Kartik Sharma Becomes the Joint Highest Paid Uncapped Player in IPL Auction 2026

Kartik Sharma became one of the biggest talking points of the IPL 2026 mini-auction after Chennai Super Kings secured the uncapped wicketkeeper-batter for a massive ₹14.20 crore, which saw him finish as the joint most expensive uncapped player at the auction alongside Prashant Veer, and both were bought by the Chennai Super Kings. He entered the bidding war with a base price of just ₹30 lakh.

Sharma’s name had an unexpected surge of interest because of his explosive domestic performances, clean six-hitting ability, and impressive T20 strike rate, which had already put him on the radar of multiple franchises. It was anticipated that there would be aggressive bidding for the youngster, but it was surprising to see that he would reach such a whopping amount of INR 14.20 crore.

Kartik Sharma Sold to CSK at 14.20 Crore!

Wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma emerged as one of the headline names at the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi, where Chennai Super Kings secured his services for a remarkable ₹14.20 crore. Chennai Super Kings entered a direct duel with KKR, sending the price up while Sunrisers Hyderabad briefly joined the fight in the latter stages.

CSK eventually outbid all rivals to clinch the deal, completing one of the most dramatic auctions of the evening. Kartik Sharma is set to make his IPL debut. The Rajasthan wicketkeeper has built a reputation for powerful finishing in domestic white-ball cricket.

He impressed during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where his aggressive cameos in the league phase as he scored 133 runs from five matches at a strike rate exceeding 160. Even in his limited T20 career of 12 games, Sharma has consistently scored at a rapid pace.

Joint Most Expensive Uncapped Indian in the History of IPL Auction

Prashant Veer, a 20-year-old left-arm spin-bowling allrounder from Uttar Pradesh, and Kartik Sharma CSK, a 19-year-old wicketkeeper from Rajasthan, created history at the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. He got picked by one of the best IPL teams, Chennai Super Kings, as they went all in for the uncapped duo, spending out a massive ₹14.2 crore each, making them the joint most expensive uncapped Indian players ever to be signed at an IPL auction.

The earlier benchmark for an uncapped Indian buy stood at ₹10 crore, paid by Lucknow Super Giants for fast bowler Avesh Khan at the 2022 auction, a record that has now been taken over by Kartik Sharma IPL auction 2026 signing.

CSK, having already secured Prashant Veer for ₹14.2 crore from the uncapped all-rounder pool, went equally hard for Kartik Sharma when he appeared in the next segment reserved for uncapped wicketkeepers, with a base price of ₹30 lakh. The bidding for the 19-year-old began at his base price of ₹30 lakh, with the Mumbai Indians making the opening move before Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants quickly pushed the contest beyond the ₹5 crore mark. SRH backed out when the price touched ₹14.2 crore.

Kartik is being represented by JSW Sports, the management group that also handles Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra. Kartik has earned a reputation as a powerful lower-order hitter. The teenage wicketkeeper-batter has scored 334 runs in 12 T20 matches at a strike rate of 164, with 28 sixes and marking himself out as a genuine six-hitting finisher.