Newly crowned Ashes champions and currently in top form Mitchell Johnson, Brad Haddin and Steven Smith are included in a strong group of 31 players that has attracted the top bracket with a base price of Rs 20 million for the IPL player auction which is to be held in Bangalore on February 12 and 13.
The trio is part of the 233-strong auction list of capped players from ten countries, which was finalised by the IPL last week and the list is handed over to the eight franchises as they can develop their strategies for auction.
There are as many as 46 Indians on the list including star attractions like Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Karthik, Yusuf Pathan, and Pragyan Ojha, all of whom have been listed at the top bracket with a base price of Rs 20 million.
Meanwhile, Irfan Pathan may feel a little hard done by as he is not in the top bracket but has been valued at Rs 15 million. But, Varun Aaron, who is currently with the national team in New Zealand, has opted out of the auction.
Among the overseas players who are not part of this auction, the list includes some of the prominent names like Sri Lankan duo of
Kumar Sangakkara and Dinesh Chandimal, Australia’s Michael Clarke and Mitchell Marsh, England’s Stuart Broad, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, and West Indies’ deadly fast bowler Kemar Roach.
Here’s the list of players valued at the maximum base price of Rs 20 million
Dinesh Karthik, Praveen Kumar, Amit Mishra, Ashish Nehra, Pragyan Ojha, Yusuf Pathan, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, Robin Uthappa, M Vijay, George Bailey, Brad Haddin, Brad Hodge, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, James Pattinson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Alex Hales, Samit Patel, Kevin Pietersen, Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, Jacques Kallis, Tillakratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews, Marlon Samuels
Among the foreign players, New Zealand’s upcoming allrounder Corey Anderson will be the biggest attraction and could likely be one of the players who go for the highest bid. Anderson smashed the fastest ODI century, in 36 balls, against West Indies earlier this month. The 23-year-old, who is now the fastest to register both a century and a five-for in an ODI cricket, has a base price of Rs 10 million.
Alex Hales, currently the No. 1-ranked batsman in Twenty20 cricket is also will also be another star attraction after a clause in the agreement with his county Nottinghamshire made him available for the whole tournament.
But, arguably the biggest name in the list of foreign player is Kevin Pietersen who is a free agent again after Delhi Daredevils opted not to retain any players. Having said that Pietersen’s IPL participation hangs in balance after reports in England media reveal it may well become a point of contention which could lead to more damage in already broken relationship between him and England’s team director Andy Flower.
Ryan ten Doeschate, who was with Kolkata Knight Riders till last year, is the solitary player form the Associates (Netherlands) and has a base price of Rs 10 million.
And finally, Pakistan players, once again, will not take part in the auction although two Pakistan origin players – Azhar Mahmood (England) and Fawad Ahmad (Australia) – have been listed in auction list.
As per the new IPL player regulations, it has been decided that all players will be paid in Indian rupees from this year. Meanwhile, overseas players will be paid in the currency of their choice at the prevailing exchange rate on either the actual date of payment or contract due to date, whichever is beneficial to the player.