IPL Auction 2019: Shimron Hetmyer, Brendon McCullum & Other Foreign Players Who Can Invite Bidding War

The Indian Premier League 2019 auction (IPL 2019) is scheduled to take place in Jaipur today with the eight teams looking to get their desired players in the squad. The auction will start at 02:30 p.m IST and the familiar face of Richard Madley will not supervise the event instead it will be Hugh Edmeades. There is a slight increase in salary cap of teams which is fixed at 82 crores from the earlier 80 crores. The franchisees have retained their core players and they would be looking to fortify their key areas with purchases of some key experienced foreign players.

Here is the list of some important foreign names which are likely going to invite a bidding war in the IPL 2019 auction. IPL Auction 2019: Online Live Streaming, Timing and All That You Need to Know Ahead of Indian Premier League 12 Auctions.

Brendon McCullum: The veteran Kiwi batsman has been there and done that for many seasons in the Indian Premier League. He last played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore where lack of opportunities meant he was not amongst the runs which is usually associated with him. At 37, he is not the star he used to be but can be a great backup. His fiery batting at top means he will have admirers in the auction.

Shimron Hetmyer: The Caribbean batsman is known for his aggressive style of play that has seen him score three hundreds in just 20 ODIs for West Indies. He is a hot property in this auction and it will not be a surprise if he goes for a big number as many teams are interested in his services. He has already showed he loves batting on Indian pitches in the recent ODI series in India and that is something every IPL team will have in their mind.

Martin Guptill: The New Zealand opener went unsold in the previous auction and will be hoping a new edition brings the change of luck. He has two international centuries in the T20I format which is a testament to how good he can be in the shortest format of the game. His considerably lower base price of $ 200,000 is something that can make him a cost-effective option for the franchisees. IPL Auctions 2019 Salary Purse Amount Available: Know How Much Money Can Each Team Spend in the Indian Premier League 12 Auction.

Chris Woakes: English cricketer Chris Woakes is one of the marquee players in the auction and despite the setback last season with RCB, he could be roped in for his exploits with the new ball. Let us not forget how brilliant he was playing for KKR in 2017 and his handy contribution lower down with the bat only raises his stakes in this year’s auction.

Lockie Ferguson: New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has been in the news recently for some fine showing playing for Black Caps. Although he did not attract any bidder in the last auction, his availability throughout the year makes him an ideal buy. There are teams who are in need for a proper front line pacer and Ferguson could see a breakthrough in IPL this year.

Heinrich Klaasen: The Proteas wicket-keeper batsman had limited opportunities with Rajasthan Royals last season but his ability to hit spinners out of the park makes him a good potential buy. He did well against India in South Africa at the start of the season and franchisees could look at him as an option in the middle order when the slow bowlers are in action. He is also available for the entire season which is an added bonus. IPL 2019 Auctions: Auctioneer Richard Madley Questions BCCI’s Decision for Snubbing Him; Feels Deflated and Let Down.

Reeza Hendricks: The South-African set the newly formed T20 league MSL back home on fire with his batting, scoring 412 runs at an average of 59. What is impressive about this batsman is that he has a strike rate of close to 150 opening the innings. There have been talks of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad interested in his services and it will be interesting to see who gets hold of his signature.

Dale Steyn: After recovering from his career-threatening injuries, South African legend Dale Steyn was back to his best against Australia in the series down under. He is expected to invite interest from several teams who will want to have an experienced bowler like Steyn in their camp. He may not benefit from the pitches in India, but his inch-perfect line and length means ‘Steyn gun’ is not impacted by bowling conditions.

Lasith Malinga: Having been named the skipper of Sri Lanka T20I and ODI team, Lasith Malinga has shown the world there is a lot of cricket still left in him despite being 35. He is a veteran in the Indian Premier League and has won multiple trophies with Mumbai Indians. Teams would want to add the Sri Lankan great in their squad in order to tighten the noose around opposition batsman in the opening overs of the game.

These are some of the players we expect will be the talking point come to the end of the auction in Jaipur. Majority of them have experience of playing at the highest level and are looking for a change in fortunes after missing out on the IPL ship in the last auction.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 18, 2018 11:49 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).