MLC Draft 2026: No takers for Steven Taylor, Jayasuriya returns

Former USA captain Steven Taylor went unsold in the 2026 MLC domestic draft, marking a sharp fall for a player once central to the national setup. Long regarded as a batting mainstay, Taylor had been the number one overall pick for MI New York in the inaugural MLC draft. However, at 33, he found no takers this time after being released by the Seattle Orcas.

As is often the case, one player's misfortune opens the door for another. Aakarshit Gomel, the former Mumbai opener, finally found an opportunity with the Unicorns after three seasons in the minor league. Former West Indies international Raymon Reifer will join the Orcas, qualifying as a domestic player.

In a system still searching for fast-bowling depth, several names stood out:

• Former Sri Lanka A seamer Amshi de Silva and ex-India U19 quick Abhimanyu Lamba were picked up by TSK.
• MI New York added Afghanistan-born left-armer Faisal Khan Ahmedzai.
• The Unicorns added former Karachi Kings pacer Mohammad Ilyas and the experienced Zia ul Haq.
• LA Knight Riders used their first pick on South African quick Carmi le Roux.

Notably, all of these fast bowlers secured contracts in the $50,000 bracket.

The draft also reflected a renewed trust in experienced campaigners. MI New York moved swiftly to secure Corey Anderson after his release from the Unicorns. Shehan Jayasuriya, meanwhile, returns to the Orcas after being released last year. At 34, the former Sri Lanka international appears to be building toward one final push.

In all, 17 players were picked in the draft, with a significant proportion bringing experience from List A cricket in full member nations. Historically, MLC teams have leaned heavily on such pedigrees.

Yet, the domestic ecosystem has steadily grown stronger with the advent of MLC, producing promising talents such as Sanjay Krishnamurthy and Sai Teja Mukkamalla. The next step in that evolution may lie in ensuring players emerging from within the American system are assessed on equal footing with those from full member nations.