The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) is gearing up for its highly anticipated Season 3, with the player auction held on December 9, 2025, in Mumbai. The event saw the presence of Bollywood stars Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Saif Ali Khan, adding glamour to the celebration of gully cricket. This year's season introduces new franchises and promises to be bigger and better, providing a platform for budding street-cricket talent.
The ISPL Season 3 welcomes two new teams: Delhi Superheros, owned by Salman Khan, and Ahmedabad Lions, owned by Ajay Devgn. They join a star-studded lineup of team owners, including Amitabh Bachchan (Majhi Mumbai), Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan (Tiigers of Kolkata), Akshay Kumar (Srinagar Ke Veer), Suriya (Chennai Singams), Hrithik Roshan (Bengaluru Strikers), and Ram Charan (Falcon Risers Hyderabad).
With the addition of these celebrity owners, ISPL Season 3 is expected to draw unprecedented fan engagement. These celebrities promote their teams and drive nationwide excitement, blending sports and entertainment. Their involvement ensures wider media coverage, stronger branding, and greater anticipation leading into the tournament.
A total of 408 players from 101 cities were up for auction as eight franchises looked to build their squads for the 2026 season. The auction pool included 400 shortlisted players, 30 U-19 talents, and 8 scout picks, with all players having a base price of ₹3 lakh. Teams are required to assemble 18-player squads, ensuring representation from all zones and promoting youth development. Each playing XI must include one U-19 player and one player from every zone, and every squad member must get a minimum of one match, keeping the league's grassroots vision intact.
The ISPL has introduced innovations such as "Googly Power," allowing sudden ₹1 lakh jump bids, and each team has two RTM (Right to Match) cards to bring back players from their Season 2 roster. Vijay Pawle was the highest bid at the auction, joining Majhi Mumbai for Rs 32.5 lakh.
The zonal format has helped spotlight numerous unknown talents, and Season 3 is expected to introduce even more emerging stars to national audiences. The tournament will be held at Lalbhai Contractor Stadium in Surat from January 9 to February 6, 2026. The stadium is preparing with infrastructure upgrades, fan zones, and interactive experiences to accommodate the expected surge in attendance.
ISPL's growing popularity is undeniable, with over 42 lakh registrations for Season 3. Season 2 concluded with Majhi Mumbai lifting the trophy and spotlighting rising stars like Abhishek Dalhor, Sagar Ali, Rajat Mundhe, Ketan Mhatre, Jagannath Sarkar, and Fardeen Kazi. Dalhor's standout performance earned him a spot as a net bowler with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, underscoring ISPL's core promise of turning street cricketers into tomorrow's professionals. The MVP of Season 3 will receive a Porsche 911.
