IPL 2026 mini-auction, scheduled for December 16 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, promises high-stakes bidding with Rajasthan Royals entering with ₹16.05 crore purse and nine slots, including one overseas spot. After retaining a core featuring Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, and Jofra Archer, RR aim to bolster pace attack, middle-order stability, and all-round depth amid a competitive pool of 77 slots across franchises. This event follows the November 15 retention deadline, setting the stage for strategic picks to revive RR’s playoff push.​

5 players that Rajasthan Royals can go for in IPL 2026 mini auction

1. Matheesha Pathirana

The Sri Lankan slinger’s raw pace and yorker mastery make him ideal for RR’s death bowling needs, especially with Archer’s injury history. In IPL 2025 for Chennai Super Kings, he claimed 13 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 32.62, building on a career tally of 47 wickets in 32 games at 21.62. His 2024 heroics, including 4/28 against MI, highlight potential to complement RR’s seam unit in high-pressure chases.​

2. Rachin Ravindra

As a versatile left-hand opener and part-time spinner, Rachin Ravindra offers RR top-order firepower and balance, addressing vulnerabilities exposed in 2025. Retained by CSK for IPL 2025, he aggregated 413 runs in 18 IPL matches at a strike rate of 143.90, with a high of 65* and two fifties. His 191 runs in eight 2025 games at 128.19 SR underline consistency for powerplay aggression.​

Also READ: 5 players Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) can target in the IPL 2026 auction

3. Cooper Connolly

This Australian all-rounder’s explosive middle-order batting and handy leg-spin position him as a dynamic X-factor for RR’s batting depth. In BBL 2025 for Perth Scorchers, Cooper Connolly smashed 351 runs in 10 innings at 50.14 average and 131.46 SR, including two fifties, while taking six wickets at 7.41 economy. International exploits, like dismissing Rohit Sharma in Champions Trophy 2025, signal IPL readiness for finishing roles.​

4. Shai Hope

RR could eye Shai Hope as a reliable wicketkeeper-batter to challenge Dhruv Jurel, providing overseas stability with his T20 prowess. In 2025 T20Is, he scored 324 runs in eight innings at 46.3 average and 149.3 SR, featuring a century. His IPL stint with Delhi Capitals yielded 183 runs in nine matches at 22.88 average, showcasing acceleration potential for middle overs.​

5. Auqib Nabi

The Jammu & Kashmir pacer’s domestic surge marks him as an uncapped gem for RR’s Indian pace reinforcements, trialed by Mumbai Indians ahead of auction. In 2024-25 Ranji, he grabbed 44 wickets at 13.93 average, ranking second-highest, with T20 stats of 40 wickets in 33 games. Recent Duleep Trophy feats, like four scalps in four balls, promise raw swing and control.

Also READ: 5 players Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) can target in the IPL 2026 mini-auction

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled his long-anticipated “gold card,” a high-priced immigration offering designed to grant legal status, and eventually US citizenship, to individuals and companies willing to pay significant sums. Framed as a replacement for the three-decade-old EB-5 investor visa, the new programme opens the door to permanent residency for foreign nationals ready to invest $1 million personally or $2 million through their employers. Trump has cast the gold card as a way to attract the world’s “best people,” pitching it not only as a magnet for elite graduates from US universities but also as a revenue generator for the federal government.The rollout comes against the backdrop of Trump’s strict immigration crackdowns. Even as his government has pursued mass deportations and tightened border controls, Trump has repeatedly argued that exceptional foreign-born talent should be allowed to stay.Also read: Trump launches Gold Card, cites corporate demand — what it means“THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT’S TRUMP GOLD CARD IS HERE TODAY! A direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people. SO EXCITING! Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

What ‘Gold Card’ gets you?

