Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has spoken about the prospects of 2022 Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Yash Dhull being picked by an IPL franchise at the IPL 2026 auction, stating that the young batter has ticked all the boxes with his recent performances. Dhull has staged an inspiring return to cricket after undergoing heart surgery last year and has since delivered consistent performances across both red-ball and white-ball formats in domestic cricket.

Dhull featured for the Central Delhi Kings in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025, where he enjoyed an outstanding campaign. He amassed 435 runs in eight matches at a remarkable average of 87 and a strike rate of 167.31, including two centuries and three half-centuries, finishing as the tournament’s third-highest run-scorer.

The right-hander also impressed in the Ranji Trophy for Delhi, scoring 434 runs in five matches at an average of 48.22. His tally included a century and three fifties, with a career-best score of 189 highlighting his red-ball credentials.

With the IPL 2026 auction scheduled for Tuesday, December 16, Dhull has registered himself at a base price of INR 30 lakh. Given his recent form and resilience in overcoming adversity, several franchises could view him as a promising long-term investment.

“Yash Dhull’s journey is quite inspiring. He was touted as an upcoming youngster who would play for India soon. That dream has not happened yet, but he keeps making runs. He uses every opportunity he gets, wherever he plays. Sometimes it is very important to stay relevant for a long time, so that when an opportunity comes, people think of him,” said Chopra on ‘Top Uncapped Players to Watch Out for in the Tata IPL Auction’ in JioHotstar.

“This season of the Delhi Premier League was quite good for him with the bat, where he scored tons of runs, and those performances will certainly help him in the IPL. He is an Under-19 World Cup winner, and as far as IPL is concerned, he was picked by the Delhi Capitals a few seasons ago and was given some chances too, but he was not able to capitalise on them. I think Yash Dhull is ticking all those boxes and keeping himself in the thoughts of everybody who’s following the sport with his DPL performance,” he added.