IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi delivered high-stakes drama as franchises scrambled to build championship squads, with Delhi Capitals emerging as smart operators in a ₹124.65 crore spending spree. DC filled their 25-player roster, including eight overseas stars, leaving just ₹0.35 crore unspent, showcasing strategic retentions and calculated buys amid fierce bidding wars. Retained captain Axar Patel anchored the core at ₹16.50 crore, while uncapped Jammu & Kashmir all-rounder Auqib Nabi became the auction’s breakout sensation, snapped up for 28 times his ₹30 lakh base price.
Delhi Capitals’ auction masterstrokes: Intelligent buys and Auqib Nabi blockbuster
Delhi Capitals displayed auction savvy by securing value-for-money talents alongside a marquee splash on Nabi, the 29-year-old right-arm pacer whose domestic exploits ignited a bidding frenzy involving Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Nabi, modeled on Dale Steyn with his seam movement and control, earned 29 wickets across five Ranji Trophy games and 15 in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, justifying DC’s ₹8.40 crore investment as their costliest buy. Earlier, DC grabbed South African stalwarts David Miller, Ben Duckett, Lungi Ngidi, and Kyle Jamieson at base prices of ₹2 crore each, adding firepower without overpaying, while Pathum Nissanka joined for ₹4 crore to bolster the top order.
The franchise’s retentions formed a solid backbone: KL Rahul at ₹14 crore for explosive batting, Kuldeep Yadav‘s spin wizardry at ₹13.25 crore, Mitchell Starc‘s pace at ₹11.75 crore, T Natarajan at ₹10.75 crore, and Tristan Stubbs at ₹10 crore provided balance. Mukesh Kumar‘s ₹8 crore deal reinforced domestic pace, with Nitish Rana (₹4.20 crore) and Abishek Porel (₹4 crore) adding middle-order depth. Uncapped gems like Ashutosh Sharma (₹3.80 crore) and Sameer Rizvi (₹0.95 crore) rounded out intelligent steals, blending youth with experience for playoff contention.
Salaries of DC Players in IPL 2026
DC assembled a 25-player squad at the IPL 2026 auction, spending ₹124.65 crore with strategic retentions and buys like Nabi at ₹8.40 crore. Below is the complete list of DC players and their sold prices.
| S.No. | Player | Sold Price (₹) |
| 1 | Axar Patel | 16 crores 50 lakh |
| 2 | KL Rahul | 14 crores |
| 3 | Kuldeep Yadav | 13 crores 25 lakh |
| 4 | Mitchell Starc | 11 crores 75 lakh |
| 5 | T Natarajan | 10 crores 75 lakh |
| 6 | Tristan Stubbs | 10 crores |
| 7 | Auqib Nabi | 8 crores 40 lakh |
| 8 | Mukesh Kumar | 8 crores |
| 9 | Nitish Rana | 4 crores 20 lakh |
| 10 | Abishek Porel | 4 crores |
| 11 | Pathum Nissanka | 4 crores |
| 12 | Ashutosh Sharma | 3 crores 80 lakh |
| 13 | Kyle Jamieson | 2 crores |
| 14 | Lungi Ngidi | 2 crores |
| 15 | Ben Duckett | 2 crores |
| 16 | David Miller | 2 crores |
| 17 | Sameer Rizvi | 95 lakh |
| 18 | Dushmantha Chameera | 75 lakh |
| 19 | Prithvi Shaw | 75 lakh |
| 20 | Karun Nair | 50 lakh |
| 21 | Vipraj Nigam | 50 lakh |
| 22 | Madhav Tiwari | 40 lakh |
| 23 | Sahil Parakh | 30 lakh |
| 24 | Tripurana Vijay | 30 lakh |
| 25 | Ajay Mandal | 30 lakh |
