England fast bowler Gus Atkinson went unsold at the IPL 2026 mini-auction, becoming the first player of the second set to find no takers. Atkinson had entered the auction with a base price of Rs 2 crore, but franchises chose to pass without placing a bid.
Atkinson is yet to make his IPL debut despite being part of the league’s auction pool in previous seasons. He was picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL 2024 auction for his base price of Rs 1 crore, but later withdrew from the tournament after discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board to manage his international workload following a busy winter season. KKR subsequently replaced him with Sri Lankan pacer Dushmantha Chameera.
The right-arm quick was again available at the IPL 2025 mega auction, where he failed to attract any bids. The pattern continued at the IPL 2026 auction, with teams opting to look elsewhere despite Atkinson being viewed as a promising fast-bowling option in white-ball cricket.
While Atkinson remains without an IPL appearance so far, he continues to be part of England’s fast-bowling setup and could still emerge as a replacement option later in the season if franchises face injuries. For now, the England pacer’s wait for an IPL debut goes on after another unsold outing at the auction.
