The exhaustive list of 350 players, who will go under the hammer in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction on 16th December at the Etihad Arena, was made public by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (December 9), with the inclusion of Nikhil Chaudhary raising eyebrows.
The Delhi-born cricketer is aiming for a maiden IPL deal, was included in Set 35 of uncapped players with a base price of Rs. 40 Lakhs. However, the thing that has caught the attention of many is that he is listed as an uncapped Indian player with the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) listed as his state association.
The move has opened up a Pandora’s box as Nikhil also plays Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) as an Australian player and not under any overseas quota. This essentially means that the 29-year-old will be playing as a local player in both the BBL and IPL.
Indian Players Banned From Playing Overseas T20 Leagues
The move particularly comes under the scanner as Indian players are banned by the BCCI from playing in overseas T20 leagues. After Nikhil featured in the BBL, he was ineligible to play for either the India national team or any state team in the country in domestic cricket. Hence, his inclusion as an Indian player and not an overseas one in the IPL auction is one that comes as a surprise.
It is worth noting that even players like Unmukt Chand, who have played in the IPL as local Indian players in the past, now have to register themselves as overseas players in the auction post their move to the USA.
Why Is Nikhil Chaudary Listed As An Indian Player?
A clarification from the BCCI and IPL’s governing council is awaited on the issue, but it is worth pointing out that Nikhil still holds an Indian passport and is only an Australian resident, which could be a reason. However, even in that case, the above-mentioned issues do remain.
Can It Be a Glitch?
A glitch cannot be ruled out, as in set number 30, uncapped England all-rounder Miles Hammond is also listed as an Indian player. However, in his case, there is no mention of any state association (which is the case of every overseas player), but that is not the case in Nikhil’s case, where PCA are mentioned in the section. Every Indian player that is part of the auction has their state mentioned in the list.
Who Is Nikhil Chaudhary?
It is worth noting that Nikhil was not just born in India; he was part of the cricketing ecosystem in the country. The all-rounder played for Punjab at the age-group level (U-16, U-19, and U-23). In fact, he made his List A and T20 debut for Punjab in 2017 under Harbhajan Singh’s captaincy.
Nikhil featured in two List A and 12 T20 games for Punjab. He was included in Punjab’s Ranji Trophy team but never got a chance to make his first-class debut. Hence, PCA being listed as Nikhil’s state association is accurate in the IPL auction liset
After struggling to break through his state team, Nikhil went to Australia during COVID with his parents and decided to stay back even after the restrictions were lifted and pursued a career over there.
He earned a contract with the Hobert Hurricanes in 2023 and became only the second Indian-born cricketer to play in the BBL after Unmukt.
In October this year, he finally made his first-class debut for Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield. He has played five games in Australia’s premier first-class competition this season and even scored his maiden ton last month.
Nikhil’s former teammates at Punjab have praised him on social media. After his ton against New South Wales, star Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh called for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to buy him in the auction.
Nikhil is known for his hard-hitting batting ability and ability to bowl some handy leg-spin. The all-round ability makes him the ideal T20 player and as he is not an overseas player, he has high chances of getting a bid and playing the IPL for the first time.