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Quinton de Kock<\/strong>, the explosive South African wicketkeeper-batter, has established himself as a dominant force in the Indian Premier League (IPL)<\/strong> over the years. Known for his aggressive, free-flowing strokeplay at the top of the order and reliable glovework, he offers a rare combination of skills that is highly sought after by franchises.<\/p>\n De Kock has played for multiple teams, including Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals), Royal Challengers Bengaluru<\/strong>, Mumbai Indians<\/strong> (where he won consecutive titles in 2019 and 2020), and Lucknow Super Giants<\/strong>, before his most recent stint with Kolkata Knight Riders<\/strong>. Across 115 IPL matches, he has amassed 3,309 runs at an average of 30.64 and a strong strike rate of 134.02, including two hundreds and 24 half-centuries.<\/p>\n In the recently released list of 350 players, who will go under the hammer in the IPL 2026 mini-auction, De Kock has been included in the INR 1 crore base price category, making him an attractive and potentially valuable purchase for teams looking to strengthen their top-order and wicketkeeping department. On that note, let\u2019s have a look at some teams who can target the Proteas star in the upcoming auction.<\/p>\n 1) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)<\/strong><\/p>\n KKR are in a commanding position with the biggest remaining purse and the most slots to fill. They have a pressing need for a quality wicketkeeper-opener, a role De Kock fits perfectly. Interestingly, KKR recently released him ahead of the retention submission deadline. A pattern often seen in IPL auctions is teams targeting their released players again at a lesser price, and given his reduced \u20b91 crore base price, KKR could attempt to re-acquire the South African star for a bargain to address a critical squad requirement.<\/p>\n 2) Delhi Capitals (DC)<\/strong><\/p>\n Following the release of Faf du Plessis<\/strong> and Jake Fraser-McGurk<\/strong>, DC needs an aggressive opening partner for KL Rahul<\/strong><\/a> who can dominate the powerplay. De Kock\u2019s natural attacking game makes him an ideal candidate to provide the quick starts DC lacked in their recent campaigns. Furthermore, De Kock has a history with the franchise, having played for the then-Delhi Daredevils back in 2014-2016, providing a sense of familiarity. Their healthy purse of \u20b921.8 cr also gives them the financial flexibility to bid strongly for him.<\/p>\n 3) Rajasthan Royals (RR)<\/strong><\/p>\n With a limited auction purse and only one overseas slot remaining, Rajasthan Royals will be extremely focused on securing value-for-money purchases to rebuild their squad after the departure of key players like Sanju Samson<\/strong><\/a> (traded to CSK). De Kock, at a \u20b91 crore base price, presents an opportunity to fill the crucial overseas wicketkeeper-batter slot efficiently. His experience and ability to anchor or accelerate the innings would be invaluable to a slightly depleted RR top-order.<\/p>\n Also READ: IPL 2026: 5 franchises that can target David Miller in the mini-auction<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 4) Punjab Kings (PBKS)<\/strong><\/p>\n With a stable core of retained players but a limited budget, Punjab Kings need to focus on acquiring a quality wicketkeeper-batter. Following the release of Josh Inglis<\/strong> (due to availability issues), PBKS need an explosive wicketkeeper who can open the batting or provide top-order flexibility. De Kock\u2019s reputation as a hard-hitting opener makes him a prime target to fulfil this exact role for PBKS, allowing them to maximise their two available overseas slots.<\/p>\n 5) Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)<\/strong><\/p>\n While SRH already boast a strong opening pair in Travis Head<\/strong> and Abhishek Sharma<\/strong>, they could target De Kock as a reliable No. 3 batter to stabilize the middle order or as a backup wicketkeeper option for Heinrich Klaasen<\/strong>. De Kock has previously shown his versatility to bat outside the opening slot. Given their decent remaining purse, SRH have the financial capacity to bring him in, adding a layer of depth and experience that could be crucial for their title aspirations, particularly if either of their main openers or Klaasen faces an injury or a dip in form.<\/p>\n Also READ: 5 franchises that can target Steve Smith in the IPL 2026 auction<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n5 franchises that can go for Quinton de Kock in IPL 2026 auction<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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