Former India opener expresses surprise as three overseas stars go unsold in IPL 2026 mini-auction

Former India opener Aakash Chopra was left perplexed after seeing three star overseas cricketers going unsold at the IPL 2026 mini-auction on Tuesday, December 16.

The much-anticipated event, held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, went along expected lines, with Cameron Green and Matheesha Pathirana earning the biggest paychecks of INR 25.2 crore and INR 18 crore, respectively. However, some players who were predicted to get teams remained unsold.

Chopra was particularly surprised to see New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell and England's aggressive wicketkeeper-batters Jamie Smith and Jonny Bairstow failing to find teams at the auction.

Talking about Bracewell, the cricketer-turned-expert failed to understand why teams like Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants didn't show any interest in bringing him on board.

"I do not know what's wrong with the IPL. There is a player named Michael Bracewell. Don't know why no one rates him. He is a phenomenal player. I still remember the century he scored against India in Hyderabad. Plenty of teams needed an off-spinner batter. I felt Chennai would be interested in him. I felt LSG would be interested in him. At least some team should have been interested in him, but no one was interested. Very, very surprising," he said on his YouTube channel.

Chopra also couldn't understand the logic behind teams not bidding for Smith, who can bat in almost every position from the top to the lower order.

"Jamie Smith, how did he go unsold? He came three times. Someone put his name every time in the auction list. He was shortlisted for both accelerators, and then no one bought him. It was beyond my understanding. Jamie is a wicketkeeper-batter who bats both up and down the order. He is a gun player, but not to be seen. I am very, very surprised. I have got no logic. Logic has failed here," he added.

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Chopra was also shocked to see Jonny Bairstow not getting picked despite doing well in the couple of games he played for the Mumbai Indians at the back end of IPL 2025.

"Logic has failed for Jonny Bairstow. Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Duckett, Pathum Nissanka, Tom Banton and Quinton de Kock got sold, but there is no place for Jonny Bairstow, who played so well in the couple of matches he played last season. He would have been available for the entire season," Chopra concluded.