IPL Auction 2020: 5 overseas all-rounders who could start a bidding war among franchises 

#4 Colin de Grandhomme (Base price: ₹75 lakh)

Colin de Grandhomme (Image courtesy: BCCI)

Colin de Grandhomme has been an unsung hero in the New Zealand team for a few years now. He was released by Royal Challengers Bangalore after a poor IPL 2019 in which he scored only 46 runs in four games. His overall IPL record also doesn’t make for great reading -- 303 runs in 25 matches at an average of 18.93 and six wickets at an average of 53.16. However, given a consistent run by a franchise, he could make an impact.

De Grandhomme is one of the cleanest hitters of the cricket ball in the modern era. His skills came to the fore during the World Cup, when he hit quick half-centuries against South Africa and Pakistan, just when the team needed them. In the final at Lord’s, he was New Zealand’s best bowler with 1 for 25.

De Grandhomme walked away with the man of the match award in the Nelson T20I series against England last month, smashing 55 from 35. At the IPL level, his 40 from 17 for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018 remains his knock of note. Clearly, he can do a lot more, as evident from his T20 record -- 3,294 runs at a strike rate of 162.34 and 65 wickets with the ball.

---

#3 Carlos Brathwaite (Base price: ₹50 lakh)

Carlos Brathwaite

Whatever he does for the rest of his career, Carlos Brathwaite’s name is likely to remain forever synonymous with the four sixes he hit off Ben Stokes to help Windies to World T20 glory in 2016. This was after he had claimed 3 for 23 with the ball.

And, even though Brathwaite hasn’t converted his great start into consistency as yet, he remains a key figure in West Indies’ limited-overs outfit.

Brathwaite impressed in the Caribbean Premier League match earlier this year. Playing for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots against Trinbago Knight Riders, he first smashed 64 from 30 as, chasing 217, Patriots ended on 216. In the Super Over, he then hit two sixes and a four with the willow, before conceding only five runs with the ball. It was the kind of performance that wouldn’t have gone unnoticed.

He made an impact in the World Cup as well with one astonishing knock, an 82-ball 101 against New Zealand, which unfortunately went in vain as West Indies fell short by five runs. Brathwaite was released by KKR after featuring in just two games. Consistency is not something one can expect from the West Indian all-rounder as yet. But, on his day, he is unstoppable.