Fastrack legal residency and US citizenship

Despite its branding, the “gold card” is essentially a revamped green card, but one that Trump touts as “much better” and offering a “stronger path.” Holders receive permanent legal residency, meaning they can live and work in the United States indefinitely and, over time, pursue US citizenship. Unlike the EB-5 programme, which hinges on job-creation requirements, the new card’s criteria appear streamlined: payment of the required fee and completion of background vetting.Green Cards are accessible via multiple routes including sponsorship, lotteries, or EB-5 investments starting at $800,000 with job creation requirements. Gold Cards require a $5 million direct payment (or sometimes cited as $1 million for a base version), bypassing traditional processes for faster approval aimed at economic benefit.Under the Gold Card program, a successful applicant would receive lawful permanent resident status under the EB-1 or EB-2 visa categories, as determined by the US department of homeland security and subject to availability.

Access for top tier graduates and skilled labour

One of Trump’s central arguments for the programme is its ability to retain highly skilled graduates from US universities, particularly those from China, India, and France. Businesses, he has said, routinely lose world-class candidates because their visa status is uncertain. The gold card aims to remove that barrier, offering companies the opportunity to secure permanent residency for prized recruits, with each card tied to a single individual.“Tremendous people won’t have to say they graduated from college and have to go back to India, China, France; we’re taking care of that,” Trump said as he launched the card.“You can’t hire people from the best colleges because you don’t know whether or not you can keep the person,” the US president said.

$15,000 vetting fee

Every application includes a $15,000 vetting fee to fund thorough background checks, according to commerce secretary Howard Lutnick.The administration has framed this level of scrutiny as ensuring only top-qualifying individuals obtain residency. Meanwhile, Trump emphasized the programme’s fiscal upside, promising all proceeds will go directly to the US government to fund “positive” national initiatives.Also read: Gold Card visa cost, eligibility, application timeline, and how to apply — explained

What it doesn’t get you

No job obligations, no mention of caps

Unlike the EB-5 system it replaces, the gold card comes with no stated requirements for job creation by investors or employers. Trump’s announcement also omitted any reference to annual caps or limitations on the number of cards available. This leaves questions about oversight, scalability, and how the programme fits into broader immigration policy frameworks.

No guarantee of lower costs for businesses

While corporations can purchase multiple cards, each one applies to only one employee, meaning costs scale directly with the number of hires. Companies seeking to retain multiple foreign-born graduates could find themselves paying millions, a model that favors well-capitalized employers and wealthy individuals but may not help smaller firms struggling with talent shortages.

Not a departure from merit-based immigration politics

Despite Trump’s hardline stance on immigration elsewhere, the gold card neither resolves nor escapes the political tensions within his base. Critics within the MAGA movement have objected to policies that increase legal immigration, even in selective forms. Although framed as “bringing in the best people,” the programme does not address broader concerns around fairness, accessibility, or the treatment of immigrants without wealth or elite credentials.

India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Yashasvi Jaiswal says that the Indian dressing room often feels unsettled whenever Rohit Sharma doesn’t pull up the younger players on the field. The left-handed opener revealed that Rohit’s on-field scoldings have always come with a mix of humour and affection, which has made them a part of the team’s daily rhythm. “Every time Rohit bhai scolds us, it has a lot of love and indulgence mixed with it. In fact, if Rohit bhai isn’t scolding you, there’s a sense of unease as to what happened. Why isn’t he scolding? Has he felt bad about my action?” Jaiswal said at the ‘Agenda Aaj Tak’ conclave on Wednesday.

Jaiswal, who made a memorable impact during his maiden ODI century in Visakhapatnam, spoke about how the presence of veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli always lifts the team. “When they (RoKo) are there, it is great for us as they discuss the game. They share their experiences. The intensity with which they have played and won games for India, they are like inspiration. They tell us about the mistakes they made in their younger days and how we can avoid making those mistakes,” he said. He also recounted the calm encouragement he received from Rohit during that innings. “When I was playing the third ODI, Rohit bhai told me to relax and remain calm and take time as he would take risks. How many people will do that? Similarly, Virat paaji gave me small targets and told me that we will have to win it ourselves,” Jaiswal said, describing the innings as special, on par with his century at The Oval in Tests.On the topic of the T20 World Cup, Jaiswal remained measured. “My dream is to play the T20 World Cup, but I try to focus on my game and will wait for my time,” he said when asked about India’s squad. The T20I team already looks settled for India, even though there are concerns about the form of its vice-captain Shubman Gill in the format. Opener Gill hasn’t scored a fifty in the last 16 T20I innings, with his last half-century coming in July 2024. Looking further ahead, the young southpaw expressed ambition about leading India one day. “Yes, if I get a chance, I would like to lead India,” he added.

