SMAT 2025/26: Indian Players Under Pressure Before IPL 2026 Auction
With the Ranji Trophy’s first leg complete, domestic cricket in India now shifts to white-ball cricket. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025/26 (SMAT) begins on November 26, giving several Indian players a crucial chance to revive form with the IPL 2026 auction on December 16 and the T20 World Cup also approaching.
Here are 3 Indian players who will look to make a strong impression in the domestic T20 tournament to secure deals for IPL 2026.
1. Prithvi Shaw
Prithvi Shaw enters the tournament with renewed motivation. After losing his place in the Mumbai side and going unsold at the IPL 2025 auction, Shaw moved to Maharashtra for a fresh start and to prove a point. The shift has worked well so far. He has scored 470 runs in 7 innings at a strike rate of 92.33 in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season.
With Ruturaj Gaikwad expected to join India’s ODI squad, Shaw is also in line to lead Maharashtra in SMAT 2025/26. He has played 79 IPL matches and 117 T20 games overall and remains a natural powerplay aggressor. Delhi, the only IPL franchise he has represented, struggled for an opening combination last season. Once considered a prodigy, Shaw will be eager to make a strong statement to teams and rebuild his T20 value in the IPL 2026 auction.
2. Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer was one of the biggest stories of the IPL 2025 auction after he secured a ₹23.75 crore deal at Kolkata Knight Riders. But a poor season followed, leading to his release ahead of IPL 2026. It was obvious that the franchise wanted to boost their purse at the IPL auction and hence his release. In IPL 2025, he managed to score only 142 runs in 7 innings, with one half-century and did not bowl because of the Impact Player rule.
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, that limitation does not apply. Iyer will get his full all-rounder role back for Madhya Pradesh, likely opening the batting and bowling key overs. For one of India’s pace-bowling allrounders, which is already a rare breed, this tournament is his chance to remind IPL teams why he once commanded such a high bid.
3. Akash Deep
Akash Deep was signed by Lucknow Super Giants for ₹8.25 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. But that season, he never got going. Family reasons kept him out early and then a niggle followed. When he finally played, he looked rusty and went for 12.8 runs per over, picking only 3 wickets in 6 games.
LSG have now released him ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Still, Akash Deep remains a promising fast bowler. His rise from RCB net bowler to India’s Test squad shows his potential. He has already played 10 Test matches for India. And, Indian pacers often attract strong bids because of their value in T20 team balance.
A strong SMAT campaign with Bengal could put him back on the radar of several franchises looking for a reliable Indian fast bowler, as options will anyway be limited in the IPL 2026 mini auction.
Here’s the full list of players retained and released by franchises ahead of IPL 2026.