South African experienced batsman david miller He is one of the players to be auctioned in the upcoming IPL 2026 mini-auction. Released by Lucknow Super Giants after just one season, the 36-year-old player now enters the auction pool with a base price of Rs 2 crore, the highest bracket available. While his exit from LSG has increased the interest of many teams who are looking for an experienced lower-middle-order batsman.
Miller's 2025 campaign with LSG was a mixed one. Bought for Rs 7.5 crore in the 2025 mega-auction, he was expected to provide the punch that the franchise was lacking. Instead, the left-handed batsman finished the season with 153 runs in 11 innings at an average of 30.60 and a strike rate of 127.49. He crossed the score of 30 only once and eventually lost his place in the eleven as LSG opted for a foreign fast bowler due to persistent injuries in their bowling attack. With LSG attempting to fix their tempo issues, Miller became an unfortunate name tossed around frequently.
Despite poor numbers, Miller's release attracted considerable attention. LSG's batting core includes Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh and Ayush Badoni. Miller's long IPL career, which began in 2012, includes over 3,000 runs at an average of 35.77 and a strike rate of 138.60. His role in Gujarat Titans' 2022 title-winning season, where he scored 481 runs at an average of 68.71, is one of the finest campaigns by a middle-order batsman in IPL history.
However, LSG's release strategy is more purse-driven than performance-based. With the franchise finishing seventh in IPL 2025 and looking for an overseas all-rounder rather than a specialist batsman, freeing up Miller's salary of Rs 7.5 crore became a straightforward decision. Nevertheless, there is still an outside chance of LSG attempting to buy him back at a lower price in the auction.
AI predicts David Miller's IPL 2026 team and final bid price
| scenarios | Team | final bid price |
| 1 | Chennai Super Kings | INR 7.5 – 9 Crore |
| 2 | Kolkata Knight Riders or Gujarat Titans | INR 5.5 – 7.5 Crore |
According to AI, five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings are the strongest contenders to secure David Miller in the IPL 2026 auction. With Andre Russell retiring and Glenn Maxwell ruled out of IPL 2026, the market for reliable finishers is limited. CSK will arrive at the auction table with a big purse of Rs 43.4 crore and a vacant overseas slot.
Additionally, Ravindra Jadeja's transfer to Rajasthan Royals has left a void in CSK's left-handed batting options. While MS Dhoni played impressive cameos in 2024, his strike rate in 2025 dropped to 135.17, forcing CSK to rethink their finishing structure. Miller, who has scored more than 171 runs in the death overs in his entire IPL career, fulfills this requirement brilliantly. Notably, their estimated final bid price could be between Rs 7 to Rs 9 crore.
Notably, the southpaw will attract keen interest from several teams, especially Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders. It's worth noting, GT wants an experienced finisher after trading Sherfane Rutherford. KKR, with the biggest purse (INR 64.3 crore), needs a solid replacement for Andre Russell.
Disclaimer: The predictions in this article are based on AI analysis and are completely hypothetical. They are for entertainment and informational purposes only. Projected teams and bid values for David Miller in IPL 2026 may not reflect actual results, and CricTracker is not responsible for any discrepancies,
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