Panaji: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has told clubs of the Indian Super League (ISL) that it is keen to join hands with them and organise the top tier league this season.In a letter to the AIFF last week, 13 of the 14 ISL clubs, through its representative, FC Goa CEO Ravi Puskur, had urged the federation to find a commercial partner after removing the impeding clauses in the constitution. Should a suitable partner still not be in place, the clubs said AIFF could consider a framework under which they can collectively form a consortium to own and operate the league as majority owners, alongside the federation and aligned commercial, broadcast, and private investors.The AIFF has now responded to the clubs’ letter asking the clubs to arrange a virtual conference call “to work towards a mutually agreeable solution” so that this proposal could be included in the agenda points for the general body on Dec 20.“It goes without saying that over the last 10-15 years, the marketing partner (FSDL) and clubs have jointly made significant investments to bring meaningful changes to Indian club football,” AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan wrote in a letter to club CEOs on Wednesday. “To safeguard these investments, it is necessary that we work on a war footing to minimise any loss of time.”While stating that some of the points raised by the clubs were “contradictory, sub-judice and certain timelines suggested not feasible as per the constitution,” Satyanarayan asked the clubs “to work towards finding a possible solution”.“We agree that a long-term solution is needed. However, football must not lose its continuity, and therefore, the league should commence at the earliest,” said Satyanarayan, while adding that they can explore “point No 12” which suggested the clubs and AIFF jointly organising the top-tier league.The clubs have officially not yet responded to the latest AIFF letter. In private though, many expressed surprise that the federation was moving ahead without a commercial partner on board. In unofficial meetings, questions about how the federation will raise funds to run other leagues or even pay staff salaries, including that of the national team, have been raised.The 15-year agreement between AIFF and Reliance-subsidiary FSDL, its commercial partner, ended early this week. The absence of a new deal has made the next edition of the ISL season uncertain and put a huge question mark over player contracts.AIFF’s effort to find a new marketing partner for its top tier league has come to nought since potential bidders suggested that clauses in the tender – emanating from the new Constitution – gives them limited representation within the governing council, despite assuming substantial operational and financial responsibility.

Former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin ignited widespread curiosity across social media platforms when he shared a cryptic collage on X, featuring Bollywood actress Sunny Leone paired with an image of Chennai’s Sadhu Street. Posted without any caption except two eye emojis on December 8, 2025, the image quickly amassed thousands of views and reactions, leaving fans puzzled over the unusual pairing. This playful upload from the veteran spinner, known for his innovative social media presence, soon unraveled into a clever tribute to an emerging Tamil Nadu talent, blending pop culture with cricket flair.​

The post masterfully employed wordplay, merging “Sunny” from Sunny Leone with “Sandhu”—a Tamil term for narrow street, as depicted in the Sadhu Street photo—to spotlight 22-year-old Sunny Sandhu. Sandhu, a right-handed batter and right-arm medium-fast bowler born on October 15, 2003, grabbed attention in his second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) match. On December 8 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, he delivered a match-turning 30 runs off 9 balls, including multiple boundaries and sixes, in a vital 37-run partnership with Sai Sudharsan. This explosive finish propelled Tamil Nadu to chase down Saurashtra’s 183 for a thrilling three-wicket victory with eight balls remaining, boosting their Group D standing.​

Ashwin’s endorsement highlighted Sandhu’s potential ahead of IPL 2026 auctions, where the youngster has entered with a Rs 30 lakh base price, drawing parallels to his own history of nurturing domestic stars. Fans decoded the puzzle rapidly, flooding comments with appreciation for the off-spinner’s wit, which amplified visibility for the Punjab-origin cricketer now shining for Tamil Nadu.​

👀 👀 pic.twitter.com/BgevYfPyPJ

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) December 9, 2025

Also READ: Ravichandran Ashwin drops Sunny Leone photo, fans come up with funny reactions

