Virandeep Singh: The lone associate star in IPL 2026 mini-auction shortlist

Malaysia cricketer Virandeep Singh

When Virandeep Singh's name was added to the final list for the IPL 2026 mini-auction, he made history. With a base price of INR 30 lakh and a body of work that dwarfs his profile on the international scene, the batting all-rounder from Malaysia is the only cricketer from an Associate nation.

359 names were listed on the BCCI's revised auction list, down from 1,390 registrations. To fill 77 positions, including 31 international positions, they will be put to the test. Virandeep provides something unique in that competitive market: significant T20I volume, leadership expertise, and franchise exposure at a cost that hardly breaks the bank.

Singh, who is only 26 years old, has been the focal point of Malaysian cricket since making his T20I debut in 2019. In 108 games, he has amassed 3,115 runs, the most of any Malaysian player and the only total in the format to surpass 3,000. A ceiling well above the cliche of a minnow accumulator is highlighted by his personal best of 116 undefeated versus Indonesia in 2023.

Virandeep is also more than just a token ball player. He has 108 T20I wickets as a slow left-arm orthodox bowler, including impressive figures of 4 for 5 against Mongolia in 2024. A staggering collection of Player-of-the-match honors—reportedly greater than some of the format's international icons—is layered on top. Those figures will be hard to overlook for a scouting department that looks beyond the obvious names.

Most importantly, Virandeep is not entering the IPL from a solitary domestic bubble. With Sharjah Warriors in the ILT20, Surrey Jaguars in Global T20 Canada, and Chitwan Tigers in Nepal's Everest Premier League, he has previously experienced franchise environments and learned how to work both with and against more well-known players from around the globe.

The theme of leadership also permeates his narrative. Virandeep, who was born into a family of cricketers—his older brother Pavandeep also plays for Malaysia—became the youngest male captain of a T20I team at the age of 20 years and 190 days. He is one of the most intriguing low-cost alternatives on the auction list because of the combination of responsibility, output, and price.

The question at hand is whether any franchise is brave enough to wager on an Associate pioneer. If someone does, Virandeep Singh has the credentials and the data to make sure it doesn't feel like a long-term gamble.