DUBAI : Scheduled for December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, the high-stakes event will see franchises battle for limited slots as marquee names, rising talents, and big purses collide.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that a total of 350 players will go under the hammer this year, 240 Indians and 110 overseas cricketers.

The shortlist includes a deep pool of emerging talent, featuring 224 uncapped Indian players and 14 uncapped overseas players, offering franchises fresh prospects to build their squads. Out of the available roster spots across teams, 77 slots remain open, including 31 reserved for overseas players.

At the top tier, 40 players have listed themselves at the highest base price of ₹20 million. Among them, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi stand out as the only Indian entrants in this elite bracket. International stars also headline the auction, with Steve Smith of Australia carrying a base price of ₹20 million, while South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock enters at ₹10 million.

Ahead of the auction, teams retained 173 players, including 49 overseas, shaping the strategies they will bring to the table. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hold the strongest financial hand with a ₹640 million purse, giving them room to fill 13 slots, including six overseas. Close behind, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) enter with ₹430 million to complete nine positions.

All eyes, however, are on Australia’s dynamic all-rounder Cameron Green, widely tipped to trigger the fiercest bidding war of the season. Both KKR and CSK are reportedly preparing aggressive bids as they seek to strengthen their cores ahead of the next IPL cycle.