The Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) is all set to celebrate a milestone with its 10th edition, and the player auction has officially kickstarted preparations for another thrilling season. Scheduled to be played from August 4 to August 28, TNPL 2026 saw all eight franchises enter the auction looking to strengthen their squads ahead of the new campaign.
A total of 783 players registered for the auction, including 10 players in Category B, six in Category C and 767 in Category D. However, several marquee names were unavailable after being retained by their respective franchises. Tamil Nadu stars Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan and Sai Kishore were all retained before the auction.
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Meanwhile, veterans Ravichandran Ashwin and Vijay Shankar did not feature after retiring from BCCI-affiliated domestic and IPL cricket to pursue opportunities in overseas leagues, making them ineligible for TNPL.
Among the early auction highlights, Ashwanth Valthapa emerged as the costliest player sold after being picked up by Chepauk Super Gillies for INR 14.45 lakh. U Mukilesh also attracted strong interest, joining Nellai Royal Kings for INR 13.7 lakh. Periyasamy G was signed by Madurai Panthers for INR 4.5 lakh, while Mohit Mittan moved to Dindigul Dragons for INR 2.45 lakh.
Other notable purchases included Shoaib Mohammed Khan (Madurai Panthers), Maan Bafna, Abhinav K and Jitendra Kumar (Lyca Kovai Kings), Gowtham Thamarai Kannan and Sai Shriraam G (Trichy Grand Cholas), Rohit R (Nellai Royal Kings), Wafar K and Akshay Dev Kumar (Tiruppur Tamizhans), Iyappan B (Salem Spartans), and Krish E and Anuraag Rajesh Nair (Dindigul Dragons).
With strong retained cores already in place and fresh talent added through the auction, the eight franchises now appear well-balanced as they prepare for another fiercely competitive TNPL season. More player signings are expected as the auction progresses.
