EXCLUSIVE: Top Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Players in IPL Auction 2026

The Indian Premier League 2026 auction is around the corner, and the franchises would have been ready with their strategies for the event. The IPL 2026 auction will take place on Tuesday, December 16, in Abu Dhabi. A total of 240 Indian players, including 224 uncapped players, and 110 overseas players, including 14 uncapped players.

These players will be battling for the 77 available slots in the IPL 2026 auction. Some of the big superstars in Cameron Green, Venkatesh Iyer, and Steve Smith will be on the radar of the various teams. But more than that, attention will be on the top SMAT players in the IPL auction.

Best SMAT Players in IPL Auction 2026

There have been a no. of impressive performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year. The players performing in this league are likely to get picked at a good price in the IPL 2026 auction. Let's have a look at the best SMAT players in IPL auction 2026 as per Gaurav Sundararaman, an ex-performance analyst of SRH, on Sportsdunia Podcast: SD Dugout, Behind the IPL Auction Ft. Gaurav Sundararaman.

1. Auqib Nabi

The Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi will be one of the uncapped players who will be under the radar of all the teams in the IPL auction. The right-arm pacer has taken 15 wickets in seven SMAT 2026 matches at an economy rate of 7.41. Auqib Nabi IPL 2026 auction will be closely watched, and it won’t be a surprise if he fetches a big amount in the IPL auction SMAT players category.

2. Ashok Sharma

Rajasthan pacer Ashok Sharma will be the top SMAT player IPL auction. He has been sensational in the tournament with his 19 wickets in seven matches. Being in the IPL uncapped players category, his ability to bowl at speeds close to 140 kmph can fetch him a big amount in the IPL 2026 auction.

With his speed, he has grabbed the interest of some of the best teams in IPL. The pacer has been part of the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Rajasthan Royals in the league earlier, but this time around, it could be a breakout season for him.

3. Kartik Sharma

Another uncapped player from Rajasthan who has caught the attention of many with his performances in SMAT 2025 is Kartik Sharma. The 19-year-old keeper-batter has slammed 133 runs in five matches at a strike rate above 160. His ability to take the game away from the opposition has been sensational. Also, he brings with him dual skills of keeping wickets and finishing innings. This might work well for the teams that need a wicketkeeper in their squad.

4. Anmolpreet Singh

Punjab batter Anmolpreet Singh is another player who is on fire in the SMAT 2025. He has slammed 241 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 172. The keeper-batter also has experience of playing in IPL with the Mumbai Indians and the Sunrisers Hyderabad but didn’t get much opportunity. This time around, he will be entering the IPL 2026 auction on the back of some red-hot form.

5. Salil Arora

Punjab wicket-keeper batter Salil Arora hogged the headlines for his heroics with the bat in the SMAT 2025. With plenty of franchises in need of wicket-keepers, he will be on the radar of many teams. Salil has been one of the exciting players in the Indian domestic circuit. Against Jharkhand, he hit a 39-ball century and ended with the innings of 125 runs off 45 balls. He has shown his potential to become one of the most dangerous batsmen in IPL.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Behind the IPL Auction Ft. Gaurav Sundararaman