Like the game of cricket, the auctions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have been a great leveller over the years. It was no different on Thursday in Kolkata at the 2020 IPL auctions, where 62 players were picked by 8 teams after over 100 went under the hammer.
On one hand we had young, uncapped, rookie cricketers going for big bucks – more than ten times their base price. And then we had well-established international names, who have played the IPL in the previous editions, struggling to even get an opening bid.
There were also a couple of less unfortunate ones, who did manage to be picked by teams but at a lesser price than what would have been expected because of their talent and years of experience.
Here’s a look at the best bargains from the latest edition of the IPL auction.
Tom Banton (Rs 1 Cr)
A T20 specialist from England, Tom Banton was tipped to be one of the hottest properties of the auction in Kolkata on Thursday. But it was a shocker when only Kolkata Knight Riders bid for the 20-year-old, picking him up for his base price of Rs 1 crore.
Playing in the T20 Vitality Blast for Somerset, Banton came into the limelight this year when he smashed a 51-ball century against Kent Spitfires. He went onto become the second-highest run-scorer in the competition, accumulating 549 runs at a staggering strike-rate of 161.47.
If that wasn’t enough, Banton was also part of the 2019 Abu Dhabi T10 League, where he once again entertained with a 28-ball 80 while playing for the Qalandars. He recently made his T20 international debut for England in New Zealand.
Despite ticking all the right boxes coming into the auction, it will remain a mystery why Banton couldn’t start a bidding war. Kolkata, who were in desperate need for an opener after the departure of Lynn, might have just managed to bag the best bargain of the tournament.
Chris Lynn (Rs 2 Cr)
The first player to be sold at the IPL 2020 Auction, Chris Lynn, surprisingly, didn’t attract any bidding war before being picked up by Mumbai Indians for his base price of Rs 2 crore.
Lynn, an explosive opening batsman, was released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the auction. It was expected that many teams would be vying to get his services. In fact, it was believed that KKR would have tried to get him back at auction at a lower price. But when Lynn’s name was announced at the auction only Mumbai Indians showed any kind of interest.
Lynn had been in great touch in the last two seasons of the IPL and was at his best in the recently concluded Abu Dhabi T10 League, where he scored a record-breaking 91 not out of 30 ball.
Keeping in mind his big-hitting abilities and the consistency that he has gained in the last few seasons, Mumbai Indians should be elated to get him for a bargain.
Jason Roy (Rs 1.5 Cr)
Jason Roy was one of the heroes for England in their World Cup triumph this year. He scored 443 runs from 7 innings at an average of over 63, which included 4 fifties and a hundred. He was instrumental in giving good starts to England at the top of the order and was consistent with his batting.
His ability to accelerate and decelerate at will was another reason that made him special. Hence, with many IPL sides looking for openers, it was expected that the English opener might go for big bucks.
But that wasn’t the case. Once again, an established name had no takers barring Delhi Capitals, who picked him up at his base price of Rs 1.5 crore, despite having two set openers Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw in their ranks.
David Miller (Rs 70 Lakh)
It is not every day that you get a player of international repute in your side for less than a crore. But Rajasthan Royals were lucky enough to sign South African David Miller for his base price of Rs 75 lakh at the IPL auction on Thursday.
The South African cricketer was released by Kings XI Punjab this year after spending seven years at the franchise. During this period, he scored 1,850 runs from 79 matches at a career strike rate of 138.78. His breakthrough season with the team was in 2013 when 418 runs for them from 12 matches at an astronomical strike rate of 165, including a century.
But over the last few seasons, Miller has failed to reprise the same magic for the Punjab outfit which led to his ouster. But in no way Miller can be written off, especially in the T20 format.
In fact, he has been in tremendous form in 2019. In 6 innings for South Africa this year he has scored 156 runs at a whopping strike rate of 160.82.
His 65* off just 29 balls at the Wanderers against Pakistan earlier this year was again a reminder of his big-hitting capabilities.
Rahul Tripathi (Rs 60 Lakh)
Another talented opening batsman who failed to attract the right price. Rahul Tripathi made his IPL debut in 2017 with the Rising Pune Super Giants and had a good season with them.
Opening the innings for Pune, Rahul scored around 400 runs from 14 matches at a strike rate of 147. He hit a staggering 17 sixes in the same season, which saw his side lost out to Mumbai Indians in the final.
For the last two years, he has been playing for the Rajasthan Royals and has had average outing with the side. However, Rahul’s USP continues to be his six-hitting abilities and his fantastic stroke play at the top of the inning. In the recently concluded domestic T20 tournament – Syed Musthaq Ali Trophy – Rahul scored two half-centuries while playing for Maharashtra.
A big-hitting Indian batsman has always been a rare entity in the IPL and Rahul looked more attractive with a base price of Rs 20 lakh. But unfortunately only Kolkata Knight Riders and Royals Challengers Bangalore were interested in the Maharashtra cricketer. In fact, Bangalore didn’t even press hard as Kolkata bagged him for Rs 60 lakh.
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