Indian Premier League is back yet again, bigger and better. This year’s auction though, scheduled to be held on 20 February, may not be as big as last year’s but there are definitely some big players up for grabs.
A total of 351 players including 122 capped internationals have been included in the auction. And it’s the bowlers and all-rounders who will be making headlines this time around, opined former cricketer and cricket commentator Aakash Chopra.
Here’s a look at seven players who we think will attract a major bidding war in the IPL auction this year.
1. Kagiso Rabada
One of the most successful South African bowler’s in recent times, Kagiso Rabada will definitely kick off a storm in the IPL auction. South Africa’s youngest ever Cricketer of the year, the 21-year-old bowler had an extremely successful 2016.
In the 14 T20 matches he played last year, Rabada picked 19 wickets at an economy rate of 7.82. In fact, he’s gone wicketless only once in the last 15 twenty-over matches.
Since the Protea chose to sign a county deal last year instead of play in India , this will be the pacer’s first IPL auction. Included at a base price of Rs 1 crore, it would be interesting to see which franchise wins the ‘Rabada’ war this year.
2. Ishant Sharma
Dropped by various IPL franchises and the Indian T20 squad too, the lanky pacer hasn’t been doing so well in the shorter format of the game. However, Ishant Sharma is among the very few known Indian names who are up for sale in the auction this year. So anyone looking to increase the ‘face value’ of their team would want to pick Ishant.
Not a great track record in the shortest format but the pacer has been playing his trade at the Inter-state T20 level this year, picking a few wickets on his way.
In whites though, the recently married Sharma is part of the Indian XI on a regular basis, picking a wicket of two in each innings.
What will work for him though is that he’s the only Indian in the club of Rs 2 crore base price players. Of course the decision to slot himself there, would have been made after a lot of discussion.
3. Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes' first IPL auction is likely to be a spectacular one. One of the seven players with a base price of Rs 2 crore, he is likely to be one of the auction's biggest buys.
Fresh in the minds of Indian fans from the recently concluded English tour of India, Stokes picked three wickets in the three T20 matches at an average of 45.00. Even in last year’s World Twenty20 he picked four wickets in six matches at an average of 44.75.
Since it is his first IPL auction, there will be a novelty factor around Stokes. However franchises might be hesitant to buy him as the English cricketers might leave the league halfway to play for the country.
4. Tymal Solomon Mills
Aakash Chopra’s pick among the bowlers, Tymal Solomon Mills could well be one of the buy buys in the auction this year. The fast-bowler is another one among the English cricketers who will be making his IPL debut if he’s picked.
Though he made his debut only in July last year and has played only four T20 internationals, Mills is touted as one of the most lethal fast bowlers because of his regular 90mph deliveries.
The pacer picked a wicket each at an average of 31.33 in the three 20-over games England played in India this year.
Coming into the auction at a base price of Rs 50 lakh, the Rising Pune Supergiants could put a tough fight for Mills having released six pacers.
5. Angelo Mathews
After unsuccessful stints with KKR and RPS, the all-rounder was not picked up in the 2014 auction. Angelo Mathews subsequently had a super successful year with the national team and was bought by Delhi Daredevils for a whopping Rs 7.5 crores in the 2015 auction.
Last year, the Sri Lankan captain delivered quite a few match-winning performances in T20s including a 81 against New Zealand in Aukland and 73 against England in Delhi during the World twenty20. This year too he scored a 54 against South Africa.
One of the seven players with a base price of Rs 2 crores, all the franchises looking for a overseas all-rounders would want to get their hands on Mathews.
6. Eoin Morgan
One of the very few English regulars in the tournament, Eoin Morgan has been a regular part of the IPL since 2010. Since, he has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders and was let off by Sunrisers Hyderabad last year.
England’s limited overs captain has the ability to sensibly structure a chase in the twenty overs, like he did in the first T20 against India this year. Including the unbeaten half-century in that game, Morgan scored 108 runs in the recently concluded series. In the ongoing Pakistan Super League, he lead his team Peshawar Zalmi to victory with an unbeaten 80.
Thus with experience and relatively good form, all the franchises would be vying for Morgan who has been included at a base price of Rs 2 crores. Again, the fact that English players might be called back early for the ODIs against Ireland could be a dampener.
7. Martin Guptill
Martin Guptill’s maiden Indian Premier League last year was lacklustre - he scored 57 runs in the only three matches he played, at a strike rate of 103.6. The batsman was subsequently dropped by his franchise Mumbai Indians and will be available at the auction from a base price of Rs 50 lakhs.
However the Kiwi has had a pretty good 2016 in the limited-overs format. In the 24 twenty-over games he played, Guptill scored 738 runs that included a 87 not out against Pakistan and 63 against Sri Lanka.
Also, since he is one of the few overseas batsman up for grabs, a fight between franchises can be expected for the Kiwi.