3 Indian all-rounders who should be bought back at a cheaper price at the IPL 2026 auction ft. Shivam Dube

The impact player rule has, to an extent, changed the way all-rounders are viewed in the Indian Premier League (IPL). While the world-class names like Sunil Narine, Hardik Pandya and Andre Russell have still made an impact, bits-and-pieces cricketers haven't been as involved as they once were.

Teams are still adapting to that change. Conditions and rules in the IPL don't seem set to be modified anytime soon, and we could see a few all-rounders - who don't offer much in one or more departments - offloaded. At the same time, however, they shouldn't be overlooked altogether and could be signed at reasonable prices.

On that note, here are three Indian all-rounders who should be bought back at a cheaper price at the IPL 2026 auction.

---

#3 Shivam Dube

2025 IPL - Chennai Super Kings v Rajasthan Royals - Source: Getty

Retained for ₹12 crore, Shivam Dube had a hugely disappointing season for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In 14 matches, the left-hander managed just 357 runs at a strike rate of 132.2, with only one half-century.

Dube's stock has fallen sharply in recent times. His spin-hitting prowess has dwindled, and he hasn't been able to entirely fix his technical issues against pace. The all-rounder doesn't offer much with the ball, having bowled only three overs in the last three IPL seasons, and is a liability on the field as well.

CSK almost never release a player and try to buy him back at a cheaper price, but they finished dead last and desperately need to make some bold decisions. To sign their frontline targets, their purse will need to be beefed up, and Dube's release could support that.

---

#2 Shahbaz Ahmed

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured the signing of Shahbaz Ahmed for ₹2.4 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. However, the left-arm spinner, who had featured in 42 games over his last three campaigns, made just three appearances for the Super Giants.

Shahbaz's IPL numbers don't make for pretty reading. His batting strike rate is 121.65, and has never been more than 130 in a single campaign. His bowling economy rate is 9.58, and hasn't been below 9.5 since 2021. While a decent backup on paper, the all-rounder simply hasn't delivered the goods.

LSG need every crore they can get to build a solid squad, and signing Shahbaz at something close to his base price would be the right way forward.

---

#1 Deepak Chahar

2025 IPL - Mumbai Indians v Delhi Capitals - Source: Getty

Deepak Chahar has never been far away from a big payday in the IPL auction, even if his performances have been substandard for a while now. In 2025, the Mumbai Indians (MI) acquired him for ₹9.25 crore, viewing him as a pace-bowling all-rounder who can chip in lower down the order and take early wickets in the powerplay.

However, a familiar pattern ensured. Chahar scalped only 11 wickets in 14 matches at an economy rate of 9.17, with his injury woes resurfacing towards the business end of the season. The former CSK man offered nothing outside the powerplay, or even in the second half of the powerplay for that matter.

Despite that, though, Chahar is a tempting option for most teams. Keeping him on the books would be understandable, but not for his current price. MI are known to be ruthless with these decisions and could opt to re-sign him at the IPL 2026 auction.