IPL Auction 2026: Bought, Retained, Benched – Cricketers Who Were Picked Repeatedly But Never Made Their IPL Debut

IPL Auction 2026: The Indian Premier League (IPL), over the last two decades, has produced some of cricket’s most compelling stories. From record-breaking pay cheques to unknown domestic cricketers becoming overnight stars, the league has consistently evolved into the biggest and most influential T20 tournament in the world.

Yet, not every IPL story follows the familiar arc of instant success. While stories such as the resurgence of Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan after early rejection highlight the league’s second chances, there are also quieter, more unfortunate tales – those of highly talented players who were picked multiple times but never got to step onto the field.

With tightly packed squads, intense competition, and restrictions such as the limit on overseas players, several capable cricketers found themselves sidelined despite their potential.

Players Picked Multiple Times but Never Played an IPL Match

Kyle Mills 

Kyle Mills was regarded as one of the world’s best fast bowlers in the first decade of 2000. He played for New Zealand. The right-arm pacer was known for his ability to swing the ball early, operate effectively through the middle overs, and deliver at the death. His lower-order batting also added balance, making him a valuable all-round option.

Mills was first picked at the IPL auctions ahead of the inaugural 2008 season by Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). However, stiff competition from other overseas players and the restriction of fielding only four foreigners meant he did not get a single game.

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He was picked again by the Mumbai Indians for the 2009 season, but the situation remained unchanged. Despite his pedigree, Mills failed to break into the playing XI once again and did not feature in any IPL match across two seasons. He did not find a franchise thereafter.

Pavan Deshpande 

Pavan Deshpande emerged as a reliable domestic performer in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Deshpande played as a spin-bowling all-rounder capable of batting lower down the order.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru bought him for the first time at the mega auction ahead of IPL 2018. However, he did not get an opportunity to play that season. RCB picked him once again at the IPL 2020 auctions, but history repeated itself.

Nishant Sindhu 

Nishant Sindhu was part of India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning squad in 2023. He was picked in the IPL auctions across the 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons.

Chennai Super Kings selected Sindhu in the 2023 auctions and retained him for the 2024 season. True to CSK’s philosophy of backing young players, Sindhu remained with the squad. However, he did not get a chance to feature in a match during his time with the franchise and was released ahead of the 18th season.

At the IPL 2025 mega auction, Gujarat Titans picked Sindhu, raising hopes of a long-awaited debut. Unfortunately, the young all-rounder once again remained on the sidelines and is yet to play a match in the world’s most lucrative T20 league.

IPL 2026 Schedule

Meanwhile, the IPL authorities have finalised the schedule for the 19th edition of the tournament. The league is set to be held from March 26 to May 31.

According to reports, the window was communicated to franchise executives during the customary pre-auction briefing held in Abu Dhabi on Monday night, December 15, 2025. The dates were carefully finalised after taking into account the conclusion of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

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