Inglis declares availability for only four matches ahead of IPL Auction

Of the 1,355 players who have registered for the IPL auction, five have informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of restricted availability for IPL 2026. Ashton Agar (65 per cent) and William Sutherland (80 per cent) of Australia, Adam Milne of New Zealand (95 per cent), and Rilee Rossouw of South Africa (20 per cent) have indicated the extent of their likely participation in the season.

Josh Inglis of Australia is the fifth player with limited time. The 30-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, currently part of the ongoing Ashes Test at the Gabba, has informed the BCCI that he would feature in only 25 per cent of IPL 2026. In effect, he has conveyed to the franchises through the Board that he can take part in no more than four matches. Inglis has given himself a base price of Rs INR 2 crore.

Inglis (30) had a modest season for Punjab Kings last IPL, scoring 278 runs in 11 games. He was particularly impressive in the team's final league fixture, producing a superb 73 off 42 balls against Mumbai Indians to help his side secure a top-two finish. In the subsequent Qualifier 2, he took on an otherwise unplayable Jasprit Bumrah, smashing him for 20 runs in one over to seal Punjab Kings' berth in the final.

Releasing Inglis, it is learnt, was an afterthought for Punjab Kings who, under Ricky Ponting as coach, contemplated retaining him. Eventually they decided to let him go on the final day of the retention deadline (November 15), after the player informed the franchise that the IPL schedule could clash with his wedding plans. Should any side pick him at the auction, he could be available for only a couple of weeks.

Like Inglis, Agar too has a base price of INR 2 crore, but he has never featured in the IPL - much like Sutherland, whose reserve price is INR 1 crore. Milne (33) of New Zealand has played in the IPL previously, but not in the last three seasons, during which he went unsold. His base price is also INR 2 crore.

Rossouw (36) of South Africa has appeared only intermittently since making his IPL debut in 2014, playing 22 games in all across four seasons. With chances of him being present for only three to four matches, his prospects of being picked at the auction are virtually nil. The auction is in Abu Dhabi on December 16.