5 players who performed well in SMAT 2025 but went unsold in IPL 2026 auction ft. Karan Lal

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) has often been a reliable platform for players to impress Indian Premier League (IPL) scouts, given its general proximity to the auction during the off-season. Several players who excelled during the domestic T20 campaign fetched bids from franchises during the event in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 16.

However, a few unfortunate players missed out on a gig despite being at their best during the SMAT campaign for their respective domestic sides. By the time the auction was conducted, the majority of the tournament was already played out, giving the teams enough sample size to assess their options.

But with overwhelming options in the uncapped department, coupled with franchises' slots and budget concerns, there are always a few deserving candidates that stand to miss out.

On that note, let us take a look at five players who performed well in SMAT 2025 but went unsold in the IPL 2026 auction.

#1 Karan Lal

The Bengal player was the team's third-highest run scorer behind Abhimanyu Easwaran and Abishek Porel, and boasted one of the highest strike rates in the campaign. He also smashed one of the best knocks in the tournament with his 113 runs off 50 deliveries to help his side chase down a 209-run target against Himachal Pradesh.

Karan Lal scored 219 runs in seven innings at an average of 31.28 and a strike rate of 198.03 in 2025-26 SMAT.

With Indian openers not a common commodity at the auction, and several franchises being in need of one, it was a surprise that no franchise raised their paddle for the 25-year-old, even for a backup role.

#2 KM Asif

The former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pacer had a SMAT campaign to remember as he took 15 wickets in just six matches to end as Kerala's leading wicket-taker. The right-arm bowler averaged only 9.20 and an economy of 6.73, but did not fetch a single bid at the IPL 2026 Auction.

Often known for his skiddy bowling, KM Asif has featured in seven IPL matches, but even his past limited experience in the competition did not help his case as franchises eyed newer talents on the auction floor.

#3 Tanay Thyagrajan

Released by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) after the 2025 season, Tanay Thyagarajan had a stellar campaign for Hyderabad in 2025-26 SMAT. He finished with 16 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 18.00 and an economy rate of 7.20. Although the spinner started the tournament slowly, he made an impact later on, particularly in the Super League Stage.

In his last three appearances leading up to the auction, he picked up eight wickets but failed to attract the interest of any franchise during the event. His handy ability with the bat, which produced a match-winning fifty in the low run chase win over Jammu and Kashmir, was also unfortunately ignored.

#4 Anmolpreet Singh

Despite his former experience with MI in the IPL, and his rich vein of form and consistency for a while, Anmolpreet Singh went unsold in the IPL 2026 Auction. The Punjab batter finished as their second leading run scorer in the SMAT campaign, scoring 349 runs in 10 matches at an average of 34.90 and a strike rate of 175.37.

He even hit the fastest List-A hundred by an Indian last year, showcasing his white-ball ability after being unsold during the mega auction. However, he met with the same fate despite his recent rise as a player.

#5 Rajvardhan Hangargekar

The Maharashtra pacer had a stellar start to his IPL career a few seasons back, but unfortunately fizzled out. He landed a stint with LSG last season, but he failed to avail a single appearance despite the franchise having an injury crisis to their pace bowling unit.

After a dip following his rapid rise, Rajvardhan Hangargekar made a comeback through the domestic circuit, with a solid campaign for Maharashtra in the 2025-26 SMAT. He picked 11 wickets in seven matches at an average of 17.90 and an economy of 7.38 to end as the team's leading wicket-taker.