Yes, unsold players can still play in the IPL. A player may find a buyer when his name returns later in the auction, or join a franchise afterwards as an approved replacement. These are separate routes, with different conditions. Here is how they work, who is eligible and what recent examples show.
Two ways an unsold player can get another chance
A team buys him later in the same auction
An early unsold result does not always mean a player’s auction is over. If his name returns for bidding, a franchise can still buy him.
At the IPL 2026 auction, Prithvi Shaw went unsold twice before Delhi Capitals bought him for ₹75 lakh. He finished the auction as a purchased player, so this was not a replacement signing.
A team signs him after the auction
A player who remains without a team can be considered later when a franchise needs an eligible replacement. The signing requires BCCI approval and must follow the applicable player regulations. Going unsold creates a possible second chance, not a guaranteed contract.
Who is eligible for an IPL replacement contract?
The key requirement is inclusion in that season’s Registered Available Player Pool, known as RAPP. Cricbuzz’s reporting on the 2026 pool describes it as covering auction registrants who were not bought and had not withdrawn from the process.
| Player’s position | Can he become a replacement? |
|---|---|
| Went unsold and is on RAPP | Can be considered, subject to approval and other rules. |
| Registered but missed the final auction shortlist | Check RAPP membership. The shortlist alone does not decide eligibility. |
| Did not register for that season’s auction | Not eligible through the ordinary RAPP route. |
| Withdrew from the auction process | Excluded under the reported RAPP criteria. |
| Is training as a net bowler | Training alone does not create eligibility. |
Can a net bowler join a different IPL team?
Yes. Under the reported RAPP rules, a franchise employing an eligible net bowler has no first claim over his replacement signing. If he agrees to join another franchise as a replacement, his net-bowling team must release him.
When can a franchise replace a player?
The BCCI provisions reported by Cricbuzz allow replacements for complete season unavailability, including approved injury, illness or international-duty cases. Poor form alone is not a qualifying reason to remove someone and recruit an outsider.
For a player injured during the season, the reported framework requires the injury or illness to occur during or before his team’s 12th league match. A BCCI-nominated doctor must confirm that it ends his season, including the playoffs. He must also have otherwise been available for the remaining matches and now miss the remaining league games.
This refers to the team’s 12th league match, not match number 12 of the tournament. Once replaced under this provision, the injured player cannot return for that franchise in the same season.
One replacement is allowed per unavailable player. BCCI permission and squad-composition rules still apply.
There is also a narrow wicketkeeper exception: if every specialist wicketkeeper in a squad is unavailable for a match, the franchise can request BCCI permission for a short-term replacement.
How much can a replacement player earn?
The reported rules set a floor and a ceiling for the full-season league fee. It cannot be below the replacement player’s RAPP reserve price or above the fee payable to the unavailable player.
For example, assume the unavailable player’s league fee is ₹2 crore and the replacement’s reserve price is ₹50 lakh. The permitted full-season fee would fall between ₹50 lakh and ₹2 crore. This is an illustration, not a reported contract.
A mid-season recruit’s actual payment is adjusted for matches before his registration and other contractual deductions. The headline signing amount should therefore not automatically be treated as the amount he actually receives for the season.
Players who joined the IPL after going unsold
Spencer Johnson: Chennai Super Kings, 2026
Spencer Johnson remained unsold at the IPL 2026 auction. On 24 March 2026, the IPL announced that Chennai Super Kings had signed him for ₹1.5 crore to replace the injured Nathan Ellis.
His case shows the difference from Shaw’s auction recall. Johnson’s opportunity came through a later vacancy, with the replacement confirmed in an IPL announcement.
Sandeep Sharma: Rajasthan Royals, 2023
Sandeep Sharma went unsold at the IPL 2023 auction. Rajasthan Royals subsequently signed him to replace the injured Prasidh Krishna. The IPL’s announcement on 27 March 2023 confirmed a ₹50 lakh deal.
That opportunity became a longer association. Rajasthan later retained Sandeep for IPL 2025 at ₹4 crore, illustrating that arriving as a replacement need not limit a player’s stay to one season.
Can a team retain a replacement player?
Yes, where the contract and applicable regulations permit an extension. Under the reported framework, the replacement fee is excluded from that season’s salary-cap calculation. If the contract continues into a subsequent season, the fee counts towards that season’s cap.
However, special arrangements can carry different conditions. During the rescheduled final portion of IPL 2025, the BCCI allowed temporary replacements under a revised policy. Players signed through that special arrangement could not be retained for IPL 2026.
That restriction did not apply to every replacement signing that season. The BCCI communication reported by Cricbuzz distinguished those temporary recruits from replacements approved before the suspension, who remained eligible for retention.
What should fans check after an unsold auction result?
First, check whether the auction has actually finished. Shaw’s example shows why an early unsold headline can become outdated before bidding ends.
After the auction, look for an official replacement announcement rather than treating training photographs or reports of team interest as confirmation. The player’s pool eligibility, the reason for the vacancy and BCCI approval all matter.
This guide draws on reported provisions from the 2025 to 2027 player-regulation cycle and the 2026 RAPP process. Any new season-specific BCCI directions take precedence.
