With not many days left for the IPL mini auction as teams start to make strategies and game-plans for the upcoming auction. IPL mini auction is scheduled to be held on 18th February at Chennai and already the top betting sites have started analysing the upcoming frenzy.
Total purse of 180 crores INR will be spent by the eight franchises and 55 plus players will be given contracts. Players usually get sold at a higher price if more than two teams are interested to buy them. Let’s find out who could be the biggest earners from this year’s IPL.
Note: This list is based on the availability of all players for the IPL season 2021.
- Mitchell Starc –
There is always a huge demand for overseas fast bowlers as the most of the teams lack a good Indian pacer. To bring that experience in the squad, teams hunt for big overseas players. In the Last auction, the Knight Riders bought Pat Cummins for a whooping 15.5 crores INR to bring that experience in the young pace bowling department of Knight Riders.
Plenty of teams will bid for Starc as teams like Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings require a fast-bowler to strengthen their side.
- Dawid Malan –
England’s inform top-order batsman Dawid Malan will be one of the players who could go on for a higher price in the auction. Teams which have struggled with the opening pair will look to bid for this lad. He is currently the number one ranked ICC T20 player.
Royal Challengers Bangalore, who had let go of Aaron Finch will look at Malan to fill the opening slot.
Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals are two other teams which could bid higher amounts for Malan.
- Glenn Maxwell
Despite having a flop IPL 2020 season, Maxwell is yet again expected to be bought on a higher price. Maxwell is also known as the ‘big show’, had failed to hit even a single six in the entire IPL 2020 season.
However, he has regained his form in the international area and Big Bash league.
Teams like Sunrises Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings have lacked an explosive batter like Maxwell in the middle order. Hence it won’t be a surprise if these two teams spend their majority of purse for Maxwell.
- Steve Smith
Rajasthan Royals have released their previous year’s skipper Steve Smith, which is considered as the biggest release. Steve Smith had failed to deliver for the Royals both with the bat as well as captain.
Although not many teams will add Steve Smith in their squad for captaincy but he is a far better player than a skipper.
Sources indicate that Chennai Super Kings is very much interested in buying Steve Smith, but because of the fact that they have only one overseas slot and limited purse left, they might think twice before buying him.
- Cameron Green
Tall-lanky fast bowler Cameron Green could be a new addition to the IPL setup. He has the ability to bowl with good pace and score some quick runs with the bat.
After releasing Chris Morris and Shivam Dube, the Royal Challengers Bangalore require this kind of player who can bat at five or six and bowl a couple of overs with the ball as well.
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Afghanistan’s underrated finger spinner could be the most expensive overseas spinner. He has good control of the ball, bowls with the new ball and doesn’t give too many runs even in the powerplay (1-6) overs.
Defending Champions Mumbai Indians who are slightly weak in the spin department will bid for this player. Rajasthan Royals will be desperate to get a bowler like Mujeeb as they lack both quality as well as quantity in the spin bowling department.
