Only a few weeks left until the big IPL auction, all 10 franchises – Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, SunRisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Lucknow The Super Giants and yet to be named team Ahmedabad – are busy completing their goals for what could be a great season of the Indian Premier League. BCCI has yet to confirm the location of the major auction but secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that it will take place on 12 and 13 February. The 15th edition of the IPL is likely to start in the final week of the auction. March. Unlike other auctions, which take place every year before the tournament, the grand auction carries a special meaning. It is these two dates that will determine how the franchise will shape up over the next three seasons. All teams have managed to retain some in their core group – no more than four cricketers – and so all eyes will be on how they strengthen their team by recruiting abroad. outside.
Here are five overseas openers that could spark a bidding war in the big IPL auction:
David Warner: IPL’s most successful foreign hitter with 5,449 runs in 149 games, David Warner could be an attractive pick in the big auction. The Australian attacker, who led Sunrisers Hyderabad to the 2016 IPL title, had an uneventful departure from the franchise last year when he was dropped as captain and subsequently relegated. removed from the XI squad. The fact that SRH chose Kane Williamson and two young people – Abdul Samad and Umran Malik – over Warner as their retention options, is a clear sign that they do not want to continue to be with Warner for long. However, that opens up a series of opportunities for Warner. Many teams could benefit from his skilled batting at the top and his leadership skills.
Jonny Bairstow: The British heavyweight contender was one of the main stars for the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the top of the table for the last few seasons of the IPL. Bairstow has a strike rate of 142.19 in the IPL, much higher than most openers in the league. Teams like KKR, who have struggled to find the opener after the departures of Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa, could keep an eye on Bairstow in the big auction. The fact that he can wear gloves, makes him a good choice.
Jason Roy: Bairstow’s opening partner for England and another player at the top of the order. Jason Roy also played for SRH most recently. The right-hander can single-handedly destroy bowling attacks if he goes and does quite often in white-ball cricket. People like Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore can pay a lot of money to get his services.
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Faf du Plessis: It’s a pity that Chennai Super Kings were unable to retain Faf du Plessis. He has been one of the mainstays of their team over the past few seasons. A mainstay at the top and a brilliant midfielder, the former South Africa captain is sure to make it to CKS’s favorites list but don’t be surprised if other brands raise the bar to get Faf.
Quinton de Kock: The South African goalkeeper is one of the cleanest strikers in the world of cricket at the moment. He proved his mettle many times opening for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Now that he has retired from red cricket, his full focus will be on making the most of the opportunities he gets in limited cricket and what better platform than IPL? De Kock is in pretty good form in the ODI series that has just ended with India. The scouts must have been keeping a close eye on the unruly subject. Expect the stock to rise when de Kock’s name appears in the big auction.
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