Worst Buys in IPL 2026 Auction: Detailed Analysis

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s pursuit of Venkatesh Iyer for ₹7 crore raises significant utility questions. Once a premier all-rounder, Iyer has essentially transformed into a specialist batter; his last IPL wicket was recorded way back in 2021.

Recent domestic outings in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy have been a rollercoaster of inconsistency, marred by frequent low scores despite a solitary brisk seventy. In a squad already top-heavy with batting talent, paying such a premium for a non-bowling middle-order anchor feels redundant. RCB may find his lack of bowling "Sixth Sense" a costly tactical handicap during tight run chases.

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Matheesha Pathirana (KKR – ₹18 Crore)

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Kolkata Knight Riders broke the bank with an ₹18 crore bid for the "Baby Malinga," but the investment is shrouded in volatility. Pathirana’s 2025 campaign was a statistical nightmare, with an economy rate ballooning over 10 and a lack of penetrative rhythm.

Furthermore, a tweaked bowling action has seemingly sapped his previous lethality, evidenced by a dismal international average of 82 in 2025. Spending nearly 20% of a typical purse on a pacer with lingering injury red flags and a disappearing yorker is a gargantuan risk. KKR’s death bowling remains a expensive, high-stakes gamble.

Josh Inglis (LSG – ₹8.6 Crore)

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Lucknow Super Giants’ acquisition of Josh Inglis for ₹8.6 crore is perhaps the most baffling "short-term" play of the season. The Australian wicketkeeper is also already stating that he will only play four matches because of his wedding.

By including him into a list that includes Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran, he is a redundant addition that leads to a logjam behind the stumps. Having few overseas slots probably taken by the likes of Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram, a 4-game cameo costing almost 9 crore is something that is nothing more than a luxury that LSG could do without in a competitive mini-auction.

Liam Livingstone (SRH – ₹13 Crore)

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Sunrisers Hyderabad splurged ₹13 crore on Liam Livingstone during the accelerated rounds, a move that drew sharp criticism from experts like K. Srikkanth.The season 2025 of Livingstone was a shadow of his previous years and he made only 112 runs.

It is rather questionable that SRH offered a blind eye to a noticeable deficit in pace depth, namely a replacement of Mohammed Shami, to purchase a match-up finisher. Should Livingstone be outed by overseas restrictions of limit, 13 crore will be sitting on the bench, as the bowling attack is butchered on the other side.

Mustafizur Rahman (KKR – ₹9.20 Crore)

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Kolkata further increased the risk by getting Mustafizur Rahman at ₹9.20 crore and he has become the highest priced Bangladeshi in history. The big qualifier is that there is a looming New Zealand series that renders his NOC (No Objection Certificate) conditional at best and patchy at worst. 

Mustafizur is a rhythm bowler who is good in the continuity, without him, KKR may fail in the business end of the tournament, which means their playoffs would be over. The decision to bid almost 10 crore on a part-time possession overseas in a mini-auction where the most important aspect of a squad is its depth is a low-floor, risky decision.

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Conclusion

The IPL 2026 auction demonstrated that when the moment strikes, the most intelligent think-tanks are prone to the "shiny object syndrome". Although the temptation of the untapped potential or previous fame is a potent one, the high bid valuations placed on the inconsistent or unavailable stars indicates a move to the emotional bidding.

Whether these high-priced gambles can beat the odds with their extremist prices is the question that will determine success in 2026. So far, though, the financial asymmetry in these transactions implies that a number of the franchises may start the season with a buyer remorse feeling, having lost part of the equilibrium in their aspirations at the cost of one, costly miracle.