The 2026 season of the Indian Premier League marks a new generation of cricket talent. Various teenagers have earned a contract and become the youngest players in the tournament this year. From exciting bowlers to aggressive batters, these young stars represent the future of IPL teams and could become major names. Here are the top 10 youngest players of the IPL 2026 season, as per CricTracker.
1. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi — 14 Years & 232 Days
Age: 14 years 232 days
Role: Left-hand Top-order batter
Vaibhav Suryavanshi is the youngest player to feature in IPL 2026. He is 14 years and 232 days old. He is the left-handed prodigy who made headlines last season with unforgettable heroics for the Rajasthan Royals.
He has become the youngest ever centurion in IPL with a 101 off 38 balls. Despite his young age, he has already impressed with powerful stroke play and the ability to score fast in T20 cricket.
Stats:
IPL: 7 matches, 252 runs, Strike Rate 200+, Highest Score 101
Century: 101 runs off 38 balls (11 sixes, 7 fours)
U-19 World Cup 2026: 175 runs in the final
Domestic T20: 701 runs in 18 matches, Avg 41.23
Also Read: Top 10 Highest Wicket Takers in IPL History (Updated 2026)
2. Ayush Mhatre — 18 Years & 159 Days
Age: 18 years & 159 days
Role: Top-order batter
Over the years, Ayush Mhatre has been making headlines with his performances. In addition, at just 18 years and 159 days, the Mumbai batter is now the second youngest player to make a feature in IPL 2026. Moreover, last year, he scored his first maiden century for Mumbai, followed by a 181 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which made him the youngest player to score 150+ in List A cricket.
He was initially unsold, but the Chennai Super Kings handed him a late IPL debut in 2025. Mhatre featured in seven games, scoring 240 runs with the best of 94. In addition, he also led India’s under-19 team and recently guided the team to the finals of the U19 Asia Cup.
Stats:
First-Class: 9 matches, 504 runs
List-A: 458 runs in 7 innings
Average: 65+ in List-A cricket
Highest Score: 181
Also Read: Most Runs in IPL History: Top 10 Highest Run Scorers (Updated 2026)
3. Sahil Parakh — 18 Years & 198 Days
Age: 18 years & 198 days
Role: Left-hand batter
Sahil Parakh is an 18 years and 198 days old player picked by the Delhi Capitals for a base price of INR 30 lakh. He is a Nashik-born player who grabbed attention at the Under-19 level, most notably with an unbeaten 109 against Australia Under-19s.
His performances in the Maharashtra Premier League saw him score 202 runs in 8 matches at a strike rate of over 177 and play a critical role in Eagle Nashik Titans’ title victory.
After seeing his score performance, the Delhi Capitals have backed him and added him to their roster for 2026.
Stats:
U-19 Domestic Cricket: 600+ runs
Average: 40+
T20 Strike Rate: Around 140
4. Satvik Deswal — 18 Years & 274 Days
Age: 18 years 274 days
Role: Left-arm Wrist Spinner
Royal Challengers Bengaluru picked left-arm wrist spinner Satvik Deswal in the IPL 2026 auction. At just 18 years and 274 days, Deswal was picked for his base price of INR 30 lakh, fulfilling RCB’s need for a backup spinner behind Suyash Sharma. He really performed well in the Pondicherry Premier League T20, claiming 14 wickets in 10 matches.
RCB’s Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, stated Deswal’s potential and character, calling him a player with X-factor who can step up when required. Head coach Andy Flower also praised the recruit.
Stats:
IPL: Yet to debut
Pondicherry Premier League: 14 wickets in 10 matches
Economy Rate: Under 6.0
Also Read: BCCI Issues Strict IPL 2026 Guidelines: Fresh Nets for Teams, No Practice on Rival’s Pitch
5. Vihaan Malhotra — 18 Years & 355 Days
Royal Challengers Bengaluru added another young talent to their squad with the signing of Vilhaan Malhotra at the IPL 2026 auction. In addition, the left-handed top order batsman and handy right arm offbreak bowler, recently displayed his brilliance in the U19 Asia Cup semi-final against Sri Lanka, scoring a 61 off 45 balls.
