The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025 is set to begin on November 26, just few weeks before the IPL 2026 Auction. With the auction coming up soon, SMAT will be a key tournament for players to showcase their talent. In the previous season, Mumbai defeated Madhya Pradesh in the final.
A total of 38 teams will participate this year. Six teams will compete in the Plate League. The remaining 32 teams will be split into four groups for the Elite League.
This tournament will feature many players who are strong contenders for IPL 2026 auction bids. So, let’s look at 10 SMAT players who multiple franchises could be interested in at the IPL 2026 Auction.
Prithvi Shaw, who will be representing Maharashtra, is expected to be one of the players teams will be interested in bidding for at the IPL 2026 auction. He will be captaining the side since Ruturaj Gaikwad will not be available due to international duty.
Shaw has been in good form in the Ranji Trophy, scoring three half centuries and a double century in five matches so far. He went unsold in the IPL 2025 auction. Overall, he has played 79 IPL matches and scored 1892 runs.
Chennai Super Kings released Shaik Rasheed ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. He played five matches last season and scored only 71 runs. But after that, in domestic cricket, he performed well.
In the Andhra Premier League, he scored 251 runs in just five innings at an average of 62.75. In the Ranji Trophy this season, he has also hit two fifties and two centuries in five matches so far. Rasheed will be representing Hyderabad in the SMAT. With his recent form, he might attract bids in the auction.
Ravi Bishnoi will be playing for Gujarat in the SMAT 2026. He had two disappointing seasons in a row, and his economy rate of 10.83 in IPL 2025 made things difficult for him as he could only pick nine wickets in 11 matches. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) decided to release him and free up money before the IPL 2026 auction. He has taken 72 wickets in 77 matches.
There is still a good chance that other teams will be interested in Bishnoi, and he might get good bids at the IPL 2026 auction.
Rajasthan Royals released Akash Madhwal ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The pacer will be representing Uttarakhand in SMAT. In the IPL 2025 season, he played four matches and picked up four wickets. Even though he got limited opportunities, he still has the potential to perform well.
So far, Madhwal has taken 23 wickets in 17 IPL matches. In the auction, teams looking for a reliable domestic pacer will likely keep an eye on him.
Kuldeep Sen was released by Punjab Kings ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. He will be representing Madhya Pradesh in the SMAT. In the 2025 IPL season, he did not play any match. Kuldeep Sen brings raw pace, height, which makes him useful in the middle and also at the death overs.
He could still be a good pick for the upcoming season because he has performed well whenever he has played. Kuldeep has taken 14 wickets in 12 IPL matches so far.
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Abhishek Pathak could be one of the underrated names in the IPL 2026 auction. He was the second-highest scorer in the MP T20 League 2025, scoring 266 runs in six matches at an average of 44.33 and a strong strike rate of 246.30. He is a powerful hitter who likes to hit more sixes than fours.
Abhishek will be representing Madhya Pradesh in SMAT 2026. Teams looking for a top-order batter in the auction can consider him as a solid backup option.
Arpit Rana was the leading run scorer in DPL 2025. He scored 495 runs in 10 innings at an average of 55.00 and a strike rate of 146.88. He will also be part of SMAT 2026 as he is in Delhi’s squad.
The 22-year-old could attract a lot of attention in the IPL 2026 auction.
Shivam Shukla, who was bought by KKR as a temporary replacement for Rovman Powell in IPL 2025, had to be released because teams are not allowed to retain temporary replacement players. In the MP T20 League 2025, he played seven matches and picked up 11 wickets.
During the tournament, he also revealed that he had been part of five different camps throughout the season. This means there is a good chance that when his name comes up in the auction, several teams might show interest in him. In the SMAT, he will be representing Madhya Pradesh.
Tushar Raheja was the top run scorer in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2025. He played for IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans and scored 488 runs in five matches with an average of 61.00 and a strike rate of 185.55.
The 24-year-old has hit five fifties this season and performed really well, so IPL teams might consider him as a top-order option in the upcoming auction. In the SMAT, he will be representing Tamil Nadu.
Sonu Yadav, who represented Nellai Royal Kings in TNPL 2025, finished the season as the leading wicket taker with 16 wickets in seven matches.
Since it is a mini auction, there won’t be many domestic pacers available, but this could be an opportunity for bowlers like Sonu Yadav to get a bid, as teams may look for backup options as well. Along with Tushar, he has also been selected in the Tamil Nadu squad.
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