There’s something seriously off about this year’s IPL mini-auction list - and fans aren’t imagining it. One name that instantly raised eyebrows was Nikhil Chaudhary. Many of you already know him: Indian-born, now based in Australia, and even a regular in the Big Bash League. Yet somehow, he appeared in the auction list as an uncapped Indian player. His state association was also recorded as the Punjab Cricket Association.
Who is Nikhil Chaudhary?
On paper, the explanation looked simple - Chaudhary made his List A and T20 debut for Punjab back in 2017, before moving abroad. Since he hasn’t represented any country at the international level, he continues to qualify as an Indian player under IPL regulations.
Fair enough, until you remember one thing: The BCCI doesn't allow any Indian cricketer, capped or uncapped, to play in foreign leagues. And Chaudhary is actively playing for Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL.
So fans had a very valid question: If BCCI doesn’t permit Indians to play overseas leagues, how is he eligible to be listed as an Indian in the IPL auction?
But the confusion didn’t end there. English cricketer Miles Hammond was also mysteriously listed as an Indian player. Only after several fans pointed it out did the BCCI quietly update their nationalities in the auction document.
In an updated version, the IPL governing council changed Nikhil's country of residence to Australia, which means Nikhil will turn up in IPL 2026 as an overseas cricketer, if any franchise bids for the 29-year-old.
Now the real puzzle begins: Were these just sloppy clerical errors in the auction list? Because for an organisation as meticulous and as powerful as the BCCI, such mistakes don’t just “slip through”. Not in an official auction list that franchises study line-by-line.
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