Meet Virandeep Singh: The only associate cricketer in the IPL 2026 shortlist of players for mini-auction

Virandeep Singh, a Malaysian cricketer, has made history by being shortlisted for the IPL 2026 mini-auction.

Virandeep Singh has created a new history when his name got shortlisted in the IPL 2026’s final list for the upcoming mini-auction. The batting all-rounder from Malaysia is the only cricketer from an Associate nation, carrying a base price of INR 30 lakh and a body of work that dwarfs his profile on the global radar.

Virandeep Singh, the cricketer from Malaysia. (@viran23/x.com)

Why Virandeep stands out

The BCCI’s updated auction roster cut from 1,390 registrations to 359 names. They will be going under the hammer to fill 77 vacancies, including 31 overseas slots. In that crowded marketplace, Virandeep offers something unusual: heavy T20I volume, leadership experience, and franchise exposure at a price tag that barely dents a purse.

Notably, Singh is only 26 and the right-hander has been the heart of Malaysian cricket since his T20I debut in 2019. He has piled up 3,115 runs in 108 matches, the highest by any Malaysia player, and the only tally from the country to cross 3,000 runs in the format. His personal best of 116 unbeaten against Indonesia in 2023 underlines a ceiling far above the stereotype of a minnow accumulator.

Virandeep is not a token part-timer with the ball either. Bowling slow left-arm orthodox, he has 108 T20I wickets, including eye-catching figures of 4 for 5 versus Mongolia in 2024. Layered on top is a remarkable collection of Player-of-the-match awards, reportedly more than some of the format’s global icons. For a scouting department looking beyond the big names, those numbers will be impossible to ignore.

Crucially, Virandeep is not stepping into the IPL from an isolated domestic bubble. He has already sampled franchise environments with Sharjah Warriors in the ILT20, Surrey Jaguars in Global T20 Canada, and Chitwan Tigers in Nepal’s Everest Premier League, learning to operate alongside and against higher-profile professionals from around the world.

The leadership thread runs through his story as well. Born into a cricketing family - his elder brother Pavandeep also plays for Malaysia, Virandeep captained his national side at just 20 years and 190 days, making him the youngest male cricketer to lead a T20I team. The blend of responsibility, output and price makes him one of the most intriguing budget options on the auction list.

Whether any franchise is bold enough to place a bet on an Associate trailblazer is the question now. If someone does, Virandeep Singh has the numbers and the resume to ensure it doesn’t feel like a gamble for long.