The DPL Season 3 men’s auction was wrapped up in New Delhi on July 1, 2026, as all eight franchises confirmed their squad of 22-25 players from a talent pool of over 400 candidates that included veteran campaigners and upcoming Delhi players.
Wicketkeeper-batter Tejasvi Dahiya was the highest buy at ₹40 lakh, retained by South Delhi Superstarz during RTM. Former Delhi Ranji captain Himmat Singh was next at ₹38 lakh, New Delhi Tigers won him back, also through RTM. The Marquee round itself saw a sum of ₹1.72 crore being shell out for a total of eight signings, a sign of the high demand for latter-day proven DPL performers.
DDCA President Rohan Jaitley described the auction as one of the most thrilling days in the calendar of Delhi cricket and said that it is a moment when franchises decides the course of the season and the league is also establishes itself as a platform for both established and new talent for the city of Delhi.
DPL Season 3 Auction Format and Purse Details
Each franchise began the auction with a ₹1.5 crore purse, adjusted for pre-auction retentions. South Delhi Superstarz had the largest remaining purse (₹99.05 lakh, seven retentions), while defending champions West Delhi Lions had the smallest (₹68.25 lakh, nine retentions).
Players were split into four categories: Marquee (₹10 lakh base), Category A (₹5 lakh), Category B (₹3 lakh), and Category C (₹1 lakh). Each franchise held one Right to Match card. Squads required 20-25 players, including exactly two Marquee, four Category A, six-to-ten Category B, and eight-to-nine Category C players. In total, 65 players were retained pre-auction.
DPL Season 3 Marquee Round: Eight Headline Signings
The opening round produced the auction’s biggest price tags and three of the six RTM card activations. Here is the complete Marquee round log:
| Player | Price (₹) | Franchise | RTM Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tejasvi Dahiya | 40 lakh | South Delhi Superstarz | Yes |
| Himmat Singh | 38 lakh | New Delhi Tigers | Yes |
| Anuj Rawat | 27 lakh | Puraani Dilli 6 | No |
| Sarthak Ranjan | 17 lakh | North Delhi Strikers | Yes |
| Kuldip Yadav | 10 lakh | Central Delhi Kings | No |
| Suyash Sharma | 10 lakh | West Delhi Lions | No |
| Navdeep Saini | 10 lakh | Outer Delhi Warriors | No |
| Simarjeet Singh | 10 lakh | East Delhi Riders | No |
Tejasvi Dahiya was the top round at ₹40 lakh (South Delhi Superstarz, RTM), the culmination of a DPL S2 journey in which he scored 339 runs at a SR of 190.45, smashing 29 sixes and 20 fours — a record run that earned him a ₹3 crore bid in IPL with KKR.
Himmat Singh was bought for ₹38 lakh (New Delhi Tigers, RTM), recognized for his experience and captaincy as ex-Delhi Ranji captain.
Anuj Rawat sold for ₹27 lakh (Puraani Dilli 6), the highest non-RTM price, also bringing IPL stints from RCB and Rajasthan Royals.
Four players sold at base price: Kuldip Yadav (Central Delhi Kings),Suyash Sharma (West Delhi Lions), Navdeep Saini (Outer Delhi Warriors), and Simarjeet Singh (East Delhi Riders). Unsold Marquee players converted to Category A at a newly revised base of ₹5 lakh.
DPL Season 3 Category A Highlights: Key Signings That Shaped Squads
- Vansh Bedi – ₹21 lakh (Central Delhi Kings). Ex-CSK WK-batter, joins Yash Dhull.
- Mayank Yadav – ₹17 lakh (East Delhi Riders). 150+ kph pacer from LSG’s breakout IPL season.
- Harsh Tyagi – ₹13 lakh (Outer Delhi Warriors, RTM).
- Pranshu Vijayran – ₹11.5 lakh (South Delhi Superstarz).
- Hritik Shokeen – ₹11.5 lakh (New Delhi Tigers). Spin all-rounder, ex-Mumbai Indians.