Wasim Jaffer’s hilarious response to Ashwin’s social media post

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer amplified the fun by retweeting Ashwin’s post with a quip: “Chhod aaye hum, woh galiyan 😂 And Ash please give me my social media manager back, thanks.” Referencing the iconic Bollywood song from Baarish about leaving behind certain streets, Jaffer’s reply perfectly captured the post’s “street” theme while jokingly implying Ashwin had “borrowed” his creative team. The response exploded online, garnering hundreds of likes and shares within hours, cementing the exchange as peak cricket humor.​

Jaffer’s timely intervention turned the moment into a cross-generational banter fest, with fans lauding the duo’s camaraderie and creativity. This viral interplay underscores how Ashwin’s quirks continue to unite cricket enthusiasts, spotlighting fresh faces like Sandhu amid SMAT excitement.

Chhod aaye hum, woh galiyan 😂 And Ash please give me my social media manager back, thanks 🙏😜😅 https://t.co/XeRhgJXtmQ

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) December 9, 2025

Also READ: “Their first priority will be..”: Ravichandran Ashwin’s take on CSK’s high-stakes strategy for the IPL 2026 auction

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Punjab Kings’ captain Shreyas Iyer with teammate Arshdeep Singh during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings, in Jaipur. (PTI Photo)

You won’t often say this for Punjab Kings (PBKS), but going into the Indian Premier League (IPL) Auction 2026 ahead of the next season, they have one of the most settled squads in the league.The last season’s (2025) runner-up have come close to the trophy twice but have been denied to lay their hands on the silverware both times, once by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2014 and then by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) last season.

After the disastrous 2024 season, PBKS overhauled their squad to come back strongly and had a 58.8 win percentage last year, their third best after the 2014 (70.5%) and 2008 (66.6%) seasons.PBKS have released Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Sen, and Praveen Dubey, and have Rs 11.50 crore of purse remaining.As the IPL auction is set to be held in Abu Dhabi on December 16, here’s a look at the strengths of PBKS, the minor gaps they need to fill to make their side more formidable, and the players they would like to include in their squad.

Sarpanch and his lads – the strengths of PBKS

Among PBKS’s biggest strengths is their captain, Shreyas Iyer. Iyer holds the unique record of having led three different IPL teams to the final: Delhi Capitals (DC) in 2020, won the trophy with KKR in 2024, and then PBKS in 2025. With 50 wins in 87 matches and a win percentage of 58.82, Iyer is among the most successful captains in IPL history.PBKS also possess a very strong Indian batting core. Led by Iyer himself, PBKS have in their armoury – Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya at the top, followed by Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, and Shashank Singh.All five were among the leading run-getters for Punjab last season. While Iyer scored 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07, Prabhsimran smashed 599 runs at 161.89. Priyansh Arya was the third-highest run getter for PBKS with 545 runs at 182.27, followed by Shashank Singh with 372 runs at 159.66, and Nehal Wadhera with 369 runs at 145.85.

Also among their strengths are the bowling options. PBKS will utilise Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen with the new ball – together, they took 39 wickets last season while conceding runs at 8.82 and 9.20, respectively.PBKS would hope Vijaykumar Vyshak, who was good in some matches but leaked runs in others, becomes more consistent this season at the death. Last season, Vyshak conceded 12.36 runs per over between overs 12-20. PBKS would expect better from him this season.PBKS also have New Zealand quicks Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson and Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai as the pace bowling options in the squad.With Jansen, Stoinis, and Omarzai as more or less fixed overseas players, it would be hard for Jamieson and Ferguson to find a place as the fourth overseas player in the XII.Moreover, PBKS also have Yuzvendra Chahal and Harpreet Brar to trap opposition batters in the web of spin.

