Chennai Super Kings have created history. They have signed Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma for the price of 14.2 crores each, making them the joint highest paid uncapped players in the IPL history.
The five times champions headed into the auction with a different approach. Having released 9 players, everyone knew that big changes were coming, but none could have expected them to do something like this, and buy two young players for 28.4 crore rupees.
Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma become highest paid uncapped players
Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma emerged as the biggest talking points of the IPL auction 2025 after Chennai Super Kings spent ₹14.2 crore each to secure the two uncapped youngsters, making them the most expensive buys of the auction.
The identical price tags also pushed both players to the top of the all-time list of highest-paid uncapped players in IPL history, underlining the premium franchises are now willing to pay for young Indian talent.
Their deals comfortably surpassed the previous benchmark held by Avesh Khan, who had become the costliest uncapped player after earning a ₹10 crore contract in an earlier auction. The record-breaking bids for Veer and Sharma marked a clear shift in auction dynamics, with teams prioritising long-term potential alongside immediate impact.
Veer and Sharma’s performance in Domestic cricket
Both the player’s eye-watering price tags at the IPL 2026 auction were backed by strong recent domestic performances that made franchises overlook CSK’s usual preference for seasoned players.
Prashant Veer, a 20-year-old left-arm orthodox spin-bowling all-rounder, impressed in the UP T20 League and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he scored 112 runs in nine T20 innings at a strike rate above 167 and picked up 12 wickets at an economy of around 6.45 — numbers that highlighted his dual-skill potential in the shortest format.
Kartik Sharma, a 19-year-old right-handed wicketkeeper-batter from Rajasthan, brought power to the middle order, amassing 334 runs in 12 T20 games at a strike rate of about 164 with 28 sixes, and also notching a century on his Ranji Trophy debut.
Their ability to influence matches with bat and ball made them extremely attractive to bidders, prompting CSK to break its traditional mould of backing experience by investing heavily in these uncapped talents.
What does the future holds for CSK?
With the acquisition of these two players, CSK will be hoping to fill the void left by Ravindra Jadeja among other players. Veer will be a great replacement for the Indian stalwart, while Kartik can really be an investment for the future, considering he is a good keeper-batter.
