Summary
The ninth season of the IPL kicks off on April 4, with yet another highly-anticipated auction set to take place on February 6. 351 players have been named on the auction list, with the eight teams looking for fresh talent to boost their respective chances this year. Already we have seen the six established franchises both retain and release a number of players, while the two new sides have each picked five players from the pool of players available as a result of the suspension of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals.
Surprise releases?
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| Australian international George Bailey was released by KXIP, despite captaining the side last season (PHOTO: Brett Hemmings - CA) |
Top international names such as Dinesh Karthik, Darren Sammy, Aaron Finch, George Bailey, Yuvraj Singh, Angelo Mathews, Dale Steyn and Kevin Pietersen were amongst the names to be released and will all be looking to pick up a large pay packet this time around.
Also surplus to requirements were:
- Rilee Roussouw (RCB) - South African international batsman
- Pragyan Ojha (MI) - the tenth leading wicket taker in IPL history
- Alex Hales (MI) - 3rd in international t20 cricket batting rankings
- Colin Munro (MI) - recently scored the second-fastest half-century in international t20s
- Thisara Perera (KXIP) - dangerous Sri Lankan international all-rounder
- Travis Head (DD) - exciting young Australian batsman, fifth top runscorer in BBL 5
- Ishant Sharma (SRH) - experienced Indian fast bowler, one of nine marquee players in the auction
Franchises looking for Indian talent to bolster their home-based quota will be able to look at a number of promising/experienced Indian talent from those released by their franchises, including:
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| Badrinath played the 'anchor' role to perfection over a number of years for CSK - is he worth a punt? (PHOTO: Seshadri Sukumar) |
- Ashok Dinda (RCB) - exuberant yet inconsistent former Indian fast bowler
- Iqbal Abdulla (RCB) - useful left arm spinner capable of opening the bowling
- Manvinder Bisla (RCB) - busy, dangerous wicket-keeper/batsman able to produce game-changing innings' - although they are too far in between
- Subramaniam Badrinath (RCB) - vastly experienced IPL campaigner, played the anchor role to near perfection over several seasons for the Super Kings
- KC Cariappa (KKR) - 'mystery' spinner picked up for a surprising $400,000 in last year's auction
- Parvinder Awana (KXIP) - good servant for the Kings XI over the past few seasons, able to bowl anywhere within an innings
- Jaydev Unadkat (DD) - young left-arm seamer who has represented India on eight occasions - one Test and seven ODIs
- Manoj Tiwary (DD) - quality batsman able to bat almost anywhere in the batting lineup and adjust to match conditions accordingly
- Praveen Kumar (SRH) - quality swing bowler able to keep the score down at the start of an innings - not so much at the end
Another batch of released players who could be worth keeping an eye out for include Austrlains Nic Maddinson, Sean Abbott and Marcus Stoinis and South African left-arm quick Beuran Hendricks.
10 potential bargains
1) Karun Nair (₹10,00,000 base price)
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| Karun is a talented batsman who will be a good purchase this coming auction (PHOTO: Lakruwan Wanniarachchi) |
Karun has played for Rajasthan Royals in the previous three years of the IPL, with his most successful seasons coming in 2014 where he scored 330 runs.
He has shown glimpses of his considerable talent in the 27 IPL games he has played thus far, scoring four fifties in the process.
He will be hoping to secure a big move in the auction and improve his career IPL average of 22.60.
2) Evin Lewis (₹20,00,000 base price)
Lewis is being touted as a potential successor to the great Chris Gayle at the top of the West Indies' order.
The Trinidadian scorched a maiden t20 hundred during the Bangladesh Premier League whilst playing for Gayle's team the Barisal Bulls.
That innings brought a large amount of attention towards the 24-year-old as he struck six sixes in his 65-ball effort.
Lewis has enjoyed similar success for his St Kitts and Nevis Patriots side in the Caribbean Premier League, passing 50 four times on the way to scoring 543 runs in 18 innings.
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| The new Chris Gayle? Lewis is a hard-hitting left hander and could get an IPL gig for 2016 (PHOTO: LatinContent/STR) |
The Trinidadian scorched a maiden t20 hundred during the Bangladesh Premier League whilst playing for Gayle's team the Barisal Bulls.
That innings brought a large amount of attention towards the 24-year-old as he struck six sixes in his 65-ball effort.
Lewis has enjoyed similar success for his St Kitts and Nevis Patriots side in the Caribbean Premier League, passing 50 four times on the way to scoring 543 runs in 18 innings.
3) Soumya Sarkar (₹30,00,000 base price)
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| Soumya Sarkar is one of a young crop of talented Bangladeshis - will he get a chance to show his talent at the IPL? (PHOTO: AFP PHOTO/Munir Uz Zaman) |
The recent BPL provided a fine window of opportunity for Soumya to showcase the kind of talent that he has in his locker.
The 22-year-old left hander is a very attractive player to watch and he will hope that his burgeoning talent will be further helped by a stint in the IPL.
4) Pawan Negi (₹30,00,000 base price)
Again, like many of the players in the IPL auction, Negi is unlikely to go for anything near his base price. Negi broke through last year into the Chennai Super Kings with a string of impressive performances with both bat and ball.
The 23-year-old has also just been named in the Indian squad for the upcoming World t20, a factor that could see a significant rise in price.
