The IPL 2026 auction is right around the corner and already the excitement is palpable even a week in advance. The upcoming mini event has the potential to generate bidding wars for both the established and up-and-coming local batters who can immediately assume the role of leading the charge and setting the pace in powerplay overs with their high scoring rates. Last season’s young openers’ success, among them Priyansh Arya, Ayush Mhatre, and Prabhsimran Singh, has fueled the betting that franchises would rather go for local players-minor teams have amassed sizeable amounts of money for foreign batters. Let us introduce you to four local openers that are probable to attract the biggest bids at the IPL 2026 auction.
Prithvi Shaw
Prithvi Shaw was once considered the future star of India but his fall from grace was shocking as he went unsold in the IPL 2025 auction and was taken off the state team. To everyone’s surprise, the 26-year-old has made a fantastic return in the domestic cricket area. After changing his base from Mumbai to Maharashtra for the current 2025-26 domestic season, he has been the highest run scorer (470 runs with 67.12 average) for Maharashtra in the first phase of the Ranji Trophy and the second-highest scorer (183 runs with160.52 strike rate) in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025.
With the likes of Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on the lookout for explosive domestic openers, Shaw’s revival and impressive batting performance coupled with the maturity of valuable experience may render him one of the most sought after batters in IPL 2026 auction.
Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer, released by KKR after a really bad season, is now a possible top pick for the teams that want a top-order batter. The all-rounder from Madhya Pradesh has not been at his best lately but he is still a smart pick with his left-handed batting style and IPL and international experience which can draw bids from different franchises.
Moreover, Iyer’s presence gives the team the opportunity to shuffle the batting order and he can even put a few seam bowlers on, thus increasing the bowling unit’s weight. Teams like Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who showed great interest in Iyer at the IPL 2025 auction and Chennai Super Kings, who released several players, are expected to fight for his signature. Even if KKR releases him before IPL 2026 retention, they might still seriously consider him if the cost matches their plan.
Yash Dhull
Yash Dhull, the former captain of the India U19 World Cup-winning team has not yet made a big name for himself in the IPL. In the only IPL season he played in 2023, Dhull could only score 16 runs in four games with an average of 5.33. But now that he has healed from his heart operation, he is back to his best in domestic cricket. He has scored 434 runs at an average of 48.22 and a strike rate of 81.42 in five Ranji Trophy matches. Besides, he has made 261 runs in seven SMAT innings at a strike rate of 145 and an average of 37.29, including two fifties, which help to show his capacity to score quickly and have consistency as well. He was seen in a similar light in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025, where he scored 435 runs in nine innings, with an average of 87 and a strike rate of 167.31, including two hundreds and three fifties.
Thus, IPL 2026 might be the turning point for his IPL career. The Delhi lad not only keeps on with his phenomenal form but also with his high spirit; he can turn out to be the unanticipated winner of the auction. Besides, considering his tender age, the team could contemplate the idea of mentoring him for the future.
Tushar Raheja
Tushar Raheja, a wicketkeeper-batter, has played an important role in the SMAT 2025-26 and has become a player to keep an eye on in IPL 2026. His explosive starts for Tamil Nadu in the powerplay along with his wicket-keeping skills make him a valuable asset for teams like KKR and GT who are looking for a trustworthy Indian stumper.
Raheja made a total of 151 runs in seven innings of SMAT 2025, at a strike rate of 164.13, and then emerged as the top scorer in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2025 with 488 runs in nine matches at an average of 61, with a strike rate of 185.55.