Curran, Stokes, Williamson list highest base price at IPL auction

The most keenly awaited part of an IPL auction – mega or mini – has been the order in which a player’s name comes out for bidding. And usually franchises pay a lot of attention, and money, to the names in the marquee set which opens proceedings. It is fair to assume that Curran, Stokes, Williamson and Pooran will be part of this set along with probably Agarwal. Overseas allrouders have always been a mega hit at mini auctions and the in-form trio of Curran, Stokes and Green will fancy a fat pay cheque as an early Christmas present on December 23. While Green has never featured in IPL, the England duo have significant experience.

Currran last played in the tournament in 2021 for Chennai Super Kings before a stress fracture in his lower back forced him to miss a lot of cricket. The Super Kings had bought Curran for 5.5 crore and will once again aim to buy him though rival franchises like Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, who go in with the two biggest purses, will have a better chance of landing the England allrounder who is a proven match-winner both with ball and bat.

Also Read: Indian players lowers their base price before IPL Auction

Teams focus on Curran, Stokes, Green; as these players were in limelight recently

The year 2021 was also the last time Stokes played the IPL. Representing Rajastthan Royals, Stokes left the season at the halfway stage due to an injury. Royals had bought Stokes for 12.5. crore in 2018 and had retained him for the next three years. In 2022, Stokes opted out of the IPL. As for Green, he recently said despite the massive workload confronting Australian players leading to. Immediately after, IPL 2023, he was excited to participate in the tournament. Green turned a lot of heads during Australia’s white-ball series in India. Just before the T20 World Cup where he scored 118 runs at a strike rate of 214.54 while opening the batting. Coupled with his bowling the 23-year old could prove to be a big asset in T20 cricket.

Dwayne Bravo looks to have said goodbye to the IPL (at least as a player). Having been released by the Super Kings ahead of the auction. His name was not among the 991 put forward in the long list. Bravo is a three-time IPL winner and the tournament’s highest wicket-taker (183). MS Dhoni’s team had brought him on in 2011 and had kept faith in him through to 2022. But at 39 years of age and battling injuries, it is likely that the West Indian will now shift to a backroom role. Much like his great friend Kieron Pollard has at Mumbai Indians.