IPL auction: Punjab has more money, CSK has to fill a gap

Seam-bowling’s SUVs and released superstars will be in high demand when up to 292 players go under the hammer at the dazzling IPL auction in Chennai on Thursday, even as eight franchises look to beef up their 25-man squads in a bid to find the winning combination for next season.

All-terrain seam-bowling is a premium

The value of an all-rounder in IPL sewing cannot be overstated. They are like first class stocks. Take the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), for example. Much of its success was due to the presence of Shane Watson. The off-roader has been a key figure in CSK’s engine room. If you’re not giving your franchise a great start up front or breaking partnerships with your medium tools, one would see you stuck on the slips and pitching suggestions to your captain MS Dhoni. Watson’s withdrawal from all sports formats last year has created a vacuum.

But many franchises wouldn’t bet on some of the young, untested SUVs like Kylie Jamieson and Cameron Green. A franchise official explained how it could be difficult for a newcomer to the subcontinent. “A lot depends on the dynamics of the auction, on how things develop on the floor,” he said.

Fight for superstars

After a disappointing 2020 IPL, a season in which they finished at the bottom of the points table, the Rajasthan Royals released their captain Steve Smith. At first glance, this seemed like a pragmatic move. In 14 games, the former Australian captain racked up 311 runs at an average average of 131, an indication of his tribulations. Does that mean Smith is off the Royals’ radar when he goes under the hammer at a base price of Rs 2 crore? Not quite. The Royals are playing smart because they would seriously try to win back Smith at a price much lower than the inflated 12 million rupees they had paid him.

Similarly, his Australian teammate Glenn Maxwell was released by the Punjab Kings after a lousy season in which he could only muster 108 runs in 13 games. However, his passionate stroke play against India on the limited stretch in the Australian summer last year was a reminder of his potential in this format. There is no doubt that, like the Royals, Punjab would also do its best for Maxwell, who comes to this auction at a base price of Rs 2 crore, a low of his last year’s price of Rs 10.75 crore.

Sailing on the newbies

Almost every year some little-known Indian players turn into big auctions. In the 2020 IPL auction, the Rajasthan Royals paid out Rs 2.40 crore for Yashasvi Jaiswal, mainly based on his Double Hundred Vijay Hazare Trophy against Jharkhand. The teenager played three games in last year’s IPL and scored 40 runs. Likewise, it will come as no surprise if a franchise breaks the bank with Kerala’s Mohammed Azharuddeen, who has become popular after his 137 of 54 balls failed to go against Mumbai at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last month. As one source put it: “Two or three franchises have a lot of money to play with.” Kings XI Punjab has a bag of Rs 53.20 crore available at auction followed by Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rs 35.90 crore and Rajasthan Royals with Rs 34.85 crore.

Arjun USP

It is known that Arjun Tendulkar could attract more than one offer. The 21-year-old is good enough to play for the Mumbai senior team as a left-arm middle pacer. But as Sachin Tendulkar’s son, Arjun has “a certain brand value” for the team he could play for in the next IPL.

Different ball game

The IPL is a format in which T Natarajan is valuable due to his abilities, while James Anderson is considered a misfit. England’s Dawid Malan could have reached the highest qualifying points in the ICC T20I player rankings, but facing Ashwin or Rashid Khan or Yuzvendra Chahal in a slow spin in India will be a completely different ball game. “This is not a full auction and it is unlikely there will be any big fireworks. Depending on the requirements of the teams, there may still be some surprises, ”concluded a franchise official.

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