He has a strike rate of 156 in T20 cricket since 2024.
The IPL 2026 auction is set to be held on December 16 with franchises gearing up for the bidding tussle. Top international and domestic players will be in the spotlight with a few likely to fetch huge prices. Ben Duckett could also attract heavy interest from multiple franchises.
England opening batter Ben Duckett has been a steady force at the top of the order across formats and conditions. He has had his poor moments but overall, he has been excellent in the shorter format as well in the last two years.
Since the start of 2024, he has scored 886 runs in T20 cricket at an average of nearly 33 while striking at 156. Duckett has the ability to take on the bowlers from the get go despite his limitations. His game against spin makes him an appealing option in the IPL as well.
That's why he was the No.1 pick in the BBL|14 Draft!
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 26, 2024
Ben Duckett with an innings to remember at the SCG 🙌 #BBL14 pic.twitter.com/J0IdJSCXMU
Here we take a look at three teams that could benefit from acquiring Ben Duckett at IPL 2026 auction.
The 2024 champions are in need of a top quality wicket-keeper batter and Duckett should be among the KKR targets for various reasons. One of the major issues for KKR in the previous edition was the top order keeper spot. They tried Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz but both failed to deliver. Duckett is consistently playing high school bowling and is more adept at handling it. He could also complement Ajinkya Rahane well at the top if KKR decide to move Sunil Narine down the order.
Chennai Super Kings offloaded several players ahead of the retention deadline, including both Kiwi batters Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra. CSK has a home base that has slower pitches, and usually like batters who can spin well and anchor the innings. Duckett is far from a typical anchor but is a pretty good hitter of spin. The Englishman should be in the CSK targets at IPL 2026 auction.
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Delhi Capitals have made quite a few questionable decisions since the mega auction. Last season, their muddled top order was a big mess as both Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk could not live up to the expectations. Someone like Ben Duckett at the top could help them immensely. They lacked a left-hand batter of high calibre and he should be in the DC target players. Although, they have to bat Abhishek Porel out of position, it’s a trade off worth giving a try.
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