quinton de kockSouth Africa’s explosive wicketkeeper-batsman has established himself as a dominant force Indian Premier League (IPL) In the last few years. Known for his aggressive, free-flowing strokeplay and reliable glovework at the top order, he offers a rare combination of skills that is highly sought after by the franchise.
De Kock has played for many teams including Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals), Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians (where they won consecutive titles in 2019 and 2020), and Lucknow Super Giantsbefore his most recent term Kolkata Knight RidersIn 115 IPL matches, he has scored 3,309 runs at an average of 30,64 and a strong strike rate of 134,02, including two centuries and 24 half-centuries,
In the recently released list of 350 players that will be up for grabs in the IPL 2026 mini-auction, De Kock has been included in the Rs 1 crore base price category, making him an attractive and potentially valuable buy for teams looking to strengthen their top-order and wicketkeeping department. On that note, let’s take a look at some teams that could target the Proteas star in the upcoming auction.
5 franchises that can buy Quinton de Kock in IPL 2026 auction
1) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
- Purse Balance: ₹64.3 crore
- Remaining slots: 13 (6 foreigners)
KKR are in the strong position with the biggest balance and most slots to fill. They are in dire need of a quality wicketkeeper-opening batsman, a role De Kock fits the bill perfectly. Interestingly, KKR recently released him before the retention submission deadline. A pattern often seen in the IPL auction is that teams target their released players again at a lower price, and given his reduced ₹1 crore base price, KKR may attempt to re-acquire the South African star at a bargain price to fulfill a key team need.
2) Delhi Capitals (DC)
- Purse Balance: ₹21.8 crore
- Remaining slots: 8 (5 foreigners)
After the release of Faf du Plessis And Jake Fraser-McGurkDC needs an aggressive opening partner KL Rahul Who can dominate the powerplay. De Kock’s natural attacking play makes him an ideal candidate to provide the quick starts that DC have been lacking in recent campaigns. Additionally, De Kock has a history with the franchise, having played for the then Delhi Daredevils in 2014-2016, which added a feeling of familiarity. Their healthy purse of ₹21.8 crore also gives them the financial flexibility to bid aggressively for them.
3) Rajasthan Royals (RR)
- Purse Balance: ₹16.05 crore
- Remaining slots: 9 (1 abroad)
With limited auction funds and only one overseas slot remaining, Rajasthan Royals will be focussed on securing value-for-money buys to rebuild their team after the departure of their key players. sanju samson (Traded to CSK). De Kock, at a base price of ₹1 crore, offers an opportunity to efficiently fill the crucial overseas wicketkeeper-batsman slot. His experience and ability to propel or accelerate the innings will be invaluable to a slightly weakened RR top order.
Also read: IPL 2026: 5 franchises that could target David Miller in the mini-auction
4) Punjab Kings (PBKS)
- Purse Balance: ₹11.5 crore
- Remaining slots: 4 (2 foreigners)
With a stable core of retained players but a limited budget, Punjab Kings need to focus on acquiring a quality wicketkeeper-batsman. After the release of josh inglis (Due to availability issues), PBKS needs an explosive wicketkeeper who can open the batting or provide flexibility at the top of the order. De Kock’s reputation as a forceful opening batsman makes him a prime target for PBKS to fulfill this exact role, allowing them to maximize their two available overseas slots.
5) Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
- Purse Balance: ₹25.5 crore
- Remaining slots: 10 (2 foreigners)
While SRH already have a strong opening pair travis head And Abhishek SharmaThey may target De Kock as a reliable No. 3 batsman to stabilize the middle order or as a backup wicketkeeper option. heinrich classenDe Kock has shown his versatility batting outside the opening slot in the past as well, Given their good purse strings left, SRH have the financial capacity to bring him in, adding a layer of depth and experience that could be vital to their title aspirations, especially if one of their main openers or Klaasen suffers an injury or dip in form,
Also read: 5 franchises that can target Steve Smith in IPL 2026 auction
