Predicting the most expensive buys in Set 3 of the IPL 2023 Auction

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 auction is just a few days away. A total of 405 cricketers are part of the final player list prepared after consultation with all 10 franchises.

Out of 405 players, 273 are Indians and 132 are overseas cricketers, of which four are from associate nations. The list includes 119 capped players, 282 uncapped cricketers, and four associate-nation players. A maximum of 87 slots can be fillep at the auction, with 30 of them being for overseas players.

The cricketers shortlisted for the IPL 2023 mini-auction to be held in Kochi on December 23 have been divided into 43 sets. The sets have been bifurcated on the basis of batters, bowlers, keepers, and all-rounders.

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Who will be the most expensive keeper-batter in Set 3 of the IPL 2023 Auction?

While Set 1 of the IPL 2023 auction will see batters going under the hammer, Set 2 consists of all-rounders. It will be the turn of the keepers to come into play in Set 3.

Tom Banton, Litton Das, Heinrich Klaasen, Kusal Mendis, Nicholas Pooran, and Phil Salt are the six keeper-batters who have been placed in Set 3. In this feature, we predict the most expensive buys from the set.

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#3 Nicholas Pooran

West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran. Pic: Getty Images

Former West Indies limited-overs captain Nicholas Pooran is undoubtedly one of the most talented white-ball batters of the current era. However, it is equally true that he is also one of the biggest enigmas. Leading the team in the T20 World Cup 2022 during their disastrous campaign, he managed poor scores of five, seven, and 13 as West Indies failed to qualify for the Super 12 stage.

Pooran, however, was the leading run-getter in the Abu Dhabi T10 2022-23. He smashed 345 runs in 10 matches at an average of 49.28 and an exceptional strike rate of 234.69 for the Deccan Gladiators. Curiously, despite being given numerous opportunities, the southpaw has failed to deliver the goods in the IPL.

He had a disastrous 2021 season, managing only 85 runs in 12 matches at a shockingly poor average of 7.72 and a strike rate of 111.84. The 27-year-old was picked by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) last season but was inconsistent again. He scored 306 runs in 14 matches with only two half-centuries.

Pooran has put up his name for the IPL 2023 auction for ₹2 crore. Despite his previous failures in the T20 league, he is likely to get more than decent bids again.

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#2 Heinrich Klaasen

South African keeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen. Pic: BCCI

South Africa’s wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has been unlucky not to play more than 30 ODIs and 38 T20Is for the country, despite making his debut in 2018. He has produced decent figures in the limited opportunities that he has got. A clean striker of the ball, Klaasen has a strike rate of 95.10 and 146.79 in T20Is.

The 31-year-old was in impressive form during South Africa’s recent white-ball tour of India. He smashed 134 runs in three ODIs at an average of 69. He also averaged 39.33 in four T20Is with a best of 81. Klaasen has only featured in seven IPL games so far, the last of which was in 2019. But he is a much more refined batter now.

Klaasen clobbered 292 off 240 balls for the Titans against the Knights in a first-class match in November. The supremely dominant performance featured 39 fours and nine sixes. He has placed his name for the IPL 2023 auction for a base price of ₹1 crore. Klaasen is likely to be in demand at the auction this time.

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#1 Phil Salt

England keeper-batter Phil Salt. Pic: BCCI

England’s dashing wicketkeeper-batter Phil Salt is among the most destructive hitters in the T20 format. Had Jos Buttler not been part of the England team, the 26-year-old would surely have played a lot more matches in international cricket as opposed to the 24 (11 ODIs, 13 T20Is) he has featured in so far.

Even with the limited chances that he has received for England, Salt has managed to make a significant impact. He has an exceptional strike rate of 132.24 in ODIs with one hundred and two fifties. Of course, two of the three big knocks came against the Netherlands.

The right-handed batter made a terrific T20I debut, clobbering 57 off 24 balls against West Indies in Bridgetown in January 2022. After a few low scores, he slammed an unbeaten 88 off 41 deliveries against Pakistan in Lahore in September.

Salt is a highly experienced T20 campaigner. He has played 167 matches and has scored 3817 runs at an excellent strike rate of 150.39. He has put his name in the ₹2 crore price bracket. Given what he brings to the table, he might be the most expensive buy in Set 3 of the IPL 2023 auction.

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