IPL 2026: Overseas stars who could end up warming the bench all season

Published - 02 Jan 2026, 17:27 IST | Updated - 02 Jan 2026, 17:27 IST

All the teams had a busy time during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction as each team filled up the full quota of 25 players ahead of the 19th edition of the cash-rich league. Apart from Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), all other teams signed the maximum of eight overseas players.

In a competition like the IPL, overseas players make a huge difference, as they not only add value to a team with their contributions with bat and ball but they also give the young Indian players the opportunity to pick their brains and hone their skills, allowing them to become better versions of themselves.

In this article, we take a look at one overseas player each team may bench for the entirety of IPL 2026:

Lockie Ferguson played just four matches in IPL 2025 before being ruled out of the remainder of the season due to an injury. The New Zealand seamer has had his struggles with injuries in recent years. While he could be an asset for any team when he is fit, he could leak a lot of runs when he is not in his peak rhythm.

Punjab Kings are likely to start with Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Ben Dwarshuis, and Mitchell Owen as their four overseas players in the line-up. In the seam-bowling department, Xavier Bartlett is also an option, and he can be quite a handful with his pace and bounce. Azmatullah Omarzai can also give an all-round option to the Kings' line-up. Therefore, Ferguson might find it difficult to get a game.