Which SA Legend Would Have Been A Mega Hit At IPL Auction? Dale Steyn Picks

Dale Steyn picks one former legend who could have been the costliest player at the IPL auction.

Summarized by AI ⓘ

What is the story about?

The buzz around the IPL 2026 auction is picking up steam. With only three days to go to the mega event, fans are debating which players might invite bidding wars and which could go unsold.

Recently, Star Sports asked former South Africa quick Dale Steyn about a player who never played in the IPL but had the potential to be the most-expensive signing.

“Lance Klusener, maybe,” Steyn replied.

Klusener is considered one of the best all-rounders to grace the game. A powerful left-handed batter and a highly effective medium-pace bowler, he was the Player of the Tournament at the 1999 World Cup after almost single-handedly carrying South Africa to the semi-finals. Across formats, he featured in over 170 international matches, contributing more than 3,500

runs and over 200 wickets, and was especially influential in ODIs.

He played his last internationals in 2004, four years before the IPL began.

Steyn, who represented Deccan Chargers, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Gujarat Lions in the IPL, also picked Allan Donald as a pacer who could have dominated the IPL, Allan Border as a captain who’d have been a genius leader in the league, and Ravi Shastri as a possible face for any franchise.

The 2026 mini-auction on December 16 will feature 359 players shortlisted from an initial pool of 1,390 registrants. The final list includes 240 Indian and 110 overseas players, all vying for contracts across the 10 franchises.

The highest base price has been set at Rs 2 crore, a bracket that includes 40 players such as Cameron Green, Venkatesh Iyer, Matheesha Pathirana, David Miller, Rachin Ravindra, and Steve Smith. Nine players have opted for a Rs 1.5 crore base price, four for Rs 1.25 crore, and 17 for Rs 1 crore. While 42 players are listed at Rs 75 lakh, the bulk of the pool—227 players—have registered at the minimum base price of Rs 30 lakh.

A total of 77 slots are up for grabs, including 31 for overseas players. The auction will begin at 1:00 PM UAE time (2:30 PM IST). Kolkata Knight Riders head into the auction with the biggest purse of Rs 64.3 crore, followed by Chennai Super Kings (Rs 43.4 crore) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (Rs 25.5 crore).