This year, a huge crowd of players has gathered for the mini auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The number of registered players has reached 1,355, including 1,062 Indians and 293 foreigners. Among the Indian players, names like Mayank Agarwal, KS Bharat, Rahul Chahar, Ravi Bishnoi, Akash Deep, Deepak Hooda, Venkatesh Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, Prithvi Shaw, and Umesh Yadav are at the forefront. But surprisingly, Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who has been an important part of the IPL for 13 years, has decided not to participate in the auction this time.
Maxwell posted on Instagram, saying that after playing several memorable seasons, he had made the difficult decision to opt out of the auction this time. He said that the IPL has grown him both as a player and a person, and that he will never forget the experiences he had in India.
Australia’s star players, including Cameron Green, Matthew Short, and Steve Smith, are entering the auction. Interestingly, Josh Inglis, whose availability is unclear due to his marriage, has also submitted his name. England’s Jamie Smith and Jonny Bairstow, New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, and Devon Conway, and Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga and Mathisha Pathirana are also on the list. In total, 212 capped, 1,121 uncapped, and 22 associate-nation players are on the list.
There are 16 capped Indian players, but only Ravi Bishnoi and Venkatesh Iyer have chosen the highest base price of Rs. 2 Crore. Among foreign players, 43 contenders are in the highest Rs 2 Crore bracket. This includes names like Green, Steve Smith, Jamie Smith, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Liam Livingstone, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Gerald Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi, and Anrich Nortje.
Shakib Al Hasan, a longtime IPL player, has set his base price at Rs. 1 Crore. New Zealand’s Indian-origin slow bowler Aditya Ashok has chosen a reserve price of Rs. 75 lakh. West Indies’ Shai Hope, Akeal Hossain, and Alzarri Joseph are also in the top bracket of Rs. 2 Crore.
This list includes players from 14 countries. From Afghanistan to Australia, England, Bangladesh, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and even Malaysia. Malaysian Indian-origin Virandip Singh has registered his name with a base price of Rs. 30 Lakh.
Following the completion of the retention process, all 10 franchises have a total of Rs. 237.55 Crore available to spend in the auction. Kolkata Knight Riders will enter the auction with the largest purse of Rs 64.30 Crore, while Chennai Super Kings have 43.40 Crore. A total of 77 slots are available, including 31 for overseas players.
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The register is currently provisional. Franchises have until December 3 to suggest additional names and until December 5 to decide which players to include in the final auction list.
