IPL 2021 Auction: Many of the big players have been left ahead of the IPL 2021 player auction by their respective franchisees, and they will be hoping to get back into the raking with some big purses.
The IPL 2021 Player Auction ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will see 292 players on hammer this year as the team find the right balance. While the teams have retained most of their squads from the previous edition, there will be some big names that will be available for auction in Chennai on Thursday. While some teams surprisingly released their star players, there are also new names that teams will be happy to get their hands on.
Here are some of the biggest players who are hammers in the IPL 2021 auction:
Steve Smith (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
The Rajasthan Royals surprised the decision to release their captain Steve Smith and Smith – considered one of the world’s best batsmen – is the highest-profile name on Thursday’s auction list. While Smith scored three half-centuries in the 2020 season, he could not make his team to the playoffs, but he still remains a big asset with the bat and will be a great top order for whichever franchise chooses him.
Glenn Maxwell (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
The big-hit Australian had a disappointing season in 2020 and was consequently let go by Kings XI Punjab. But he has impressed again for the Big Bash League as well as Australia against India, and as one of the deadliest T20 batsmen, can still be a valuable addition to any team.
Kedar Jadhav (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
Jadhav was released by Chennai Super Kings after an indifferent 2020 season, but will be closely watched at the auction. Jadhav brings a lot of experience with him and all his abilities make him a good addition. He is one of the two Indian players to be listed at the highest base price.
Dawid Malan (Base price: Rs 1.5 crore)
David Malan has never played in the IPL before, but the English left-handed batsman is currently the top-order batsman in the shortest format of the game and is expected to generate some demand in the auction. Malan comes to auction in 19 T20 Internationals (T20I) with an average of 53.43 and an extremely impressive strike rate of 149.47.
Shakib Al Hasan (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
The former Bangladesh captain had not played the last edition of the IPL as he was serving his one-year suspension but is in the fray for the next season. A good batsman down the order and very effective with his left-arm spin, Shakib can be an all-rounder that most teams will like.
