The “The hundred auction” for the 2026 season has officially concluded, marking a historic moment for England’s innovative 100-ball cricket league. For the first time since the tournament began, teams acquired players through an open auction rather than the traditional draft system. The new format brought intense bidding wars, major signings, and several surprises as franchises built their squads for the upcoming season.
Eight franchises participated in the landmark auction, aggressively bidding to strengthen their lineups. Teams involved included **Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Manchester Super Giants, Northern Superchargers (referred to as Sunrisers Leeds in some discussions), MI London, Southern Brave, Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire.
With several international stars and promising young talents entering the bidding pool, the auction quickly became one of the most talked-about cricket events ahead of the 2026 season.
James Coles Becomes the Most Expensive Player
One of the biggest highlights of The hundred auction was the rise of 21-year-old all-rounder James Coles, who emerged as the most expensive player of the event. The young English talent attracted massive interest from multiple franchises before eventually securing the top price of the auction.
His ability to contribute with both bat and ball made him one of the most sought-after players. Experts believe Coles’ inclusion could play a crucial role for his team in the fast-paced Hundred format.
Another early moment of the auction came when Joe Root became the first player to receive a bid. The experienced England batter was picked up by Welsh Fire, giving the team a major boost in the batting department.
David Miller Becomes First Overseas Signing
South African star David Miller became the first overseas player to be sold during The hundred auction. He was signed by Southern Brave for £110,000, strengthening their middle-order firepower.
Another notable international signing involved South Africa’s T20I captain Aiden Markram, who joined Manchester Super Giants. Markram is already familiar with the franchise ecosystem, having played for similar ownership groups in the Indian Premier League and the SA20.
The Hundred Auction 2026: Full Squad List
Below is a detailed look at all eight teams and their confirmed squads following The hundred auction.
Southern Brave – Full Squad
| Retained / Direct Signings | Players Bought in Auction |
|---|---|
| Jamie Smith | Chris Jordan |
| Marcus Stoinis | Adil Rashid |
| Tristan Stubbs | David Miller |
| Jofra Archer | Luke Wood |
| Ben McKinney | |
| Thomas Rew | |
| Michael Pepper | |
| Tom Abell | |
| Dan Worrall | |
| Caleb Falckner | |
| Nikhil Chaudhary |
Southern Brave retained a strong core including Jofra Archer while strengthening their bowling and batting depth through the auction.
Trent Rockets – Full Squad
| Retained / Direct Signings | Players Bought in Auction |
|---|---|
| Tim David | Finn Allen |
| Ben Duckett | Lewis Gregory |
| Mitchell Santner | Craig Overton |
| Tom Banton | David Payne |
| Dan Mousley | |
| Matt Henry | |
| Sam Billings | |
| Aneurin Donald | |
| Ben Mace | |
| Danny Briggs | |
| Lewis Kimber | |
| Brad Currie |
Trent Rockets added several all-rounders and bowlers to complement their retained batting core.
MI London – Full Squad
| Retained / Direct Signings | Players Bought in Auction |
|---|---|
| Will Jacks | Trent Boult |
| Rashid Khan | Tom Curran |
| Sam Curran | Nathan Sowter |
| Nicholas Pooran | James Vince |
| Sherfane Rutherford | |
| Richard Gleeson | |
| Ollie Pope | |
| Ollie Stone | |
| Ollie Sykes | |
| Callum Parkinson | |
| Jason Roy |
MI London built one of the most balanced squads of The hundred auction, mixing global stars with proven English players.
London Spirit – Full Squad
| Retained / Direct Signings | Players Bought in Auction |
|---|---|
| Dewald Brevis | Jonny Bairstow |
| Liam Livingstone | Lhuan-dre Pretorius |
| Adam Zampa | James Coles |
| Jamie Overton | Mason Crane |
| Adam Milne | |
| David Willey | |
| Adam Hose | |
| Tymal Mills | |
| James Rew | |
| Matt Fisher |
London Spirit secured the biggest signing of the auction in James Coles and added explosive players like Jonny Bairstow.
Welsh Fire – Full Squad
| Retained / Direct Signings | Players Bought in Auction |
|---|---|
| Marco Jansen | Jordan Cox |
| Phil Salt | Tom Kohler-Cadmore |
| Rachin Ravindra | Joe Root |
| Chris Woakes | Ben Kellaway |
| Lockie Ferguson | |
| Asa Tribe | |
| Tom Aspinwall | |
| Matt Short | |
| Sam Cook | |
| Zafar Chohan |
Welsh Fire strengthened their squad significantly with international stars and promising domestic players.
Birmingham Phoenix – Full Squad
| Retained / Direct Signings | Players Bought in Auction |
|---|---|
| Rehan Ahmed | Joe Clarke |
| Donovan Ferreira | Saqib Mahmood |
| Mitchell Owen | Usman Tariq |
| Jacob Bethell | Will Smeed |
| Jordan Thompson | |
| Scott Currie | |
| Laurie Evans | |
| Chris Wood | |
| Ethan Brookes | |
| Mustafizur Rahman |
The inclusion of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman adds international bowling experience to Birmingham Phoenix.
Sunrisers Leeds – Full Squad
| Retained / Direct Signings | Players Bought in Auction |
|---|---|
| Nathan Ellis | Abrar Ahmed |
| Mitchell Marsh | Benny Howell |
| Harry Brook | Daniel Lawrence |
| Brydon Carse | Tom Lodge |
| Matthew Potts | |
| Tom Alsop | |
| Zak Crawley | |
| Ryan Rickelton | |
| Liam Patterson-White | |
| Ed Barnard | |
| Reece Topley |
This team focused heavily on strengthening its bowling resources in The hundred auction.
Manchester Super Giants – Full Squad
| Retained / Direct Signings | Players Bought in Auction |
|---|---|
| Noor Ahmad | Gus Atkinson |
| Jos Buttler | Sonny Baker |
| Heinrich Klaasen | Leus du Plooy |
| Liam Dawson | Tom Hartley |
| Aiden Markram | |
| Josh Tongue | |
| Tim Seifert | |
| Tom Moores | |
| Max Holden | |
| Tawanda Muyeye | |
| George Scrimshaw | |
| Paul Walter |
Manchester Super Giants added international quality to their already strong core led by Jos Buttler.
Also Read: The Hundred 2026 Auction Sparks Debate as World No.1 Bowler Sadia Iqbal Goes Unsold
A New Era for The Hundred
The introduction of an open auction has completely transformed the player acquisition process in The hundred auction for 2026. Unlike previous seasons that relied on a draft system, the auction format allowed franchises to compete directly for players, creating greater excitement and strategic planning.
The new system also gave young talents the opportunity to attract major bids while allowing teams to shape their squads according to their tactical needs.
With star players, emerging youngsters, and global T20 specialists now confirmed in the squads, the upcoming season of The Hundred promises to be one of the most competitive editions yet.
As teams finalize preparations and fans eagerly await the tournament, one thing is certain: the drama and intensity of The hundred auction has set the stage for a thrilling 2026 season.