Who was the first surprise pick in IPL 2026 auction?

                                                       

David Miller was the first unexpected choice.

David Miller, a batter from South Africa, was the first player to be sold in the IPL 2026 mini-auction. Delhi Capitals purchased Miller for his base price of ₹2 crore.

Because Miller is a well-known T20 player and most fans anticipated that he would draw competitive bids above base price rather than go through at the minimum, that raised some eyebrows.

Why It Was Considered a Surprise

Despite Miller's impressive IPL and T20 credentials, this move was notable for a number of reasons:

Base-price sale: Despite the need for strong middle-order hitters, teams initially passed on Miller because a player of his caliber usually fetches more than the lowest listed amount.

Despite the need for strong middle-order hitters, teams initially passed on him. 

Auction dynamics: Experienced hitters like Miller were initially unpopular as teams prioritized all-around abilities or particular roles (like fast bowlers and finishers)

Additional Unexpected Moments at the Auction

A number of unanticipated events transpired shortly after the auction began:

Big names went unsold at first: Given their experience and reputations, players like Devon Conway, Liam Livingstone, and Prithvi Shaw were shocked to find no bidders in the early sets. 

Waves were created by uncapped domestic talent: Another twist in the bidding story came when young Indian players like Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma sparked fierce bidding wars and became the joint most expensive uncapped purchases ever at ₹14.20 crore each.

Unexpected steals: Given his comparatively low profile prior to the auction, many analysts were shocked when Delhi Capitals acquired Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi for ₹8.40 crore, significantly more than his base price.

Summary

In summary, David Miller was the first unexpected pick in the IPL 2026 auction, joining the Delhi Capitals at base price. Considering his batting pedigree and experience, this was a quiet but unexpected start.
Even more audacious surprises, such as significant domestic talent receiving enormous bids and a number of big stars going unsold early, followed.