Why the IPL 2026 mega-auction changed how franchises build squads

The retention rules quietly rewrote a decade of team-building logic.

Arjun Menon18 June 20261 min read

The 2026 mega-auction was not only about the headline bids.

Beneath the noise a structural shift was under way: franchises now treat uncapped Indian talent as the real currency.

Cricket and football writer based in Chennai.