The first-ever player auction for The Hundred men’s competition was held at Piccadilly Lights, marking a major milestone for the short-format cricket tournament. Several domestic and international players went under the hammer as franchises built their squads for the 2026 season. Young English cricketer James Coles emerged as the most expensive player of the auction after being picked by London Spirit for £390,000 (approximately ₹4.81 crore).
Another notable buy saw last season’s Most Valuable Player Jordan Cox signed by Welsh Fire for £300,000 (around ₹3.69 crore). The auction also featured several high-profile international players, with David Miller becoming the first overseas cricketer to be sold during the event. The South African batter was picked by Southern Brave for £110,000.
South Africa’s T20 captain Aiden Markram was another major signing, joining Manchester Super Giants for £200,000. The auction highlighted the growing prominence of young English talent alongside established international stars. Several uncapped players attracted strong bidding interest as franchises looked to strengthen their squads ahead of the new season.
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Southern Brave assembled a lineup featuring players such as Jamie Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Tristan Stubbs, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid and David Miller. Trent Rockets secured names including Tim David, Ben Duckett, Mitchell Santner, Tom Banton and Sam Billings. Meanwhile, MI London built a star-studded squad featuring Rashid Khan, Sam Curran, Nicholas Pooran and Trent Boult.
London Spirit added major names including Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone and Adam Zampa. Welsh Fire secured players such as Joe Root, Marco Jansen and Rachin Ravindra. Birmingham Phoenix, Sunrisers Leeds and Manchester Super Giants also completed competitive squads featuring a blend of domestic prospects and international stars including Mitchell Marsh, Harry Brook and Jos Buttler.
The 2026 season of The Hundred is expected to feature strong competition among the eight franchises after the auction reshaped team rosters. With emerging English players attracting record bids and global stars joining the tournament, organisers hope the revamped squads will boost fan engagement and further strengthen the league’s position in the international cricket calendar.
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