IPL auction 2017: 5 potential biggest buys in the auction

#4 Imran Tahir

The world no.1 T20I bowler

It is quite surprising that Imran Tahir was released by Delhi Daredevils ahead of the 2017 IPL auction. The South African was instrumental in Delhi’s victories in the last two seasons but the franchise felt that he had a poor 2016 IPL and that they are wasting an overseas player quota if the leggie features in the playing XI.

He will turn 38 by the time the IPL starts, yet, teams will look to pounce on the Pakistan-born spinner. He is the number 1 bowler in this format and is a proven match winner for South Africa and all the other teams he represented in the past. He has a T20I economy of 6.39 and takes a wicket every 15 balls. In the T20s, his economy is equally good and his average with the ball is 21.45; numbers that are not bad for a spinner in this format.

There are only a handful of spinners available in the auction and this will give an advantage to Tahir as there are a few teams that need a quality spinner in their line-up. If things go well, defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to acquire the South African bowler in the upcoming auction as they don’t have a frontline spinner who can control the run flow and pick up wickets in the middle overs.