Amid Australia’s pre-series preparation for the upcoming home Ashes series against England, their superstar batsman Steve Smith casually revealed his decision regarding the IPL 2026 auction.
While the English and Aussie fans are involved in banter ahead of the Ashes 2025/26 series, which is set to commence this Friday in Perth, the Indian set of fans have been discussing the IPL trades and retentions, apart from tearing apart the Indian Test team and their coach, Gautam Gambhir, following India’s loss in the Kolkata Test against South Africa.
The IPL franchises have released several high-profile players, such as Andre Russell and Glenn Maxwell, and they will be going back in the auction pool. One of the big-name, experienced international players who will be part of the IPL 2026 auction is Smith.
Will Steve Smith Enter IPL 2026 Auction?
Yes, Steve Smith has confirmed that he will put his name in for the IPL 2026 auction. Smith revealed this on Kevin Pietersen’s YouTube channel. The Australian batsman also confirmed that he will set his base price in the highest bracket, which is INR 2 crore.
Smith told Pietersen, “I’ll be in the auction. Yeah, and we’ll see how we go.”
The IPL 2026 auction will take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi.
When Pietersen asked the base price he would set for himself, Smith promptly replied: “Max,” suggesting the INR 2 crore category.
Like his international career, Smith’s IPL career has been terrific. He made his IPL debut in 2012 for the now-defunct Pune Warriors India before joining the Rajasthan Royals in 2014, where he quickly became a key part of the side.
He played with MS Dhoni for two seasons in IPL 2016 and 2017 at Rising Pune Supergiants when Rajasthan and Chennai were suspended. Smith captained RPSG to the 2017 IPL final, which they lost to the Mumbai Indians.
Smith was picked up by RR for IPL 2018 but missed the season following his involvement in the Sandpapergate in Cape Town.
He returned to the IPL in 2019 for RR and was named the skipper in the middle of the season, replacing Ajinkya Rahane, and also led the side in IPL 2020.
When did Steve Smith last play in the IPL?
Smith moved to Ricky Ponting’s Delhi Capitals in IPL 2021 before being released. Since then, however, Smith has failed to find buyers in the IPL auction. He had gone unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction as well, but he will enter the IPL 2026 auction with the aim of boosting his T20 career.
Smith is retired from ODI cricket but continues to harbor ambitions in T20Is: he has expressed his desire to feature in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where cricket will return to the Olympics after 128 years and it will be played in T20 format.
“I’d like to play the Olympics, I reckon that would be cool,” Smith said in January this year.
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