Intense bidding wars, strategic team-building, and thrilling surprises are all part of the spectacle that has grown to be the Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions – the latest edition of which will take place in Dubai on 19 November.
As 333 of the 1166 players who were initially registered are scheduled to go under the gavel, there is a lot of conjecture regarding which players might fetch the highest bids from the participating teams.
To make the task easier for you, we take a look at the five frontrunners to emerge as the most expensive player of this auction:
1. Travis Head (Base Price: Rs 2 Crore)
Australian cricketer Travis Head’s versatility as an opening batter, his ability to bowl handy medium-pace, and his recent ODI World Cup exploits have all combined to make him one of the most sought after players in the upcoming IPL.
Head was instrumental to Australia winning the 2023 ODI World Cup and was the Player of the Match in both the semi-final against South Africa and the final against India. He finished the tournament with two wickets, as many fifties and a hundred to his name.
Boasting of a strike rate of 146.17 in T20Is - Head also participated in three of the recently finished five-match T20I series against India, recording scores of 35 off 18, 31 off 16, and 28 off 18.
In 2016 and 2017, Travis Head was a part of the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and had only made sporadic appearances in the IPL, scoring 205 runs in 10 matches across two seasons. Although his influence in the league was not very pronounced, he has grown leaps and bounds as a player ever since.
2. Rachin Ravindra (Base Price: Rs 50 Lakh)
New Zealand’s promising all-rounder, Rachin Ravindra garnered accolades from all over the world for his remarkable performances during the 2023 ODI World Cup.
In what was his debut World Cup appearance, he finished as the fourth-highest run scorer after amassing 578 runs in 10 innings, including three hundreds and two half centuries. With the ball, the 24-year-old is just as efficient and is capable of taking crucial wickets with his left-arm orthodox spin.
With 145 T20I runs and 11 wickets under his belt, and having already demonstrated his ability to play with the bat on Indian pitches, Ravindra is bound to be on the radar of multiple franchises.
3. Mitchell Starc (Base Price: Rs 2 Crore)
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is poised to end his eight-years-long exile from IPL. After taking ten wickets in eight matches during the recently finished ODI World Cup 2023, Starc has thrown his hat into the ring ahead of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2014, the left-arm quick emerged as among the leading wicket-takers in the tournament with 20 scalps, impressing with both his pace and precision.
After the 2015 season, Starc took a break from IPL to manage his workload and focus on international commitments. In 2018, Starc returned to the IPL, joining Kolkata Knight Riders. However, an unfortunate injury prevented him from making any appearances for the two-time champions.
While it’s been some time since Starc donned an IPL jersey, he will invariably add firepower to any team’s bowling arsenal.
4. Shardul Thakur (Base Price: Rs 2 Crore)
In an IPL career that began in 2015, Shardul Thakur has played for three – Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Now, the all-rounder is looking find a new home for the upcoming IPL season.
Having been traded to KKR from DC last season, Thakur did not have the best of seasons, picking up 7 wickets in 11 games last year at a poor economy rate of 10.48 runs per over. Having said that, he slammed a match-winning half-century in one game, and also had to battle injuries.
A seasoned campaigner in IPL with eight seasons worth of experience, he has taken 89 wickets at an average of 28.76 and an economy rate of 9.16 runs per over in 86 games.
In the international arena, Thakur has 33 wickets and 69 runs to his name in 25 T20Is. His ability to provide crucial breakthroughs and emerge as a match-winner when least expected to is what makes him a rare talent.
5. Harshal Patel (Base Price: Rs 2 Crore)
Along similar lines as Shardul Thakur, Harshal Patel is a seamer who neither generates express pace nor considerable swing, but still manages to pick up wickets aplenty.
Although the 33-year-old has been a part of RCB squad since 2012, he made his breakthrough during his second stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2021. He took home the Purple Cap that season after taking 32 wickets in 15 games, and he then added 19 wickets in 2022.
Riding on his bowling prowess, RCB qualified for play-offs for both the seasons. Despite having a lackluster season the previous year, picking up 14 wickets in 13 games, Patel is still expected to spark a bidding war for his past performances.
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