance and Indian talent.
Ashwin explaining the auction dynamics of the two players said, “Salil Arora, abhi usne say run banaya hain and before that also, woh bhi wicketkeeper batsman hain. So, jo bhi team Kartik Sharma ko miss karega na, woh Salil Arora ke peehce bhagega. Or the other way around. If Salil Arora comes first, uske peeche bhagega. Usko jo team miss karega, they will go behind Kartik Sharma. Is auction mein uncapped players ka value rahega. Ek aur jo player ka value rahega, that is Tushar Raheja, Tamil Nadu ka player hain,”
With the auction fast approaching and teams eyeing smart buys alongside big names, Ashwin's call on these hidden gems adds fresh intrigue to IPL 2026's unfolding story.
Ravichandran Ashwin