The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most popular T20 franchise leagues in the world. Every cricketer would want to pit their wits in IPL because of its competitive nature and high earnings. The league also attracts some of the best overseas players. We look at five overseas players who could trigger a bidding war in the upcoming IPL auction, set to take place on December 19 in Dubai.
Although there are some excellent players in the overseas category, we have given weight to five players who have had a fantastic ODI World Cup and some who have yet to play in the IPL. Here are the five players who we think will force franchises to splash cash at the auction:
It's a shame that Rassie van Der Dussen never played more than three games in IPL. He was bought for ₹1 crore by the Rajasthan Royals in the 2022 auction, where a packed middle order never allowed him to play more than three games, accounting for just 22 runs. He was promptly released and went unsold in the following auction.
However, a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, and Rassie turned out to be a top gun for South Africa in the 2023 World Cup, where he accounted for 448 runs at an average of 49 in ten outings. There is a high chance that some franchises are already eyeing him and will go after him on the auction day.
The thing about Daryl Mitchell is that he is an excellent batting all-rounder. So, when you buy him, you get someone in the middle order and handle bowling duties gladly. For this reason, the Rajasthan Royals picked him up in the 2022 IPL, where he played just two games and accounted for 33 runs. He was released ahead of the 2023 auction, where he went unsold.
The Kiwi didn't lose heart and consistently scored runs for New Zealand the following calendar year. He had a terrific World Cup campaign, scoring 552 runs at an average of 69 in just nine innings. Among the top overseas players, the 32-year-old could trigger a bidding war in Dubai.
Rachin Ravindra, who watched the 2019 ODI World Cup final in a bar in Bengaluru, is undoubtedly the find of the 2023 ODI World Cup. The Kiwi all-rounder's rapid rise is phenomenal. He top-scored for New Zealand with 578 runs in ten matches. The 24-year-old hit hundreds against England, Australia, and Pakistan.
Rachin is even more tempting for franchises because he can give them four overs of spin, making him one of the biggest assets for tournaments like the IPL. Rachin's performances in the World Cup and youth make him a hot pick. It would be a surprise if the Indian-origin cricketer got only a little money in the auction.
Alongside Rachin, Dilshan Madushanka is also among the youngsters of the tournament. The 23-year-old can swing the ball both ways and often causes trouble for the right-handers. A good example could be his performance against India in the 2023 World Cup fixture in Mumbai, where he took five wickets.
Madushanka has used his outswingers well, complementing them with his slower balls and yorkers. All these skills make him one of the street-smart cricketers, making him tailor-made for the grinds of the IPL. There is a high chance that several team owners have already marked him.
With 20 wickets in eight ODI World Cup games, Coetzee has proved his credibility for a tournament like the IPL. The IPL has been a breeding ground for some top South African players. Many Proteas players, including AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock, and Kagiso Rabada, excelled in the world's best T20 league.
Coetzee, who has sheer pace and brute aggression, will be a perfect pick for a few franchises that need quality and young players in the pace department. Proving on Indian pitches in white-ball cricket makes him even more dangerous and a hot choice in the IPL 2024 auction. He is likely to earn more than his base price at the auction.
Just like every year, this year's auction will also hold some surprises. Van der Dussen, Mitchell, Rachin, Madushanka, and Coetzee performed outstandingly in the 2023 ODI World Cup. It needs to be seen if the franchises will take one hard look at these five players who can be the game-changers.
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