The Royal Challengers Bangalore have reportedly traded Proteas wicketkeeper/batsman Quinton de Kock to the Mumbai Indians in an all-money deal as the IPL’s first trade for 2019.

The 2019 IPL auction is set to take place in December 2018, but De Kock has become the first trade of the season, according to ESPNCricinfo.

De Kock played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2018 season, scoring 201 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 124.07. He has played 34 IPL matches in his career, scoring 927 runs at an average of 28.09 and a strike rate of 130.37, with one century and six half-centuries.

He has also taken 14 catches and six stumpings in his IPL career.

His career T20I strike rate is 128.12, and his T20 strike rate is 133.91, including three centuries. De Kock is currently ranked 38th in the ICC’s T20I rankings,

The Royal Challengers initially purchased De Kock for USD 437,000 in the 2018 auction, but reports from ESPNcricinfo suggest that the Proteas star is moving to Mumbai for his hard-hitting batting, as Mumbai currently already have two keepers in their squad.

De Kock has previously played for Delhi Daredevils as well as the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.

Photo: BCCI