David Miller fetched more than R3-million at the IPL mini-auction. (Photo: Grant Pitcher / Gallo Images) 
Four of South Africa’s best hard-hitters and short-format fast bowlers earned paycheques at the Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction on Tuesday.
Left-handed power-hitter David Miller was the first sold at the auction on Tuesday when he was snapped up for his base price of 2 crore (about R3.7-million) in the morning by Delhi Capitals.
Miller previously represented the Punjab Kings and most recently the Gujarat Titans, with whom he won the IPL title in 2022.
Every South African was picked up at their base price (what individual players set as their minimum amount), with no bidding wars breaking out.
Wicketkeeper/batter Quinton de Kock – who recently came out of international retirement – was bought by Mumbai Indians for 1 crore (R1.9-million).
De Kock was a late addition to the IPL auction list, after initially not putting his name down. Mumbai Indians only had 2.75 crore (R5-million) in their purse going into the mini-auction and spent more than two-thirds on the South African.
He’ll join Ryan Rickelton at Mumbai Indians who formed a solid opening partnership with Indian superstar Rohit Sharma in 2024.
/file/attachments/orphans/TL_2084064_957706.jpg "Lungi Ngidi in action for the Proteas. He was picked up for R3.7-million. (Photo: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images)")
Proteas quicks Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje, who are currently on tour with South Africa in India, were both picked up for 2 crore (about R3.7-million) by Delhi Capitals and Lucknow SuperGiants, respectively.
A sizeable list of South Africans went unsold at the auction. Among them are international players Gerald Coetzee, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Eathan Bosch and Dwaine Pretorius.
The uncapped South African players who threw their names in the hat but weren’t picked up are Connor Esterhuizen, Tristan Luus, Daniel Lategan, Delano Potgieter and Bayanda Majola.
Bidding wars
While the four South Africans went with the first teams that bid for them, an extended bidding war broke out for Australia all-rounder Cameron Green.
The 26-year-old became the most expensive overseas signing at the IPL after being scooped up by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for 25.20 crore (R47-million). Mumbai Indians, despite their minuscule purse, were in for Green at the start of the bidding before Rajasthan Royals jumped in.
Their purse was no match for Chennai Super Kings and KKR, however, with the two franchises pushing the number up to record amounts before the latter secured the services of the Australian.
Green won’t receive the full amount himself. Only 18 crore (about R34-million) will go into his personal bank account, with the rest going into the Board of Control of Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Player Welfare Fund.
It’s a new initiative implemented at this year’s auction. The intent is to stop mini-auctions from becoming a distorted market where scarcity and purse mismatches inflate overseas pay.
/file/attachments/2986/Code_Generated_Image1_328348_ff972bb4a3fa577da67c1107fa4c1fe1.png "List of most expensive players at the 2026 IPL mini-auction.")
KKR also bought the second-most-expensive player at the 2026 IPL auction, Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, for 18 crore (about R34-million).
KKR started the day with the biggest purse – 64.3 crore (about R120-million) – and were sure to splash the cash to ensure they received the players they wanted headed into the 2026 season, which begins on 26 March.
The mini-auction is smaller than the mega-auction which takes place every four years in comparison. The purpose of the mini-version is to fill gaps which may have arisen between seasons whereas in the mega-auction teams are only allowed to retain a handful of players, with the rest put back into the pot for teams to bid for them. The next IPL mega-auction will take place in 2028. DM
List of retained South African players at the IPL:
- Dewald Brevis (Chennai Super Kings): Retained;
- Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals): Retained;
- Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans): Retained;
- Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants): Retained;
- Matthew Breetzke (Lucknow Super Giants): Retained;
- Ryan Rickelton (Mumbai Indians): Retained;
- Corbin Bosch (Mumbai Indians): Retained;
- Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings): Retained;
- Donovan Ferreira (Rajasthan Royals): Traded in (from DC);
- Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Rajasthan Royals): Retained;
- Kwena Maphaka (Rajasthan Royals): Retained; and
- Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad): Retained (highest retention).