Yuvraj Singh Backs Ben Stokes To Get ‘Big Bucks’ In IPL Auction
Feb 2, 2017 at 4:50 PM
Heaping praise on England all-rounder Ben Stokes, India batting star Yuvraj Singh has tipped the English player to hit the jackpot in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction.
After impressing in the Test and ODI series against India, the big-hitting all-rounder is widely expected to earn a good fortune when the players go under the hammer in late February. The 25-year-old scored 345 runs in the Test series and followed it with 120 runs in the three ODIs at an astonishing strike-rate of over 146. Moreover, his fast bowling and fielding makes him a complete package and Yuvraj is confident the England star would get ‘big bucks’ in the auction.
“A couple of million,” Yuvraj told BBC Sports when he was asked how much the England player was worth.
“He’s a quality hitter, fast bowler and fielder. He’ll definitely get the big bucks. He brings a lot to the table,” he added.
Recalling his old battles with former England star Andrew Flintoff, Yuvraj said he liked Stokes and Virat Kohli having a go at each other throughout the tour.
“I always see Ben and Virat [Kohli] having a go at each other. It’s great for cricket to have passion.
“We always have banter with the English. My old battles were with Andrew Flintoff,” recalled the southpaw.
The Punjab ace also opined that playing in the IPL can hone the skills of English players. Stokes has already put his name in the auction list and is joined by his compatriots Eoin Morgan and Jason Roy while Jos Buttler and Sam Billings have been retained by Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils respectively.
“If these guys come and play the IPL, their skills will improve” Yuvraj added.
“The more they play in different conditions, the better they will become.”