The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction will be held on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, with 350 players set to go under the hammer.

As teams look to fill the gaps in their squads at the mini auction, they could also look to groom a budding talent for the future. The meteoric rise of Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who was picked up for Rs. 1.1 crore by Rajasthan Royals at the age of 13 and smashed the second-fastest IPL century in the 2025 season, underlines the importance of identifying talent early and giving it a conducive and competitive environment to blossom.

Here are the top five youngest players at the IPL 2026 Auction:

Wahidullah Zadran (Afghanistan) – 18 years & 31 days

At 18 years and 31 days, Wahidullah Zadran will be the youngest player at this year’s IPL auction. The off-spinner has an impressive T20 record, which includes 28 wickets in 19 matches at a miserly economy rate of 6.72. Wahidullah has also impressed in Youth ODIs and was the Afghanistan Under-19 team’s top wicket-taker, with 11 wickets in just four matches, on the tour of Bangladesh earlier this year. He is currently plying his trade at the U-19 Asia Cup in Dubai and has played two matches in the ILT20 for Gulf Giants.

Sahil Parakh (India) – 18 years & 192 days

A left-handed aggressive opener, Sahil Parakh recently made his senior cricket debut for Maharashtra in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Though he couldn’t make an impression with scores of 18 and 6, Parakh turned heads during the Maharashtra Premier League earlier this year. He scored 202 runs in eight matches at a blistering strike rate of 177.19 and helped Eagle Nashik Titans lift the title. He also has a hundred at the Under-19 level against Australia—an unbeaten 75-ball 109 while opening the batting for India Under-19.

R.S. Ambrish (India) – 18 years & 202 days

A handy all-rounder from Tamil Nadu, R.S. Ambrish made his senior debut in October this year during the Ranji Trophy. In the two First-Class matches he has played during India’s premier domestic tournament, Ambrish scored 43 runs, with a highest of 28, and picked two wickets. Ambrish, a pace-bowling all-rounder, is a rare commodity in Indian cricket and can be a dynamic option for IPL franchises. The left-hander can bat in the top and middle order, while also providing a reliable pace option who can consistently bowl back-of-a-length deliveries. At the Under-19 level, Ambrish has played eight Youth ODIs, scoring 125 runs at an average of 31.25, while also picking 10 wickets. In Youth Tests, he has a batting average of 29 and six wickets in three matches.

Bayanda Majola (South Africa) – 18 years & 342 days

South African fast bowler Bayanda Majola has an impressive record at the Under-19 level, with 14 wickets in just seven matches at an economy rate of 4.45. He made his senior debut earlier this year for South Africa Emerging Players at the CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge Divison Two tournament, and picked two for 56 in 10 overs. Though he is yet to make his senior-level debut in T20 cricket, Majola was signed by SA20 franchise Pretoria Capitals and has been named in South Africa’s squad for the Under-19 World Cup next year.

Vihaan Malhotra (India) – 18 years & 349 days

A left-handed top-order batter, Vihaan Malhotra hails from Patiala in Punjab, and quite naturally idolises India Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill. Malhotra had a prolific tour of England earlier this year, where he scored 243 runs in five Youth ODIs to emerge as the third-highest run-getter in the series. In the two Youth Tests on the same tour, he scored 277 runs in four innings and was the second most prolific batter in the series. Though he is yet to make his senior debut, Malhotra has been named captain Ayush Mhatre’s deputy for India’s ongoing campaign at the Under-19 Asia Cup in Dubai.

FILE PHOTO: India’s Vihaan Malhotra in action during a Youth Test against Australia U-19 at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai.
| Photo Credit:
R. Ragu

Published on Dec 14, 2025