Another IPL season beckons India, and if the Covid situation continues to decline, then the T-20 extravaganza will be celebrated with full fervour in India this time. There are several players, both capped and uncapped, up for grabs in the 2022 edition as well, and the auction process, scheduled to be held on February 12 and 13, looks to be a riveting affair. Previously, we focussed on the U-19 stars who could rake in big moolah at the T-20 carnival. So, this time let us concentrate on the overseas players who can force the franchise to loosen their purse strings.
Pat Cummins
The current Australian Test captain has been a hot property in the IPL circuit and for the same reason, he has kept his base price at two crore. In 2020, the SRK co-owned franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spent 3.1 mn AUD (INR 15.5 cr) to have him on board and Pat Cummins picked 12 wickets from 14 games in the edition, including a four-wicket haul as well. So, it would be interesting to find out how much the teams will be shelling out and which one’s going to get lucky this time.
Kagiso Rabada
The South African pacer is another consistent performer in the IPL and the base price of 2 crore stands testimony to his bowling prowess. He has been the go-to bowler for the Delhi Capitals’ skipper Rishabh Pant for a while and Rabada happens to be one of the main reasons the perennially struggling IPL franchise made it to the playoffs in the last three editions. Every team would love to have a fiery pacer who could inflict maximum damage to the opposition like him and for the same reason, he will be desperately wooed by various teams in the boisterous and ostentatious Indian T-20 league.
Shakib Al Hassan
The Bangladesh left-handed batsman cum left-arm orthodox spinner is another stand-out IPL performer with a base price of two crore. After being bought by KKR in 2011 he has played an integral part in their title-winning campaigns in 2012 and 14. What makes him truly special in the T-20 format is his all-round skills, apart from wielding the long willow to good effect he can prise out crucial wickets as well. So, which team would go the whole hog to grab him this season?
Faf du Plessis
The former all-format captain of South Africa has been in imperious form in the last few IPL seasons, and this explains his base price of two crore quite clearly. Faf du Plessis scored 633 runs in 15 matches for Chennai Super Kings at an average of 45.21 last year and has been the batting lynchpin of the Dhoni-led team for a while. He is also an ideal 3-dimensional player because apart from his batting prowess, he is very quick in the outfield and can also roll his arm over for a few overs of leg spin. Hence, the teams this time around would be eager to make him a part of their playing XI at any cost.
