IPL 2026 RAPP Pool: Smith, Bairstow Among 1,307 Unsold Players Still Eligible to Be Signed - Here's How

The IPL 2026 mini auction took place in December last year, but the player market remains open. All ten teams have finished building their 25-man rosters yet more than 1,300 players continue to serve as potential replacement candidates for IPL 2026. The group of athletes features well-known international athletes and experienced players from India.

 

What is RAPP and Why it Matters in IPL 2026

 

The BCCI has shared a list of 1,307 players with the franchises under the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP). The players who participated in the December 16 auction held in Abu Dhabi but did not get sold and continued with the auction process. Teams can use this pool to sign replacements during the season if they face injuries, withdrawals, or player unavailability.

 

Steve Smith

, Jonny Bairstow, Reece Topley and Jamie Smith rank among the biggest international stars who appear on the list. Steve Smith’s name stands out because of his strong recent T20 form. The Big Bash League saw him score 299 runs across six games with a strike rate of nearly 168 which included a 41-ball century.

 

He also brings captaincy abilities to the team. Smith has even spoken about his goal to play T20 cricket at the LA Olympics 2028, which makes him an interesting mid-season option for IPL teams.

 

Also Read |

Forfeit Possibility Remains As PCB Considers India Match Boycott

 

Can Any IPL 2026 Team Repeat CSK’s Replacement Success?

 

The concept of replacement players succeeding in their roles has existed since the early phase of the league. Chris Gayle joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2011 as a replacement for Dirk Nannes which stands as one of the best replacement signings in IPL history. Gayle changed the entire season with his batting performance.

 

Chennai Super Kings experienced a fortunate season during IPL 2025. They finished at the bottom of the table but signed key replacement players such as Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel and Ayush Mhatre. Sanju Samson has joined them to create a strong top order which includes all three players.

 

Several Indian capped players who have extensive IPL experience also appear on the IPL 2026 RAPP list. The pool includes Mayank Agarwal, KS Bharat, Deepak Hooda, Navdeep Saini, Chetan Sakariya, Sandeep Warrier and Umesh Yadav all of whom have a base price set at INR 75 lakh. The base price for Daryl Mitchell who performed well against India in the ODI series stands at INR 2 crore.

 

Rules for Player Replacements

 

The BCCI has established specific regulations for player replacements. Teams cannot sign a replacement player for less than his auction base price. Many RAPP players may join teams as net bowlers, but this does not give the team any future rights over the player. A franchise must release a player before another franchise can sign him as an official replacement.

 

IPL 2026 will take place from March 26 to May 31, after the men’s T20 World Cup ends in early March. The tournament will again clash with the Pakistan Super League, which may cause last-minute player withdrawals and increase the need for replacements.