IPL 2026 Auction: DC outbid RCB & SRH to acquire J&K pacer Auqib Dar for 8.40 crore

Auqib Dar had a base price of Rs 30 lakh in the IPL 2026 auction and invited bidding war between DC, RCB and SRH.

Auqib Nabi Dar walked into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction carrying a base price of Rs 30 lakh and walked out with a life-changing Rs 8.40 crore contract from Delhi Capitals (DC).

The Jammu and Kashmir all-rounder, who previously spent a few years as a net bowler for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), earned his moment under the auction hammer.

DC opened the bidding at his base price and never backed down through a battle that pulled in Rajasthan Royals (RR), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The price climbed past Rs 7 crore as SRH and DC fought for the medium pacer until Hyderabad finally bowed out at Rs 8.40 crore.

Auqib Dar’s consistent domestic performances earns him IPL contract

Dar has built this payday through relentless performances in domestic cricket where he has captured 125 wickets across 36 first-class matches with a bowling average of just under 20 in the FC cricket. He has been a regular for his state team season after season.

The ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025/26 turned scouts’ notebooks into bidding paddles when Dar grabbed 15 wickets in just 7 matches. Those numbers told franchises everything they needed to know about his white-ball capabilities and his readiness for the IPL stage.

The right-arm bowler now joins a DC squad that saw something special in a player who has already proven himself in red-ball cricket and just showed his T20 skills.

For someone who once stood behind the nets preparing others for IPL glory, Dar will now step onto the field as one of the tournament’s most expensive uncapped players.

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