- Digvesh Rathi – ₹11 lakh (Puraani Dilli 6), after going unsold in Marquee.
- Kulwant Khejroliya – ₹9 lakh, Mayank Gusain – ₹5.5 lakh (both West Delhi Lions).
- Sanat Sangwan – ₹5 lakh (South Delhi Superstarz). Ranji Trophy’s 3rd-highest scorer (828 runs) — a bargain buy.
DPL Season 3 RTM Card Usage: Six Franchises Play Their Hand
Six of eight franchises activated their one-time RTM card during the auction, reflecting the premium placed on continuity and squad familiarity.
| Franchise | RTM Player | Price (₹) | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Delhi Superstarz | Tejasvi Dahiya | 40 lakh | Marquee |
| New Delhi Tigers | Himmat Singh | 38 lakh | Marquee |
| North Delhi Strikers | Sarthak Ranjan | 17 lakh | Marquee |
| Outer Delhi Warriors | Harsh Tyagi | 13 lakh | Category A |
| Central Delhi Kings | Arun Pundir | — | Later Rounds |
| East Delhi Riders | Sujal Rajiv Singh | — | Later Rounds |
Puraani Dilli 6 and West Delhi Lions chose not to deploy their RTM cards.
DPL Season 3 Complete Squads: All 8 Franchises
With the auction concluded and squads locked in, here is the complete roster for each franchise heading into Delhi Premier League Season 3.
South Delhi Superstarz
South Delhi Superstarz entered the auction with the largest remaining purse and invested it decisively. Retained IPL star Ayush Badoni leads a batting unit now strengthened by Tejasvi Dahiya’s explosive power and Sanat Sangwan’s first-class run-scoring pedigree. The addition of Pranshu Vijayran deepens the left-handed batting options, while a strong bench of young talent ensures squad depth across all departments.
Full Squad (25 players): Ayush Badoni, Tejasvi Dahiya, Sanat Sangwan, Sumit Kumar, Sumit Mathur, Pranshu Vijayran, Aman Bharti, Divansh Rawat, Karan Garg, Pranav Pant, Anmol Sharma, Vivek Kumar Tiwari, Adviteeya Sinha, Ankur Kaushik, Anshuman Hooda, Deepanshu Gulia, Ekansh Dobal, Sagar Tanwar, Vision Panchal, Yamit Sehrawat, Ankit Dabas, Tushar Duggal, Kartik Yadav, Rishabh Sharma, Raghav Agarwal
Key Players: Ayush Badoni, Tejasvi Dahiya, Sanat Sangwan, Pranshu Vijayran
Central Delhi Kings
Central Delhi Kings built their squad around three strong pillars. Yash Dhull, a former India U-19 World Cup-winning captain, provides leadership and top-order stability. Kuldip Yadav’s left-arm pace adds an attacking dimension, and Vansh Bedi’s big-hitting ability behind the stumps gives the batting line-up depth through the middle overs. Nine retained players formed a settled core, and the auction additions were targeted reinforcements rather than a wholesale rebuild.
Full Squad (25 players): Kuldip Yadav, Yash Dhull, Vansh Bedi, Divij Mehra, Money Grewal, Jonty Sidhu, Aayush Kumar, Vedant Sehwag, Yatish Singh, Yugal Saini, Aditya Bhandari, Siddharth Joon, Keshav Dabas, Aatrey Tripathi, Arun Pundir, Aryaveer Kohli, Gavnish Khurana, Jasvir Sehrawat, Tejas Baroka, Ojasdeep Singh, Samarth Singh, Rahul, Abhishek Kumar Yadav, Prathmesh Singh, Jai Sharma
Key Players: Yash Dhull, Kuldip Yadav, Vansh Bedi, Money Grewal
New Delhi Tigers
Himmat Singh’s return via RTM at ₹38 lakh gives the Tigers their most important signing. The former Delhi Ranji Trophy captain’s experience and match awareness provide a stabilising presence in the middle order alongside retained all-rounder Prince Yadav. Hritik Shokeen adds spin-bowling all-round depth from his IPL experience at Mumbai Indians, while a well-balanced bench of young players fills out every department.