Malhotra came into headlines during India’s tour of England, scoring 243 youth ODI runs and 277 in Youth Tests.
Stats:
IPL: Yet to debut
Youth ODI tour (England): 243 runs in 5 matches
Youth Tests: 277 runs in 4 innings
U-19 Asia Cup: 61 runs in the semi-final
6. Kanishk Chouhan — 19 Years & 87 Days
Kanishk Chouhan is 19 years and 87 days old and is one of the youngest all-rounders in the IPL 2026. He was born on September 26, 2006, in Rajasthan. Moreover, he has impressed his coaches and selectors with his capability to contribute with both bat and ball.
He is a right-hand batter and right-arm off-break bowler, and played a critical role in India’s under-19s and Haryana Under-19s.
Due to his consistent performance, Royal Challengers Bengaluru picked him at a base price of INR 30 lakh.
Stats:
IPL: Yet to debut
Domestic youth cricket: 300+ runs
Wickets: 10+ wickets in youth tournaments
7. Yash Raj Punja — 19 Years 179 Days
Yash Raj Punia is all set to become one of the youngest players in the IPL 2026. He was born on June 26, 2006, in the UAE and later raised in Bengaluru. He showed interest in cricket by getting inspired by his elder brother, Yodhin Punja, the UAE’s youngest international cricketer.
He was initially a fast bowler but transitioned to leg spin because of his action issue.
While performing for the Hunli tigers in the 2024 Maharaja KSCA T20 Trophy, he was the second-highest wicket taker with 23 wickets in 10 games at an average of 12.48. Now he is all set to play for Rajasthan Royal in IPL 2026.
Stats:
IPL: Yet to debut (0 matches)
Domestic youth cricket: 15+ wickets in a season
Best bowling(T20I): 3/18
Bowling style: Right-arm leg-break with googly
Also Read: RR IPL 2026 Tickets Booking Guide: Rajasthan Royals Match Dates, Platforms & How to Buy
8. Kartik Sharma — 19 Years & 202 Days
Chennai Super Kings have signed Kartik Sharma in the IPL auction for INR 14.2 crore. He is a 19-year-old and 202-day-old young blood with the ability to hit massive sixes. He grabbed the eyes of selectors by smashing 28 sixes in the domestic circuit in 11 innings at a strike rate of 162.92.
He has the ability to dismantle both pace and spin. He is now the most joint-expensive uncapped Indian Player along with Prashant Veer.
Stats:
IPL: Yet to debut
Domestic T20: 300+ runs
Strike Rate(T20I): Around 160
9. Kwena Maphaka — 19 Years & 258 Days
South African pacer, Kwena Tshegofatso Maphaka, aged 19 years and 258 days. He was born in Johannesburg and first caught attention at the under-19 World Cup, where he took 21 wickets at an average of 9.72 to earn the player of the tournament award.
He has played IPL before making his senior international debut. The Mumbai Indians signed him as an injury replacement for IPL 2024.
He is now a part of the Rajasthan Royals and was signed for INR 1.5 crore in IPL 2025. By then, Mphaka had already debuted across all formats of South Africa, including a test debut against Pakistan in January 2025.
Stats:
IPL: 4 matches, 2 wickets
U-19 World Cup 2024: 21 wickets
Best Bowling: 6/21
10. Lhuan-dre Pretorius — 19 Years & 270 Days
Another South African set to feature among the youngest players in IPL 2026 will be Lhuan-dre Pretorius. He is 19 years and 270 days old. He is a left-handed wicketkeeper batter who finished as South Africa’s leading run scorer at the 2023 Under-19 World Cup.
He is the youngest South African to score a test century on debut, smashing 153 runs, and he has since represented South Africa across all formats.
Before earning retention with Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2026, he impressed in the SA20 with Paarl Royals, scoring a 97 on debut.
Stats:
IPL: Yet to debut
T20 Runs : 400+ runs
Strike Rate: 150+