Who is Mangesh Yadav, the MP T20 League left-arm pacer whose price jumped 1,633% to Rs. 5.2 crore?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru bought Madhya Pradesh pacer Mangesh Yadav for Rs. 5.20 crore at the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Mangesh entered the auction at a base price of Rs. 30 lakh, with RCB opening the bidding. Sunrisers Hyderabad soon joined the contest, triggering a steady escalation as both franchises weighed the value of a left-arm seamer with strong defensive skills. The bid crossed Rs. 1 crore quickly and continued to rise as RCB and SRH traded bids, with RCB pushing it to Rs. 4 crore before SRH briefly returned at Rs. 4.2 crore. Keen to secure a left-arm option as cover for Yash Dayal, RCB stayed in the race as the price surged past Rs. 5 crore, eventually sealing the deal at Rs. 5.20 crore.
A left-arm pacer with a sharp yorker, the 24-year-old emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the MP T20 League, finishing with 14 scalps in 21 overs for Gwalior Cheetahs. He registered three four-wicket hauls in six outings, including a standout spell of 4 for 18 in three overs.
On the back of his exploits in the MP T20 League, Mangesh made his debut for Madhya Pradesh in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He played two games in the Super League phase, taking three wickets, while also scoring 28 runs from just 12 balls.
Bowling with pace and control, and showing a repeatable yorker at the death, Mangesh remained firmly on scouts’ radar throughout the tournament.
Published on Dec 16, 2025
