IPL 2027 Auction: Which Franchises Could Target In-Form West Indies Star Shai Hope?

Shai Hope’s unbeaten 102 in Hyderabad was his third T20I century, making him the first West Indian to reach that mark and moving him past Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis. All three of his hundreds have finished on the same score of 102 not out, and this one came off just 50 balls in a total of 247/3

The numbers from this tour are hard to ignore. Hope scored 278 runs in the three-match ODI series at an average of 139, with two centuries, including an unbeaten 162 in the final game. In the T20Is, he made 52 in the opening match and an unbeaten 102 in Ranchi, where West Indies pulled off a record chase of 250. He then added another unbeaten hundred in Hyderabad, taking him to four centuries on the tour.

Hope’s IPL experience is thin for a player of his reputation. He played nine matches for Delhi Capitals in the 2024 season, scoring 183 runs at a strike rate of 150, with a best of 41. He hasn’t played in the league since. He registered for last year’s auction but received no bids, so there is no recent IPL season to point to, only that single 2024 stint. The mini-auction is expected in December 2026, and Kevin Pietersen has said there might be paddles in the air from a few tables if Hope puts his name in.

Here are three teams who can want buy him in the IPL 2026 mini-auction

Kolkata Knight Riders

KKR have always built around power, and their top order now features Finn Allen and Cameron Green, two batters who can win a game in a few overs. The question is what happens when one of them falls early. The side needs a volume run-scorer who can hold the innings together through the middle overs and make sure the platform is not wasted, so that Rinku Singh can come in at the end and finish the game rather than rescue it.

Hope fits that role well. His unbeaten finishes this series show he can bat deep without losing tempo, and his strike rate has climbed alongside his reliability. As a wicketkeeper-batter he also gives KKR another tactical option, and reports have already linked him with interest from the franchise. Eden Gardens, with its true pitches and short boundaries, suits a batter who scores heavily without taking unnecessary risks.

Lucknow Super Giants

LSG have leaned towards an all-Indian bowling attack, which puts extra pressure on the overseas slots to deliver with the bat. Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh already provide quality at the top, but both are capable of inconsistent returns, and a side built this way cannot afford a collapse

A consistent scorer like Hope could be exactly the support they need. He can bat around Markram’s anchoring style or complement Marsh’s aggression, and he is able to take the innings forward after either falls.

His record of finishing his hundreds unbeaten also suggests a batter who can control a chase, which matters when the bowling is relatively inexperienced and totals need to be defended or hunted down with precision. The main question is whether LSG can free up an overseas spot after retentions.

Delhi Capitals

A return to Delhi may be the most natural fit. Hope knows the franchise, the squad and the conditions from his 2024 season, and the need is clear: KL Rahul has often found himself alone at the top, carrying the batting without worthy support around him. When Rahul is dismissed, the innings has tended to lose direction.

Hope offers a way out of that pattern. He can open alongside Rahul or bat at three, share the scoring load and allow Rahul to play without feeling he has to do everything himself. Having already played for Delhi, he would need little time to adjust, and after this tour his price could rise sharply. For a franchise that has often been one dependable batter short, he could be the missing piece.