Cash-rich Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) might bully everyone at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini auction. They enter the auction on December 16 with a huge purse of Rs 64.30. The next best purse is with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with Rs 43.40 crore. However, KKR have more gaps to fill with their massive money at hand. Unlike CSK, KKR definitely need a wicket-keeper after they released Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Thankfully for KKR, Tim Seifert is in the mini auction.
Tim Seifert blazes first ton of BBL 15 on IPL auction eve
Whatever action happens before an IPL auction is considered as an audition for the event. Take the example of Corey Anderson’s 36-ball century in January 2014. Next month, he was bought by the Mumbai Indians for half a million dollars. You might remember Sam Curran being the most expensive player in the IPL 2023 auction when PBKS paid Rs 18.50 crore for him. The reason was simple: Curran was the Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup 2022.
Now, Tim Seifert has done himself a huge favour by smashing a superb hundred in the second match of the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) 2025/26, Opening for the Melbourne Renegades, Seifert took on the bowling lineup of the Brisbane Heat that included Shaheen Afridi, Xavier Bartlett and the tricky chinaman Pattrick Dooley.
Despite losing Josh Brown and Muhammad Rizwan early on, Seifert proved to be the one-man show for Melbourne and hammered a scintillating 53-ball hundred, becoming only the second player after Aaron Finch to score a ton for the franchise. To give you context, Seifert scored 44 of the first 66 runs for Melbourne. He struck almost at 200 at that point. In the 8th over, Seifert used the paddle to great effect, scooping Liam Haskett for 3 consecutive boundaries.
After getting his fifty in 30 balls, Seifert took just 23 more deliveries to convert that into a superb hundred. It is his 2nd T20 hundred this year. Due to this, the Melbourne Renegades become the first team to pile up a team total of over 200 runs in T20 history at the Simonds Stadium in Geelong.
Will KKR buy Seifert at IPL 2026 auction?
Seifert gave a perfect audition on the eve of the IPL 2026 auction. This would certainly soar his stocks up in an auction where there are multiple wicket-keeping options. The likes of Jonny Bairstow, Jamie Smith, Kusal Mendis, Ben Duckett (listed as keeper) are likely to attract bids and are also part of the first set among keepers (barring Mendis). Also, not all teams need an overseas keeper.
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) definitely need one. The Delhi Capitals (DC) are another team who would eye one overseas opener. Meanwhile, the likes of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) would be needing some backup options. Hence, the takers are limited. That is why Seifert’s hundred couldn’t have come in a better way and time.
The New Zealand batter is an adept opener and keeper and can play as a specialist batter too. KKR can form an opening pair of Seifert and Ajinkya Rahane and the duo can boss the powerplay. Seifert even had a terrific Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 as well, where he upped his game against spin. So far since February this year, the 31-year-old has mustered 1468 runs at an average of almost 40 and at a superb strike rate of 156.67. Mind you, the hard hitters like Nicholas Pooran, Will Jacks, and Sherfane Rutherford all have an inferior SR when compared to Seifert’s 156.6 in this timeline.
Tim Seifert T20 stats since Feb 2025
| Stats | Inns | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 100/50 | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | 270 | 6800 | 125* | 28.93 | 135.16 | 5/32 | 295 |
| Since Feb 2025 | 43 | 1468 | 125* | 39.67 | 156.67 | 2/5 | 73 |
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