Ashwin says forget Samson — Mitchell Owen IPL 2026 hype is real, and teams could break the bank.
Sanju Samson might be making headlines with his trade drama, but Ravichandran Ashwin believes it’s Mitchell Owen IPL 2026 fans should really be talking about — and he’s not alone.
In a recent episode of his Hindi YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin downplayed the idea of an Indian star being the highest earner in the upcoming IPL mini auction. Instead, he pointed the spotlight squarely at two Australian all-rounders: Mitchell Owen and Cameron Green.
“This will be a mini auction where you’ll find it tough to get Indian players,” Ashwin said. “Maybe only new players will come. The costly picks will be overseas players.”
Mitchell Owen, who quietly came in as a replacement for Glenn Maxwell at the tail end of IPL 2025, played just one match for Punjab Kings — but apparently, that was enough. The 24-year-old Tasmanian is now being pegged by insiders, including Ashwin, as a breakout star who could command a premium price in the IPL 2026 auction.
“You’ve got Mitchell Owen, who was a replacement player for three games for Punjab Kings. Then you’ve got someone like Cameron Green coming into the auction. They’ll go at a big price because they are foreign all-rounders,” Ashwin noted.
Green, who missed IPL 2025 due to injury, will also return to the auction pool. With his established credentials and all-round skills, he’s expected to trigger intense interest across franchises. But Ashwin’s callout of Owen — a lesser-known name — is what’s catching attention.
“The mini-auction will be a game of ₹25–30 crore for all teams,” he added, underlining the stakes.
If Ashwin’s predictions are on point, Mitchell Owen IPL 2026 might just be the sleeper story of the auction — and maybe the steal of the season.