It is very interesting to find out what really happens to players after their return from retirement! If someone is curious about this matter, the only person to whom one can get the answer is Quinton de Kock. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter has been extremely well since his comeback from retirement, and this is evident in his fielding performance.
Quinton de Kock scored a wonderful 90 off just 46 balls, including five fours and seven sixes. He was always attacking the bowlers right from the first ball and did not seem to be making a false shot even once. His shot on the leg-side has always been his forte, and Arshdeep Singh actually let him off the hook with a ball that was drifting onto his pads.
Meanwhile, it looked like the South African wicketkeeper-batter had already decided not to pass his name for the IPL 2026 auctions. However, at the very last moment, he managed to get his name registered, which means that he will be auctioned on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. Though there could be several reasons for the same, it could be a sign of a clear signal.
According to some reports, a couple of franchises have already contacted Quinton de Kock and asked him to participate in the mini-auction in Abu Dhabi. Most of the teams will have already made their retentions and releases prior to this mini-auction, and that is when it comes down to the few franchises to put up their bids for the players whose services they wish to get. And de Kock seemed to be on the list!
Which franchises can go after Quinton de Kock?
Franchises needing an opener would surely want to go for the South African wicketkeeper-batsman. A few franchises have already let go of their openers and thus will have vacant spots at the top of the order. Besides, such a communication from the management of a couple of franchises to de Kock only serves as a further proof that they have him on their list.
In the Indian Premier League (IPL), his strike rate has not been so impressive 134.02 runs per hundred balls. However, the South African player has shown his worth as a batsman in the format and already made it clear that he is more than happy to be part of any team trying to get into the half. Although his batting average is just above 30, he has very good sense when it comes to timing his attack.
It is very likely that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) might want to take a shot at de Kock, due to their lack of a strong opener. The KKR, who have won the IPL title thrice, are looking for a replacement at the top of their batting order. The Capitals, on the contrary, have released Jake Fraser-McGurk and Faf du Plessis, which means that they are also looking for a batsman who can partner KL Rahul.
In addition to that, de Kock is going to play it safe by putting himself up for the auction at a low starting price (INR 1 Crore). This could be just in case he is lucky enough to get a bid. There are indications that a franchise with which he has previously played is putting pressure on him to register for the auction. However, considering that de Kock has played for six franchises in IPL, it could turn out to be quite a large pool.
