Kartik Sharma: I couldn’t stop crying even when bidding ended

Overwhelmed with emotion, 19-year-old Kartik Sharma was left in tears after five-time champions Chennai Super Kings secured him for a record Rs14.20 crore at the IPL 2026 mini auction, making him the joint-highest paid uncapped player in the league’s history. Coming into the auction at a base price of Rs30 lakh, Kartik and Uttar Pradesh’s Prashant Veer set the record when CSK splurged Rs14.20 crore on each of them, in the auction at Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

“When the bidding started, I was scared I might miss out. But as the bid kept going up, I started crying,” Kartik was quoted as saying in a JioHotstar release. “Even after it ended, I couldn’t stop. I was overwhelmed with emotion and happiness, I honestly don’t know how to put it into words,” the teenage keeper-batter from Rajasthan added. The bidding for Kartik was started by Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants before Kolkata Knight Riders joined in. While MI exited the bidding, KKR and LSG took the price to Rs2.80 crore before CSK entered the fray.

The bidding price surged to Rs13.20 crore when KKR left the race and Sunrisers Hyderabad entered, before CSK sealed the deal at Rs14.20 crore. Kartik said he was exited to play alongside MS Dhoni but remembered the contributions of his family and friends in his journey. “A special thank you to all my family members & friends, without their support, I don’t think I would have reached this stage,” he said. “My entire family is very happy, everyone is celebrating and dancing. I’m extremely excited to play alongside Mahendra Singh Dhoni and learn from him.”