IPL 2014 Auctions: Expect the unexpected, and more!

2014 IPL Auctions are eagerly awaited, with big players up for grabs

As the embattled ODI world champions wrap up a shambolic performance in the limited-overs format within the cool climes of New Zealand, focus has already shifted to the upcoming auctions for the seventh season of the flashy Indian Premier League.

With numerous rule changes implemented in order to banish the ghosts of the previous edition, interest in the buying and selling of players’ services has risen to incredible levels, although I expect that the auctions themselves may not be as thrilling as before.

With one franchise terminated and another one opting for a fresh start, the job of selecting a core squad has become quite a tough one. Keeping in mind that the Right-to-Match (RTM) or Joker Card has been put in as one of the ways to finalize a team of 27 players, we might just see a few surprises in terms of selection and price tags – within the specified limits, of course!

Here is one possible picture of how the bidding process might pan out this time around:

Possible Surprises:

a. Yuvraj Singh – a Royal Challenger , Daredevil or Knight Rider?

Yuvraj Singh

After the BCCI terminated the Pune Warriors franchise, the selection pool just grew bigger. Prominent among the players in that side was the mercurial Yuvraj Singh, who missed the fifth season due to his treatment for cancer and didn’t make too much of an impact in the sixth owing to a back injury.

A slump in form has seen him axed from the national team, though he has fought his way back to top-flight physical fitness. Even so, he remains a world-class T20 player, capable of changing the course of a game single-handedly.

Even before the auctions commence, some behind-the-scenes lobbying for the all-rounder has already started, with RCB skipper Virat Kohli reportedly keen on having his illustrious senior in the red-and-gold franchise. If they succeed, the Bangalore outfit might just get enough firepower to finally get their hands on the coveted trophy.

However, they may have to overcome serious competition from the Delhi Daredevils (a franchise which has its full purse of INR 60 crore intact) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (a side high on flair but low on the results despite winning the title in 2012). The other heavyweights – Rajasthan, Mumbai and Chennai – may not bid as heavily as the others, owing to lower amounts in their purses, while Yuvraj does not seem interested in returning to the Punjab franchise.

Hyderabad could pose a threat, but I see the first of many bidding wars between the first three mentioned outfits.

Base Price: INR 2 crore

Expected to be sold at: INR 5-6 crore

Likely winner: Delhi Daredevils (owing to bigger purse strings)

b. Corey Anderson – Lower base price, higher stakes

Corey Anderson

Since smashing the 17-year-old record for the fastest ODI hundred, the left-handed Kiwi all-rounder has been the talk of the town in cricketing circles. Rather surprisingly, he has chosen to set his base price at INR 1 crore, instead of the expected INR 2 crore.

I would expect all franchises to pull out all the stops when going for Anderson. For one thing, having utility players in your side is very vital – they can turn a game on its head with a few huge hits or a few quick wickets.

For another, Anderson is the man in form, having played a stellar role in dethroning India from the top ranking in ODI cricket on the current tour. He also possesses the enthusiasm of youth (at 23), and will, no doubt, excel in Indian conditions. God help the franchises when the war starts!

Base Price: INR 1 crore

Expected to be sold at: INR 5-6 crore

Likely winner: Chennai Super Kings

c. Virender Sehwag – Unsold?

Virender Sehwag

This could be one of the major surprises if the Nawab of Najafgarh is not picked up at least in the first round of the player auctions. Out of form and favour, the 35-year-old dashing opener has had a torrid time in the desert climate of domestic cricket. His former franchise, the Daredevils, have given him too long a rope in previous editions, and the axe had to fall some time.

The bidding for Viru will be fierce, despite his current travails. Although Delhi might use the Joker’s Card as a way to retain him, it is more than likely that he may just go unsold in the first round. Past reputations have always held sway over the powers-that-be, yet this time it may be different.

Base Price: INR 2 crore

Expected to be sold at: INR 3.5 crore-4 crore (based on current form)

Likely winner: Delhi Daredevils (if they play the RTM card and Sehwag agrees to settle for a lower value)

There will be more surprises in store this time, though it is difficult to predict them all.

What Can Be Expected?

Quinton de Kock will be a prize catch for the franchises

An all-out, intensive bidding war will break out between the franchises, so it is a question of keeping calm under high pressure – something skipper MS Dhoni seems to have forgotten how to do. Overseas players will once again be targeted, even though their eventual prices may not be quite at the same high level as in previous editions. Quinton de Kock, Steve Smith, Alex Hales and Ryan ten Doeschate are the ones to watch out for, along with the ten Australians and some of the Kiwis.

For the first time, the uncapped Indian players will also have more of an influence in the franchises’ final decisions. The likes of KL Rahul, Rishi Dhawan, Unmukt Chand, and Vijay Zol will certainly pique their interest. Because the IPL Governing Council has chosen to start all over with a clean slate, it gives the younger lot another chance to impress the national selection panel (at least for the Twenty20 format). Hence, competition among the players is bound to become much healthier.

Quite a few veterans may yet command respect this time as well. Mike Hussey, at 38, still has fitness levels of a 20-year old. Brad Hodge is IPL’s version of Dev Anand – evergreen and still sharp. Jacques Kallis might just be retained by KKR despite having called time on his Test career.

On the bowling front, I do not foresee too many surprise inclusions as such – except that the uncapped Indian players may get a fair share of playing time. I’m just curious to see how the current crop of seamers in the Indian side- Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Varun Aaron – fare in the auctions; neither of them has impressed me in the ODI format, and Shami has been extremely overworked.

Praveen Kumar’s comeback from injury and disciplinary issues will be under scrutiny, and he may still be a great catch for most of the franchises. Vikramjeet Mallik and Parvinder Awana have also done well in recent editions, while young Bhargav Bhatt has kept the art of left-arm spin alive; Kings XI Punjab should look to buy these players back, as I suspect the others may not be too interested in them.

No Country For Ashish Nehra?

Ashish Nehra

The former Indian seamer’s international career has been blighted by frequent injuries and form slumps. He has been part of four IPL teams, including his home side of Delhi, and hasn’t done much of note in recent times. A six-wicket haul against Vidarbha in this season’s Ranji Trophy showed that he isn’t past his prime yet, but franchises haven’t shown much interest in him.

I would prefer it if Delhi could buy him back at an acceptable price. Nehra has proved successful in the shorter formats, and getting him back in the side would help instil some confidence in him, and Delhi would certainly have an experienced warrior in their bowling line-up.

But given head coach Gary Kirsten’s clear intentions of starting with a clean, blank slate, the chances of Ashish turning out in DD’s colours are as remote as the continent of Antarctica. Maybe there is no country for the man who was vilified for India’s defeat to South Africa in the 2011 World Cup.

Final Summary

Indian legends Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid walked off into the IPL’s sunset in 2013, thus taking off some of the sheen from the seventh edition. Their presence as mentors of both the Mumbai and Rajasthan franchises will be of immense benefit, both at the auctions as well as in the dugout.

The new rules might force a few radical strategies to come to the fore, and there would be a lot of surprises, but the thrill of players going under the hammer, though a little less lustrous than before, will certainly pull more viewers in.

Till then, I will keep my fingers crossed and hope that the uncapped Indian players come to the party!