Full Squad (25 players): Himmat Singh, Prince Yadav, Hritik Shokeen, Rahul Chaudhary, Lakshay Thareja, Vaibhav Rawal, Atulya Pandey, Dhruv Bindra, Laxman, Pradyuman Sanan, Aaryan Sharma, Keshav R. Singh, Manish Sehrawat, Parikshit Singh Bhati, Parth Kr. Bali, Shivam Gupta, Varun Vanjani, Tanuj Pawar, Rishabh Sharma, Revaant Rakyan, Saurabh Gupta, Yashjeet, Ayush Tanwar, Aditya Paweriya, Dev Chaudhary
Key Players: Himmat Singh, Prince Yadav, Hritik Shokeen, Lakshay Thareja
East Delhi Riders
East Delhi Riders assembled what could be the most formidable pace attack in the tournament. Simarjeet Singh, secured at base price, brings domestic and IPL-level seam-bowling quality, and Mayank Yadav at ₹17 lakh adds raw pace capable of exceeding 150 kph. Combined with retained keeper-batter Mayank Rawat and the versatile Arpit Rana, this is a squad designed to pressure opposition batting line-ups from the first over.
Full Squad (25 players): Simarjeet Singh, Mayank Yadav, Mayank Rawat, Arpit Rana, Dhruv Kaushik, Rounak Waghela, Hardik Sharma, Sujal Rajiv Singh, Tanmay Chaudhary, Aradhya Chawla, Rohan Parchanda, Vansh Jetly, Yashwardhan Oberai, Deepak Punia, Ashish Meena, Kavya Gupta, Rohit Yadav, Vaibhav Baisla, Uday Chawla, Sunny Rawal, Suryansh Raina, Ankit Kumar, Vansh Mehra, Suryakant Chauhan, Harsh Bhardwaj
Key Players: Simarjeet Singh, Mayank Yadav, Mayank Rawat, Arpit Rana
North Delhi Strikers
Harshit Rana’s presence gives North Delhi Strikers the highest-profile retained player across the entire league. The India and Kolkata Knight Riders fast bowler brings international-level pace and experience that sets the standard for every squad member around him. Sarthak Ranjan, secured via RTM at ₹17 lakh, anchors the top order, while Vaibhav Kandpal and Pranav Rajvanshi provide domestic depth. The addition of left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar adds a different bowling dimension.
Full Squad (22 players): Harshit Rana, Sarthak Ranjan, Pranav Rajvanshi, Vaibhav Kandpal, Aayush Singh, Akhil Chaudhary, Arnav Bugga, Kirit Kaushik, Saurabh Deswal, Yash Bhatia, Parnit Tiwari, Prikshit Sehrawat, Arjun Rapria, Kaushal Suman, Vikas Dixit, Yash Dabas, Mayank Dagar, Bharat Sindhwani, Ajay Yadav, Anant Jain, Gaurav Sabharwal, Nikhil Kumar
Key Players: Harshit Rana, Sarthak Ranjan, Vaibhav Kandpal, Mayank Dagar
Puraani Dilli 6
Puraani Dilli 6 were the most active franchise at the auction, adding 18 players to their seven-player retained core. Anuj Rawat at ₹27 lakh provides explosive batting and keeping ability. Digvesh Rathi, picked up for ₹11 lakh after going unsold in the initial Marquee bidding, adds proven leg-spin quality alongside Lalit Yadav’s off-spin all-round capabilities. This squad has the deepest roster in the competition. Puraani Dilli 6 were one of two franchises that chose not to use their RTM card, instead spreading investment across a wide range of players.
