EXPLAINED! What is IPL Mock Auction? Know Its Timings & Rules

An IPL mock auction is a simulated version of the official Indian Premier League player auction, designed with the same rules as the original, along with all the other dynamics and strategic decision-making involved in building an IPL squad. It is usually conducted by fans, analysts, fantasy platforms, media houses and cricket communities.

A mock auction assigns participants the role of IPL franchises, complete with a fixed purse, limited squad size, overseas player caps and retention rules similar to those set by the BCCI. Participants bid on a predefined pool of players, often based on recent performances, base prices and expected demand, to construct balanced squads while managing budgets and team combinations.

Star Sports IPL Mock Auction 2026 Details

Mock auctions are widely used as a preparation and analysis tool ahead of the real IPL auction. Star Sports is set to conduct a similar IPL Mock Auction on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 2 PM with some of the best cricketers in the world representing each IPL team. This will also serve as a popular engagement activity on social media and digital platforms, offering insights into how different teams might approach retentions, target marquee players, and fill specific roles for their team.

Cameron Green and Liam Livingstone Go Big in R Ashwin Mock Auction

Kolkata Knight Riders passed on Cameron Green in R Ashwin’s YouTube mock-auction series ‘Winning Bid’, stepping away when the price hit ₹21 crore. It was not a lack of interest, but KKR’s move felt like a deliberate decision as Green is a multi-dimensional asset (middle-order bat, seam option, elite fielder) whose acquisition often forces a team to construct the rest of its XI around him. KKR instead redirected that spending power and later signed Liam Livingstone for ₹18.5 crore.

Ravichandran Ashwin, who was one of the best spinners in the world when he was playing, hosted as auctioneer while inviting tables bid like IPL franchises, producing dramatic bidding battles and the familiar ‘sold/unsold’ calls. An added complication with Green this season is the way his reported winning price can be misread by viewers as anything above INR 18 crore won't go to the player as part of a new IPL 2026 rule.

After that, the bidding for Liam Livingstone also became a close contest and finally ended with KKR spending INR 18.5 crore. The amount was lower than Green’s INR 21 crore, but it represented a very different kind of player value. While Green offers overall balance, Livingstone brings pure impact. That is what makes this mock auction storyline so interesting: KKR allowed CSK to take Cameron Green and then made their own statement by securing Livingstone as their marquee buy.

List of Sold and Unsold Players in R Ashwin IPL Mock Auction

As per R Ashwin mock IPL auction, Cameron Green went for a whopping INR 21 crore, while Liam Livingstone bagged 18 crore and went to the Kolkata Knight Riders. A bunch of other marquee players include Venkatesh Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Matheesha Pathirana, Prithvi Shaw and one of the best finishers in the world, David Miller. Let's have a look at the list of sold and unsold players from R Ashwin's mock IPL auction.