He averages a whopping 54.35 in ODIs this year.
Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Daryl Mitchell has lately been in decent form and has surely raised his chances of earning a bid in the IPL 2026 auction. He came up with another magnificent knock in the first ODI against the West Indies in Christchurch, hitting a fabulous ton while batting in the middle order.
Mitchell scored 119 runs in 118 deliveries, including 12 boundaries and two maximums, at a strike rate of 100.85. 50.42% of his runs came via fours and sixes, and he scored 44.23% of the team’s runs alone.
New Zealand were in early trouble after losing two wickets for 24 runs inside 6.2 overs, but Mitchell held one end strongly and formed useful partnerships with other batters to put the Kiwis back on track. He also ensured batting at the right pace and helped his team post a competitive 269/7 in the first innings.
This was Mitchell’s seventh ODI century, which came just when New Zealand wanted, for they were in some trouble and needed one of their main batters to bat deep. He has been one of the most consistent batters in the format and now averages a whopping 54.35 this year.
With the IPL 2026 auction around the corner, Daryl Mitchell couldn’t have asked for a better time to show his good form and superior skill sets as a batter. He should get an IPL deal since not many players available come near him in terms of quality in a mini auction.
ALSO READ:
Mitchell has yet to be used wisely by an IPL franchise, and while CSK gave him an extended run in 2024, they could have used him more optimally. Even then, he did reasonably well as a batter, scoring 318 runs at an average of 28.90 and a strike rate of 142.60 in 13 innings, including two fifties.
In the upcoming IPL 2026 auction, a few teams will need quality middle-order batters, and Daryl Mitchell can be one of the options, given that he has previous IPL experience and plays spin well. His spin game makes him an ideal candidate to bat in the middle order, especially since the pitches don’t turn much at any IPL venue, and he can bat briskly.
Then, there’s also some bowling value – he can be a handy medium-pacer, even though it’s not his strong suit, and teams have been reluctant to use his bowling at times. Still, Mitchell is good enough to play as a batter alone, with his recent improvements making him a more all-round batter than ever.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
