IPL auction 2020: Predicting the top 5 buys

After a long and exciting build-up, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 auction is all set to be held for the first time in Kolkata tomorrow. After the list of 971 players was pruned down following the short-list by the eight franchises, 332 players have made the cut for the auction.

The final list features 186 Indian players, 143 foreign players and three from associate nations. Seven players, all overseas, have listed their name for the auction at the highest base price of ₹2 crore. Five of those are Australians - Pat Cummins, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazlewood.

Among Indians, Robin Uthappa, who was released by Kolkata Knight Riders, has a base price of ₹1.5 crore while Piyush Chawla, Yusuf Pathan and Jaydev Unadkat will enter the auction featuring in the ₹1 crore bracket.

Before the action kicks off, we look at five players who could be among the Top 5 buys at the auction.

#1 Chris Lynn

Chris Lynn, who was surprisingly released by Kolkata Knight Riders despite scoring 405 runs in 13 games at a strike rate of 139.65 with four fifties in IPL 2019, is back in the auction pool at a base price of ₹2 crore. Even in the 2018 season he was in good form, scoring 491 runs at a strike rate of 130.23.

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As if to prove a point, Lynn smashed a record highest score of 91 not out off 30 balls in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, which led Yuvraj Singh to comment that KKR had made a mistake by releasing him. In fact, Lynn finished as the top run-scorer in the T10 league with 371 runs in eight matches at a strike-rate of 236.30, with four fifties.

Given his credentials in different leagues across the world, It is highly likely that he will walk away with a hefty price at the auction.

#2 Glenn Maxwell

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, famously referred to as the Big Show owing to his extravagant big-hitting ability, earned plaudits for speaking up about his mental health issues last month. Refreshed, he goes into the auction at a base price of Rs 2 crore.

Maxwell may have been dropped from the ODI team for Australia’s tour of India, but that should not affect his popularity at the IPL auction. While he has struggled for form in ODIs over the last 12 months, he has been superb in the T20Is.

Maxwell's last three scores in T20Is make for stunning reading. He first smashed 56 from 43 and 113 not from 55 against India. He followed that up with a brutal 62 from 28 against Sri Lanka at Adelaide.

In 251 T20s, the Big Show has 5,589 runs to his game at a strike rate of 154.94. He has also claimed 85 scalps at a strike rate of 24.5.

In the IPL, Maxwell's best performance came in the 2014 edition when he amassed 552 runs for Kings XI Punjab at a strike rate of 187.75. He was the third highest run scorer in the season. Punjab, in fact, topped the league stage due to Maxwell's exploits, and ended up losing a high-scoring final to Kolkata Knight Riders.

Maxwell's best of 95 from 43 came against Chennai Super Kings in their opening encounter of the season, and again (95 from 43) against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He went on to slam 89 off 45 against Rajasthan Royals and 90 from 38 again versus CSK. It was Maxwell's year at the IPL as he won the player of the series award too.

#3 Shimron Hetmyer

A dashing 22-year-old West Indian, Shimron Hetmyer’s special ability with the bat is no secret in cricketing circles. However, his spectacular knock at Chennai was perfectly timed, as it came just days before the IPL auction and served a strong reminder to the franchises.

Hetmyer put the Indian attack to the sword with 139 from 106 balls, hitting 11 fours and seven sixes, as West Indies chased down 288 with ease.

Hetmyer, in fact, has been in very good form during the ongoing tour in India. He scored 56 from 41 in the first T20I at Hyderabad, and 41 from 24 in the decider at Mumbai. These numbers would come into focus as the franchises look for impact players.

Hetmyer’s love for Indian conditions could also work in his favour. During Windies’ last tour of India in 2018, he hit 106 from 78 in the Guwahati ODI, and 94 from 64 at Visakhapatnam in the tied encounter.

With a base price of Rs. 50 lakh, Hetmyer, who was released by Royal Challengers Bangalore after scoring 90 runs in five games, should be in high demand at the auction.

#4 Tom Banton

A lot has been spoken about Tom Banton in the build-up to the IPL 2020 auction. There is obvious intrigue over what will transpire in Kolkata on Thursday once his name comes up for sale.

The 21-year-old Banton, with a base price of Rs. 1 crore, is fresh from a 41-ball 121 in Queensland’s Grade cricket. His reputation as a big-hitter just keeps growing.

While he managed only 16 playing for Brisbane Heat against Sydney Thunder in his first Big Bash League game, a lot is expected of him in the tournament. Every IPL franchise would be keen on having a player like Banton in their team to bring the X-factor, although the man himself is keen to play for Mumbai Indians.

Banton has scored just 56 runs in his three T20Is. However, his overall T20 career numbers are dazzling - 663 in 21 games at a strike rate of 156.36.

Banton smashed 549 in the Vitality Blast, which also featured an innings of 100 from 52 balls against Kent. He made his presence in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, in which he hit two fifties, including a dazzling 80 off 28 for Qalandars against Karnataka Tuskers.

It has been a while since a youngster generated such excitement on the T20 circuit.

#5 Jason Roy

One of England’s many World Cup heroes, Jason Roy, with a base price of Rs. 1.5 crore, is expected to be in high demand following his exploits on the big stage. Aggressive openers are pivotal to IPL sides, and Roy has displayed all the qualities required to be a destructive opening bat in the tournament.

In a 2018 IPL encounter, Roy blasted an unbeaten 91 from 53 while playing for Delhi Daredevils. That remains his only IPL fifty till date. His form has improved drastically over the last 12 months though, and it peaked at the World Cup.

After a half-century and an imposing 153 against Bangladesh, he was ruled out of a few games with injury. In his absence, England lost to Sri Lanka and Australia. On return, he hit half-centuries against India, New Zealand and Australia (in the semi-final) to put England’s campaign back on track.

Roy broke the record for the highest ODI score by an England batsman when he slammed 180 against Australia at Melbourne in January 2018. In T20s, has 5,000 runs in 199 games at a strike rate of 145.64, with four hundreds.

In the Mzansi Super League, Roy came up with one man-of-the match-winning effort - 50 from 38 for Nelson Mandela Bay Giants against Durban Heat.