Negi is somewhat of a pinch-hitter down the order, exemplified by his 2015 average of just 14.5 alongside an impressive strike rate of 158.9.
Despite enjoying his genuine breakthrough year last time out for the Super Kings, his performances for the Delhi Daredevils back in 2012 were among his best in terms of bowling, taking seven wickets at an average of 21.71.
Negi is somewhat of a pinch-hitter down the order, exemplified by his 2015 average of just 14.5 alongside an impressive strike rate of 158.9.
Despite enjoying his genuine breakthrough year last time out for the Super Kings, his performances for the Delhi Daredevils back in 2012 were among his best in terms of bowling, taking seven wickets at an average of 21.71.
5) Deepak Hooda (₹10,00,000 base price)
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| Hooda is an exeptional young talent and there will be no shortage of suitors in the auction (PHOTO: Shaun Roy/SPORTZPICS_BCCI) |
The 20-year-old broke through for the Royals last year, scoring 151 runs in 14 games. Hooda burst onto the IPL scene via his penchant for six-hitting, one that saw him strike an impressive 11 maximums in IPL 8.
Rather unsurprisingly, the all-rounder was inconsistent at times, but he managed to clear the ropes in a more consistent way than putting together an innings.
With bags of potential, particularly in t20, Hooda will surely be a wanted man in the auction and could well see a considerable increase on his already-low base price.
6) Cameron Bancroft (₹10,00,000 base price)
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| Bancroft was an important asset for the Perth Scorchers during his maiden BBL tournament (PHOTO: Quinn Rooney) |
The 23-year-old enjoyed a fruitful debut BBL campaign for his home side, Perth Scorchers, this year. Not a specialist 'keeper, Bancroft was trusted with the gloves for both the Scorchers and Australia in a breakthrough start to 2016.
His batting also caught the eye, scoring 137 runs for the Scorchers in six BBL innings this season at an average of 34.25.
Those runs included a fine 72 that he compiled against eventual winners Sydney Thunder and it will be innings like these that could see Bancroft picked up at the auction, possibly at a relative snip.
7) RP Singh (₹30,00,000 base price)
Rudra Pratap Singh has taken 87 wickets in his IPL career, leaving him just outside the top 10 leading wicket takers.
Bearing in mind he has not played since 2013, he could have well have had more and broken into three figures.
With the need for a host of new players, new franchise Gujarat Lions could well make a cut-price move for this experienced campaigner, given the fact that Singh has been performing for state side Gujarat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's domestic t20 competition.
In fact, Singh's numbers in the 2015-16 SMA Trophy read very well, having taken 14 wickets in 9 games at an average of just 15.78 and an impressive economy of 6.13.
Therefore, if Singh's home-based franchise do decide to go in for him, they may face some stiff competition.
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| RP Singh has not played an IPL game since 2013 - will he be picked up in the 2016 auction? (PHOTO: Hindustan Times) |
With the need for a host of new players, new franchise Gujarat Lions could well make a cut-price move for this experienced campaigner, given the fact that Singh has been performing for state side Gujarat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's domestic t20 competition.
In fact, Singh's numbers in the 2015-16 SMA Trophy read very well, having taken 14 wickets in 9 games at an average of just 15.78 and an impressive economy of 6.13.
Therefore, if Singh's home-based franchise do decide to go in for him, they may face some stiff competition.
8) Ishwar Pandey (₹20,00,000 base price)
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| Ishwar was a key part of the CSK attack over the last few years (PHOTO: Clint Hughes) |
His most successful season was in fact last year, where the 26-year-old took 11 wickets in 13 games. His numbers were impressive too, claiming his victims at an average of just over 20 and at an economy of 7.19.
These performances may well earn him a decent pay packet as the franchises search for good quality Indian pace bowlers heightens during the auction.
9) Tabraiz Shamsi (₹10,00,000 base price)
A promising South African spinner, Shamsi impressed for the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the 2015 CPL.
During the tournament, Shamsi took 11 wickets in seven games with a best of 4-10. His average and economy rate was also impressive - 13.3 and 6.8 respectively.
Shamsi has also performed well in the South African domestic t20 tournament, the Ram Slam t20. His unorthodox chinaman bowling style may be worth taking a punt on for one of the franchises, especially considering his low base price.
During the tournament, Shamsi took 11 wickets in seven games with a best of 4-10. His average and economy rate was also impressive - 13.3 and 6.8 respectively.
Shamsi has also performed well in the South African domestic t20 tournament, the Ram Slam t20. His unorthodox chinaman bowling style may be worth taking a punt on for one of the franchises, especially considering his low base price.
10) Pravin Tambe (₹10,00,000 base price)
Tambe is an extreme latecomer to professional cricket, having only participated in the IPL since 2013. Now, at the age of 44, Tambe will be hoping that the game between his now-suspended Rajasthan Royals side and fellow-suspended Chennai Super Kings at the backend of the 2015 tournament will not be his last.
Tambe enjoyed a sensational tournament in 2014, then aged 42, as he took an incredible 15 wickets in 13 games at an average of 23.73.
Whether or not he'll be worth taking a chance on in the auction following the Royals' suspension remains to be seen, but his pedigree will be something that teams will surely take into account.
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