Top 5 biggest steals of IPL 2026 Auction ft. Quinton de Kock

The IPL 2026 auction was held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 16. Australian all-rounder Cameron Green created history, becoming the most expensive overseas player in IPL history. He was purchased by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a whopping ₹25.20 crore. Green will, however, only be paid ₹18 crore as the IPL has introduced the 'maximum fee' rule for overseas cricketers.

Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana was the second biggest buy at the IPL 2026 auction. He was also sold to KKR for ₹18 crore. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pulled off a surprise by purchasing two uncapped Indian players - Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer - for ₹14.2 crore each. Kartik and Prashant now jointly hold the record for being the most expensive uncapped players in the IPL auction.

While some star players bagged hefty deals and some young cricketers got a lot more than expected, there were a few prominent names who were sold at their base price. In this feature, we look at the five biggest steals of IPL 2026 auction.

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#1 Quinton De Kock

Seasoned South African keeper-batter Quinton de Kock was purchased by Mumbai Indians (MI) for his base price of ₹1 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. The left-handed batter reversed his ODI retirement in September and was subsequently picked in South Africa's white-ball squads. De Kock has been in impressive form since making his return to the international stage.

He was the Player of the Series for scoring 239 runs in three ODIs in Pakistan. De Kock also slammed a hundred in the Visakhapatnam one-dayer against India and clobbered 90 off 46 in the second T20I in Mullanpur. He is a proven performer in the IPL as well and is a great addition to the MI squad at just ₹1 crore.

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#2 Wanindu Hasaranga

Sri Lanka's bowling all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was purchased by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for his base price of ₹2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. Hasaranga represented Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2025 and was released after a middling season - 11 wickets in 11 matches at an economy rate of 9.04.

While Hasaranga had a below par IPL 2025 season, LSG should be pleased to have acquired his services for ₹2 crore. The Sri Lankan star has an impressive record in the T20 league - 46 wickets in 37 matches at an average of 24.32 and an economy rate of 8.41. He can be a game changer with ball and bat on his day.

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#3 David Miller

Veteran South African batter David Miller was another star player who was sold at his base price at the IPL 2026 auction. Released by LSG after an underwhelming 2025 season during which he scored 153 runs in 11 innings, the southpaw was purchased by Delhi Capitals (DC) for ₹2 crore.

Some experts reckon that Miller did not get a huge bid at the auction as he is past his prime. And while that might be true, the 36-year-old has given indications that he still has some gas left in the tank. His big-hitting skills could be utilized in the finishing role by Delhi.

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#4 Rachin Ravindra

New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra was picked up by KKR for his base price of ₹2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. On the back of some terrific performances in international cricket, Ravindra made his IPL debut for CSK in the 2024 edition. The southpaw was retained for the 2025 season, but was subsequently released after he managed only one fifty in eight innings.

While Ravindra has experienced mixed fortunes so far in the tournament, he is someone who can be groomed into a match-winner in the T20 format. He has given quite a few glimpses of his talent. Apart from his batting ability, the Kiwi is also an under-rated left-arm spinner.

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#5 Ben Duckett

England's dashing opener Ben Duckett is yet to feature in the IPL. But that is set to change as he was purchased by DC for ₹2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction on Tuesday. The left-hander has played only 20 T20Is for England, but has a strike rate of 153.64, a clear indication of his batting style.

Duckett is someone who loves to go after the bowlers irrespective of the format. As such, the T20 format is tailor-made for him. Of course, there have been many instances of T20 specialists failing in the IPL. However, Duckett comes in with plenty of experience across multiple leagues. It would be surprising if he does not enjoy his stint with DC.