Chennai Super Kings acquired young talent Prashant Veer worth INR 14.20 crore during the IPL 2026 mini auction. He turned out to be the joint most expensive player in the history of IPL auction, alongside Kartik Sharma, who also joined the same franchise.
Ahead of the auction, CSK had the second-largest purse of INR 43.40 crore. The five-time champions could have easily secured the services of an overseas star all-rounder like Cameron Green. Surprisingly, the Super Kings invested in less familiar and young talents, focusing on long-term achievements.
Who is Prashant Veer? A Short Intro
Born on November 24, 2005, Prashant Ramendra Veer spent his childhood days playing tennis ball cricket in the small outskirts of the village in Shahjipur.
The Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer was highly talented compared to the young boys of his age at that time.
Prashant’s father, Ramendra Veer, worked as a primary teacher on a contract basis with a basic monthly salary of INR 12,000, and was motivated to pursue cricket despite facing financial restrictions.
Veer was often called with the name ‘Miller’ (named after South African batter David Miller) at the UPCA Green Park Academy. This was because he wore the green jersey and possessed a similar kind of aggressive batting style.
While he played for the Under-23 and UP teams, Prashant scored 320 runs and bagged 8 wickets in the UP T20 League 2025. However, his performance was much destructive when batted at a strike rate of 170 as a lower-order batter.
CSK CEO Explains the Reason for Spending a Huge Amount on Prashant Veer
After the conclusion of the IPL 2026 auction, the CSK CEO Kasi Visawanathan clarified why a hefty sum of money was spent on an uncapped player like Prashant Veer, whose base price was INR 30 lakh:
“Yes! He (Prashant Veer) is a new, talented player who can bat well at No.7 and contribute his best as a spinner and fielder. As we have traded Ravindra Jadeja to the Rajasthan Royals, we required a player of his caliber.
Based on the feedback provided by our talent scout team, Veer ranked in the top spot. He attended the trials at the HPCA stadium, and then we understood his talent,” Visawanathan said.
Why Prashant Veer is a Younger Version of Ravindra Jadeja?
As an aggressive lower-order batter and left-arm spinner, Prashant Veer’s dual abilities are reminiscent of Ravindra Jadeja’s skill with the bat and ball that CSK has heavily depended on in the past decade.
After a sensational season in the UP T20 League, the 20-year-old grabbed the entire attention of CSK management as well as MS Dhoni.
Here is how the UP-born cricketer’s skills have earned him the highly coveted tag as the ‘2.0 version of Ravindra Jadeja’:
- Quick reflexes.
- Faster running between the wickets.
- Power-hitting abilities to smash huge sixes.
- Reliable orthodox spinner.
- Best finishing skills as a lower-order batter.
- Sharp diving catches on the field.
- Ability to save boundaries through quick outfield.
- And so on…
Prashant Veer’s Sensational Bidding War in IPL 2026 Auction
Prashant Veer’s final price propelled to INR 14.2 crore as franchises aggressively bid on him soon after his name was announced at a base price of INR 30 lakh. Here is a brief recap of how the high-profile franchise bid on the young talent during the bidding event, with CSK ultimately acquiring Veer for a hefty paycheck:
- Mumbai Indians vs Lucknow Super Giants: LSG won the bid from INR 30 Lakh to INR 1.20 Crore.
- Chennai Super Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants: CSK won the bid from INR 1.30 Crore to INR 4.20 Crore.
- Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings: CSK won the bid from INR 4.40 Crore to INR 6.60 Crore.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings: CSK won the bid from INR 6.80 Crore to INR 14.20 Crore.
It was even more surprising that there were 86 rounds of paddles raised by the franchise management. As the auctioneer seemed to confirm the deal, CSK was determined to raise the bid until their contender gave up.
As MI, LSG, and RR quit from the deal, SRH engaged in a fierce bidding war with CSK. Finally, when the price reached INR 14.20 crore, the Hyderabad-based franchise had no choice rather than to exit.
‘Happy to Join CSK’: Prashant Veer
Soon after signing the contract, Prashant Veer voiced his excitement to join the team, saying that it would be a valuable opportunity for him to learn from MS Dhoni:
“Certainly! It is very exciting to join the Chennai Super Kings with MS Dhoni’s presence. His style of batting at the lower order, added with his calm mindset, control over his body, and focus towards the sport, there is a lot to learn of him.
Especially, it is a challenging task to bat at the lower order, but the way he contributed was very special. Even if I get an opportunity to learn at least 4% to 5% of him, it would be very useful to grow in my cricket career,” Prashant said.