Sarfaraz Khan’s Test spot may be in a limbo currently. Despite scoring a 150 in the last Test series he played in, the Mumbai-born batter hasn’t been able to get any opportunities in the Test team, that is already in a poor state. However, a big break could soon come in for Sarfaraz Khan.
At the IPL 2026 auction, he will be part of the first set, which comprises the likes of Cameron Green, Prithvi Shaw, David Miller and Devon Conway. One would wonder as to why Sarfaraz, who has been unsold for two consecutive seasons, is in the opening set. The last time he scored 100+ runs in an IPL season was back in 2019. His T20 career was all but over. But not anymore.
He has shown why he is the favourite teammate of Chris Gayle by terrorizing bowlers in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025. Playing at the top of the order for Mumbai, Sarfaraz has hammered 187 runs at a handsome average and strike rate of 93.50 and 168.47, respectively. His tally includes a 47-ball century as well. Now, with a renewed focus on his batting, working hard on his fitness and a point to prove, it might be shrewd for IPL teams to sign Sarfaraz, whose base price is set at just Rs 75 lakh.
Below are three teams who need to look at signing the 28-year-old at the upcoming IPL 2026 mini auction in Abu Dhabi.
Mumbai Indians (MI) IPL 2026 squad
Players Retained: 17
Players Released: 9
IPL 2026 Auction Purse Remaining: INR 2.75 crore
Slots Remaining: 5 (1 overseas)
Mumbai Indians (MI) cannot do much with a slender purse of Rs 2.75 crore. But they would love to have Sarfaraz Khan in their ranks. His base price (Rs 75 lakh) would make it viable for the five-time champions. Yes, MI’s Indian core is unmatched but they definitely need backups. As of now, Robin Minz remains the only Indian backup batter.
With all of Sarfaraz’s experience of playing 100 T20 matches, MI would love to bolster their batting further. What factors in is the fact that Sarfaraz would relish playing at the Wankhede Stadium, where he has played the majority of his matches.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL 2026 squad
Players Retained: 17
Players Released: 8
IPL 2026 Auction Purse Remaining: INR 16.4 crore
Slots Remaining: 8 (2 overseas)
RCB signed a certain Sarfaraz Khan for Rs 50 lakh at the IPL 2015 auction. At 17, he became the then-youngest player ever to play in the IPL. His exquisite and innovative batting quickly made him a favourite among fans. Will RCB and Sarfaraz roll it back?
With RCB releasing Mayank Agarwal and Swastik Chikara, there’s room for Sarfaraz. They have the purse (Rs 16.4 crore) as well and with 8 slots remaining, RCB can bring the talented star back. Their no. 3 slot is still weak, with Devdutt Padikkal being the only option. And guess what? Sarfaraz averages 55 at a strike rate of 155.66 while batting at number three. He could give healthy competition to Padikkal.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) IPL 2026 squad
Players Retained: 12
Players Released: 10
IPL 2026 Auction Purse Remaining: INR 64.3 crore
Slots Remaining: 13 (6 overseas)
Another team that could need Sarfaraz is the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Ajinkya Rahane shares a great camaraderie with Sarfaraz and this could help KKR big time. KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar knows how to bring out the best in his players and Sarfaraz could get his career back on track under him.
Also, with the fattest purse of almost Rs 65 crore, KKR can bully every other franchise in the auction. It would be easy for them to get him, who would face competition from the likes of fellow Mumbaikars in Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Rahane.
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