Full Squad (25 players): Anuj Rawat, Digvesh Rathi, Lalit Yadav, Rohan Rana, Samarth Seth, Dev Lakra, Kush Nagpal, Mohak Kumar, Rajneesh Dadar, Udhav Mohan, Prince Mishra, Yug Gupta, Aditya Malhotra, Ajay Ahlawat, Gaurav Saroha, Kabir Sachdeva, Pankaj Jaswal, Yash Kumar, Aryan Gaur, Aditya Verma, Ashwini Chillar, Lakshay Verma, Harshvardhan Phogat, Vanam Aggarwal, Arjun Rexwal
Key Players: Lalit Yadav, Anuj Rawat, Digvesh Rathi, Samarth Seth
Outer Delhi Warriors
Navdeep Saini at base price stands as the value pick of the entire Marquee round. The India international seamer brings genuine pace and international experience that no other franchise secured at that price. Paired with retained power-hitter Priyansh Arya and the reclaimed Harsh Tyagi (₹13 lakh via RTM), the Warriors possess a core that matches any franchise in the competition. The squad’s balance of experience and youth across batting, bowling, and all-round departments makes them a serious contender.
Full Squad (25 players): Navdeep Saini, Priyansh Arya, Aryan Rana, Harsh Tyagi, Shivam Sharma, Siddhant Sharma, Anant S. Sareen, Dhanya Nakra, Mohit Panwar, Saksham Gahlot, Shaurya Malik, Aman Chaudhary, Rushal Saini, Yajas Sharma, Dhruv Singh, Rishab Drall, Aditya Sharma, Akshay Saini, Monu Shukla, Pratham Saluja, Sammar Kohar, Garvit Grover, Shivam Bhan, Deepanshu Phore, Aditya Yadav
Key Players: Navdeep Saini, Priyansh Arya, Harsh Tyagi, Shivam Sharma
West Delhi Lions (Defending Champions)
The defending DPL champions came into the auction with the smallest remaining purse at ₹68.25 lakh, a natural consequence of retaining nine players from their title-winning squad. Captain Nitish Rana leads a group that already knows what it takes to win this competition. The additions of Suyash Sharma’s leg-spin at base price and Kulwant Khejroliya’s left-arm pace at ₹9 lakh address the exact areas the Lions needed to strengthen. This is a squad built on continuity, chemistry, and the confidence that comes from having won it all last season.
Full Squad (25 players): Nitish Rana, Suyash Sharma, Kulwant Khejroliya, Ayush Doseja, Manan Bhardwaj, Mayank Gusain, Aaryavir Sehwag, Ankit Rajesh Kumar, Dhruv Kumar Chumbak, Krish Yadav, Ravneet Tanwar, Rudra Dev Yadav, Aarav Garg, Shubham Dubey, Ajay Rana, Anirudh Chowdhary, Hiten Dalal, Jitesh Singh, Tishant Dabla, Vikas Rana, Bhanu Yadav, Sombir Sheokand, Yash Bansal, Avinash Singh Manhas, Khushhal Yadav
Key Players: Nitish Rana (c), Suyash Sharma, Kulwant Khejroliya, Ayush Doseja
Conclusion: DPL Season 3 Squads Are Set: Eight Franchises Ready for Delhi Cricket’s Biggest Stage
The DPL Season 3 auction proved to be a complete success. High-value purchases like Tejasvi Dahiya (₹40 lakh) and Himmat Singh (₹38 lakh), who have consistently showcased their talent in the DPL, highlighted the growing importance of reliable DPL talent, and six of the eight RTM cards being utilised pointed to franchises favouring peace.
The good news: West Delhi Lions retained most of their core; South Delhi Superstarz splurged like mad; East Delhi Riders got a good pace attack going; Puraani Dilli 6 hatched the most balanced squad; North Delhi Strikers have the only current India international, Harshit Rana, under their belt.
The DPL is starting to really establish itself as the premier state-level T20 springboard to the IPL, with teams finalised. Season 3 action will live stream on JioHotstar and the official DPL T20 YouTube channel.
