The mini auction for the Indian Premier League 2026 is just around the corner, and the fans are anticipating fierce bidding wars, especially after some of the big names were released unexpectedly by several teams. The auction is to be held in Abu Dhabi on December 16.
One of the most startling removals before the event is the New Zealand opening batter Devon Conway, who is no longer with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). CSK was at the bottom of the list in the previous season only having three wins, and as part of rebuilding their squad, they released Conway who was bought for ₹6.25 crore only a year ago.
Interestingly, the kiwi batter had been with the franchise since 2022 and was even a pivotal player for them, but his performance in 2025 was not up to their old standards.
With Conway now in the auction pool, fans speculate if he will be picked by other franchises. Still, there is a strong chance that he remains unsold, and here are three main reasons why.
- Overall performance decline in the IPL and T20s
First, Conway’s latest form has turned out to be a letdown. He was extraordinarily good during the 2023 IPL season, and thus his total of 672 runs scored in 15 innings with an average of 51.69 included him in the list of most reliable openers.
However, in IPL 2025, he could not maintain the same tempo. After he missed the whole 2024 season due to an injury, he returned with hopes of a strong comeback but only managed to score 156 runs in six innings at an average of 26 and a strike rate of 131.09. This was not enough to justify CSK’s investment in him.
Moreover, Conway’s performance at the international level has also declined. In 2025, he has played 12 T20Is for New Zealand and scored 267 runs which is still an inconsistency in the shortest format showing his inability to play well consistently.
Thus, in light of the fact that both his IPL and international performances have fallen short of expectations, it is likely that many teams will not be willing to bid for him.
- Tough competition from players at the same position
On top of that the competition for opening batsmen this year is beyond all expectations. Most of the teams have already kept their best batters, which means that only less franchises are looking for players in that role.
Even if KKR and Delhi Capital do require openers, the mini-auction is featuring many other batters including Quinton de Kock and Tim Seifert, who are more aggressive than Conway and also in better form.
As a result, it is a fact that contextually and technically Conway is a gifted cricketer but he might still get eclipsed by others who are more consistent with their performances. Competition in his case might even work against him as it could make him get overlooked by the franchisees.
- Age and fitness can be a huge factor
Finally, the issue of age and fitness might also be a factor. Conway is now 34, and in the last few years he has had injuries and lost form consistently. He has hit a total of 1080 runs in 29 IPL matches which is still quite a good number but now franchises are more like to choose young, fit, and explosive batters who can be their long-term options.
In view of his diminishing strike rate and the persistent fitness issues, the situation might be that some teams simply do not want to take the gamble and spend money on him.
