New Delhi, Dec. 17 -- Mumbai Indians (MI) entered the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini auction with the smallest purse among all teams, having just Rs 2.75 crore to spend after retaining the bulk of their squad. However, they still managed to buy South Africa batter Quinton de Kock for just Rs 1 crore. Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin praised the Mumbai-based franchise for signing De Kock, calling it a smart move while suggesting other teams missed an opportunity.

The South African wicketkeeper-batter turned out to be MI's most notable buy at the auction, who was snapped up at his base price of Rs 1 crore. The left-handed opener makes a return to the franchise after a productive first stint with Mumbai Indians from 2019 t...