• Source:JND

IPL 2026 Auction: The IPL 2026 auction is all set to be held on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, where 350 players have registered their names at the auction. Since all 10 teams will try to fill the gaps, they will also try to prepare the youngsters for the future.

The way Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who was roped in by Rajasthan Royals for a whopping amount of Rs 1.1 crore when he was just 13 years old, had smashed the second-quickest IPL hundred this year, shows how important it is to spot a talent early and help them thrive in a competitive environment.

Here are the top five youngest players at the IPL 2026 Auction:

Wahidullah Zadran (Afghanistan) - 18 years & 31 days

He has become the youngest player to have registered his name at the auction. He has a brilliant record in the shortest format, as he has taken 28 wickets after playing in 19 matches at an economy rate of 6.72. He also has performed brilliantly in Youth ODIs and was the highest wicket-taker as he took 11 wickets after playing in 4 matches against Bangladesh. He is currently seen in action at the U-19 Asia Cup and has also represented the Gulf Giants in ILT20.

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Sahil Parakh (India) - 18 years & 192 days

Sahil Parakh had recently played in his debut match for Maharashtra in SMAT. Although he had a forgettable outing as he scored just 18 and 6 runs, he grabbed everyone's attention at the MPL, where he scored 202 runs after playing in eight matches at a staggering strike rate of 177.19. and helped Eagle Nashik Titans win the trophy. He also smashed a century against Australia U19 as he scored 109 runs off 75 balls while playing as an opener.

R.S. Ambrish (India) - 18 years & 202 days

Hailing from Tamil Nadu, this all-rounder made his debut in the Ranji Trophy this year. During the first two matches, he had scored 43 runs and also taken two wickets. Since he is a pace-bowling all-rounder, he will be the one to watch out for. He can bat at the top and middle order and can also play as a fast bowler. In U19s, he has featured in 8 Youth ODIs, where he has scored 125 runs at an average of 31.25 and has also taken 10 wickets. In Youth Tests, he has batted at an average of 29 and has taken six wickets after playing in three matches.

Bayanda Majola (South Africa) - 18 years & 342 days

This Protea pacer has performed well at U19, as he has taken 14 wickets after playing in seven matches at an economy rate of 4.45. He made his senior debut at the CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge Division Two tournament, where he took two wickets and gave away 56 runs. He hasn't made his T20 debut yet, but was roped in by the SA20 team Pretoria Capitals and is also a part of South Africa's Under-19 team for the World Cup in 2026.

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Vihaan Malhotra (India) - 18 years & 349 days

Hailing from Punjab, this top-order batter idolises Shubman Gill. He had a dream run in the five Youth ODIs series against England, where he scored 243 runs and became the third-highest run-scorer. After playing in two Youth Tests, he had scored 277 runs after playing in 4 innings. Although he hasn't made his senior debut yet, he is part of India's Under-19 Asia Cup team.


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