India, Dec. 16 -- The IPL 2026 auction on Tuesday delivered one of its most dramatic moments as Kartik Sharma became one of the day's most sought-after young talents.

The bidding war for Sharma was intense, with multiple franchises including Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Kolkata Knight Riders competing aggressively to secure the promising right-hander.

Starting at a base price of Rs.50 lakh, the price escalated rapidly as each team recognized his potential to strengthen both batting and wicket-keeping units. After several minutes of back-and-forth bidding, Chennai Super Kings clinched him for a whooping Rs.14.20 crore, making him the 2nd most expensive uncapped player after Prashant Veer.

The Chennai Super Kings are ...