What PBKS will look for in the IPL auction

PBKS have a purse of Rs 11.50 crore and can buy four players, including two overseas slots.Out of the five players PBKS released, one was forced: Josh Inglis, with the Australian wicketkeeper declaring that he won’t be available to play most of the season. Apart from being the sixth highest run-getter for Punjab, Inglis was also a backup keeper for Prabhsimran Singh.PBKS have Vishnu Vinod as an India WK option, but in Inglis’s absence, Punjab will most likely look for an experienced overseas keeper-batter who can bat in the middle order of their largely inexperienced, but explosive, batting side.Two players PBKS can target to fill that gap are Jonny Bairstow and Kiwi Tim Seifert. Bairstow is someone who has previously played for Punjab (2022 & 2024) and had a decent run. In 22 innings across two seasons, he had scored 551 runs, including a century.The other area PBKS may look towards is adding a spinner or two, likely a finger spinner, into their squad as a backup option for Harpreet Brar. Last season (2025), Maxwell did a decent job with the ball in hand, conceding runs at just 8.46, but since Punjab has released him, they will be on the hunt for a backup spinner or spin all-rounder.If PBKS look overseas, Australian Cooper Connolly could be an option, who has 13 wickets at an economy of 7.73 and has scored 646 runs at a strike rate of 132.92 in 35 T20s.Punjab Kings head into the auction without the pressure of rebuilding. The core of the squad is in place, and the gaps are limited and clear. With Rs 11.50 crore available and only a few roles to address, the task is about filling those minor gaps rather than bidding aggressively. A middle-order wicketkeeper-batter and a spin backup remain the main areas to cover. How well they fill these small gaps may determine whether last season’s run to the final becomes a platform for another title push or not.

The Supreme Court questioned Delhi Police on invoking stringent UAPA provisions against riot accused for speeches, seeking justification for linking terror acts to their words. Justices sought clarity on how Section 15, pertaining to terrorist acts, applies when arms weren’t directly used by the accused, who have been jailed for over five years.

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court questioned Delhi Police Wednesday over how Section 15 of UAPA, which pertains to terrorist acts, can be invoked against Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and other accused in a Delhi riots case for giving speeches and how terror acts can be linked with such speeches.A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria, which reserved its order on bail pleas of the six accused, sought a response from additional solicitor general S V Raju in light of senior advocate Siddharth Dave’s contention that at most Section 13 (unlawful activities) and Section 18 (conspiracy) could be invoked for the speeches. The ASG submitted that the riots took place because of a conspiracy hatched by the accused and whatever they had said in their speeches became reality. Raju said Imam’s speech on blocking Chicken’s Neck was an attack on the integrity of the country and Khalid’s speech on chakka jam was an attack on economic security and justified invoking Section 15.Sharjeel seems to be a punching bag: SCThe court thereafter pointed out that Delhi Police had not attributed the wielding of arms or explosives to the six accused, which is a requirement under the provision. Raju, however, said that petrol bombs were used in Delhi riots. “It is a case of conspiracy. It is not my case that they used petrol bombs. My case is that they are part of the conspiracy to create the situation for the use of petrol bombs. For use of petrol bombs, there is a separate case against other people,” he said.The bench then wrapped up the hearing, which had stretched over 11 days, and reserved its order. As the Delhi Police’s arguments were particularly focused on Imam’s speeches, which were also played in the courtroom to oppose the bail plea, and the other five accused – Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed and Mohd Saleem Khan – had distanced themselves from him, the bench observed that Imam seemed to be a punching bag for both sides.The accused, who have been in custody for more than five years, approached the apex court after their bail plea had been rejected by Delhi High Court. Opposing their bail plea, Delhi Police accused them of indulging in regime change and told the court that they were behind “well-crafted, orchestrated, preplanned, choreographed riots” to divide the country on communal lines to achieve “the final regime change goal”.The accused, however, told the court that holding protests and opposing the govt was not an offence, and they are being prosecuted to send a message to others that anyone who raises their voice would be similarly punished. Invoking Gandhi, they said that non-violent protest and civil disobedience was a part and parcel of democracy and cannot be criminalised, as happened in the colonial era. As Delhi Police played their allegedly inflammatory speeches, the accused brought to the court’s notice clippings of their speeches in which they had talked about the constitutional spirit and responding to hate with love, to violence with non-violence and enmity with brotherhood.