IPL 2018 Auction: Kieron Pollard, Ben Stokes & Other Players Who Could Break Virat Kohli’s Record Fee in IPL 11
There are quite a names in the list, 578, so to say. The IPL Auction will take place on January 27 and 28. The main sports extravaganza will take place from April 4 to May 31.
Indian Premier League 2018 is a couple of months away, but the IPL Auction on January 27 is creating a lot of excitement. The cash-rich premier league has lived up to its billing as big-ticket players, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma were retained by their home franchises. Captain Cool Dhoni is back with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will play for Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) respectively. However, the only difference between these three is their purse amount.
RCB retained their captain Virat Kohli’s services for IPL 2018 for a whopping 17 crores, two more than the reserved retention fees, i.e. 15 crores. The stupendous deal makes Kohli the most expensive player in IPL History as he one-ups both Yuvraj Singh and Ben Stokes who bagged contracts for 16 crore rupees during previous seasons. Kohli has played for RCB since its inception and it was pretty obvious that the ‘Run Machine’ is here to stay at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
As the 11th edition of IPL 2018 nears, the auction has been generating a buzz with some players seeming to break the record-fee set by RCB for Virat Kohli. We take a look at a list of star cricketers who might go ahead of what is now the record-setting fee in the tournament.
1. Chris Gayle – Reserve Price: Rs. 2 Crore
The player needs no introduction as his name stamps the authority. Gayle might be out-of-flavour this season, but his recent hundred – where he scored 126 from 51 deliveries – in the crucial eliminator in Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2017, talks a lot about his batting prowess. The Jamaican has toppled many records in the IPL and still remains a force to reckon with.
2. Kieron Pollard – Reserve Price: Rs. 2 Crore
The acrobatic all-rounder from Trinidad, Kieron Pollard, have lit-up previous seasons with his stylish fielding and aggressive batting of IPL like no other. Other than Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Royal Challengers were in the fray when his name last appeared in the auction. Will they be as much interested in IPL 11?
3. Ben Stokes – Reserve Price: Rs. 2 Crore
Probably the most talked-about player in recent times, Ben Stokes, was the joint-highest-paid player in IPL history before this edition. A lot has been said about the English all-rounder post the infamous pub-brawl in 2017. Now, Stokes would be itching to silence his critics and let his cricketing skills do all the talking. There’s an uncertainty hovering over Stokes’ participation in the event for the entire season and that will be a strong point the IPL franchises will have to ponder upon, before splurging a huge amount for the all-rounder.
4. Chris Lynn – Reserve Price: Rs. 2 Crore
One of the best batsman going around in the T20 circuit is Chris Lynn. His short-height and lean look might puzzle many, but the Australian hard-hitting batsman packs a lot of firepower in his arms. Lynn became a household name after a spectacular catch in IPL 2014. It will be interesting to see if the Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise – Kolkata Knight Riders - is still interested to use their Right-To-Match (RTM) card in 11th IPL Auction and get Lynn back in the side.
5. Carlos Brathwaite – Reserve Price: Rs. 1 Crore
Another West Indian on the list, Carlos Brathwaite, is one of the most-sought players in this IPL Auction. His economical bowling and flamboyant batting style will be a plus for any team. Nobody knows him better than Stokes (and the England team) where he single-handedly took the West Indies team across the finishing line in T20 World Cup 2015, slamming four consecutive sixes in the final over.
6. Colin Munro – Reserve Price: Rs. 50 Lakh
The Blackcaps blaster, Colin Munro, is the only player to register three International hundreds against his name in Twenty20 Internationals. The dynamic batsman is in a red-hot form currently and may prove to be the dark horse in this IPL auction. Recently Munro is the best batsman in the T20 rankings; it will be interesting to see what amount does he attract this IPL auction.
7. Marcus Stoinis – Reserve Price: Rs. 2 Crore
Another all-rounder in the list, Marcus Stoinis of Australia, has heroically helped his team come out of crunch situations in crucial matches. A medium-pacer bowler and a dynamic right-hand fiery batsman, Stoinis, has impressed many with his timely all-round performances.
It will be interesting to see which players attract the highest bid in the auction, or even, in the IPL history. There are quite a few names in the list, 578, to be precise. The IPL Auction will take place on January 27 and 28 in Ritz-Carlton in Bengaluru. The main sports extravaganza will take place from April 4 to May 31. Stay tuned for more such updates about the Indian Premier League 2018.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 24, 2018 07:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).