The Hundred's annual auction returns this week, with men's and women's teams preparing to build their squads through a three-stage process. Before the auction, teams could select up to four players each, including a mix of overseas signings and England centrally contracted players, with only three allowed as new additions.

The auction features three distinct rounds: hero players, ranked players, and nominated players. Hero players represent the most sought-after talents, with the top 50 divided into role-based groups for bidding. Teams compete for these players, with the highest bidder securing their signature. Following this, teams nominate 25 additional players each, creating a ranked player pool from the auction longlist.

The final nominated player round uses a random draw to determine selection order. Teams choose unsigned players, who enter an auction unless no other team bids, in which case they join the selecting team automatically. The process continues until all eight teams complete their squads. Former England pace bowler Tymal Mills, the competition's leading wicket-taker, features on this year's longlist after five seasons with Southern Brave.