Both have been highly impressive lately.
New Zealand speedsters Blair Tickner and Jacob Duffy were again magnificent in the third ODI against England in Wellington and can be in high demand in the IPL 2026 auction. Both have been highly impressive, especially at home, and left the opponent tattered in helpful conditions.
Tickner took four wickets for 64 runs at an economy rate of 6.40 in his 10-over spell, where he showed terrific skills by varying his lengths and pace precisely. He dismissed Sam Curran, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, and Jofra Archer when England were looking to rebuild after early wickets, which has been a pattern throughout this rubber.
Meanwhile, Duffy wreaked havoc with the new ball and removed all the big guns – Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, and Jacob Bethell – inside 10.1 overs. He was accurate and started with a slightly shorter length to dismiss Duckett before going a bit fuller and inducing false shots from the other two batters.
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In the ODI series, Tickner has ended as the leading wicket-taker, with eight scalps at 12.25 runs apiece in two innings, with two four-wicket hauls. Meanwhile, Duffy is the joint second-highest, taking seven wickets at an average of 18.14 across three outings to help New Zealand register a comprehensive series victory over England.
The Kiwi pacers – Blair Tickner and Jacob Duffy – couldn’t have found a better time to showcase their superior skill sets with the ball because the IPL 2026 auction is just around the corner, and several teams need quality pacers in their lineup. Recency bias plays a massive role in mini auctions, and these two have certainly raised their stocks with recent showings.
Both bring certain attributes that are bound to excite: they are tall and quick and can move the old and new ball at pace. Teams like the Delhi Capitals (DC) and the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) would like such bowlers in their ranks because they lagged in this department last season.
Most Indian venues are flat but offer some early movement, especially under the lights, and they can unleash carnage as they do at their home venues. Additionally, they provide ample value in the middle and death overs because their natural lengths are short, and they can vary their pace adeptly to remain unpredictable.
The IPL 2026 auction is unlikely to have many quality fast bowlers with attributes as high as Tickner and Duffy, for the best ones were already sold in the mega auction. So, the two Kiwi speedsters can earn IPL deals, and they deserve it for what they bring to the table, even in the T20 format.
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