Nikhil Chaudhary’s name created a lot of confusion before the 2026 auction began. He walked into the auction pool with a base cost of ₹40 lakhs only. But surprisingly, he didn’t even get his name called during the bidding process.
The cricketer went home as an unauctioned player without any team showing interest. His IPL price remained zero because no IPL team raised their paddle for him. This happened despite his recent good performances in Australian cricket leagues.
The strangest part was his nationality change just hours before the auction started. Initially listed as an uncapped Indian player, officials suddenly changed his status to Australian. This reclassification shocked everyone following the IPL team selections closely during that time.
The Nationality Confusion Drama
Nikhil Chaudhary has been playing cricket in Australia for several years now. He represents Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League as their key player. His move to Australia happened during the COVID-19 lockdown period when travel was restricted.
BCCI rules clearly state that Indian cricketers cannot play in foreign leagues abroad. They must retire first before joining any overseas tournament officially. But Nikhil Chaudhary somehow managed to play there despite being born in India originally.
Media outlets and fans raised serious questions about his Indian listing immediately online. The IPL governing council quickly updated his status to overseas player for 2026. This allowed him to compete but took away his uncapped Indian player advantage.
His Cricket Journey So Far
Nikhil Chaudhary earlier played domestic cricket for Punjab before moving to Australia permanently. He scored a massive 163 runs in a Sheffield Shield match recently. That incredible innings helped him earn a spot in the Big Bash League.
His childhood coach revealed that he obtained a No Objection Certificate from BCCI earlier. The coach also hinted that Nikhil Chaudhary probably already gained Australian citizenship. This explains why his nationality status changed so suddenly before the auction started.
“He had obtained a NOC from the BCCI,” the coach said. “It might be in process or maybe he has been granted that. The last time I spoke to him was after he hit 160-plus runs for Tasmania.” He said about the nationality process.
Despite strong performances in Australia, no IPL team wanted him at that point. His base price of ₹40 lakhs seemed reasonable, but franchises weren’t convinced about his abilities. The mini-auction ended disappointingly for this talented cricketer who hoped for a breakthrough.
