Australian cricketers have made a special place for themselves in the Indian Premier League over the years. Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and David Warner are the only non-Indian captains to have lifted the IPL trophy - in 2008, 2009 and 2016, respectively. The focus will be back on the Aussie stars at the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai on Tuesday (December 19) as their World Cup 2023 triumph in India holds them in good stead.
Besides Australia, players from South Africa and New Zealand will be in the reckoning for a lucrative contract. Here is a breakdown of the star attractions.
Travis Head (Australia): All-rounder (base price ₹2 crore)
Head has been solid for Australia in ODIs in the past two years, scoring 550 and 570-plus runs in the calendar year. The left-handed batter's heroics in the World Cup semifinal and final will influence bidders. He scored 62 and picked up a couple of wickets with his off-breaks against the Proteas in Kolkata before smashing a match-changing 137 against Indian in the final in Ahmedabad. Overall, he finished with 329 runs, including two hundreds.
Head featured in two seasons in the IPL, representing Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), with only one 50 (75) in 10 games across two seasons.
With a purse of ₹34 crore and three overseas slots, Sunrisers Hyderabad will not mind splurging on the star Australian after they released Harry Brook. The England youngster has featured as an opener and in the middle order for the Hyderabad franchise, a role that Head can play to perfection. Kolkata Knight Riders—with ₹32.70 crore and four slots—could also eye the Aussie as it has released two foreigners, Liton Das and Shakib Al Hasan.
Mitchell Starc (Australia): Fast bowler (base price ₹2 crore)
Starc is available for selection in the IPL after eight years. The fiery speedster will be a hot property at the auction for his experience. The 33-year-old represented RCB in two seasons, in 2014 and 2015, picking up 34 wickets in 27 matches.
Starc's quality lies in accuracy with the new ball upfront and in the death overs. He has a deadly yorker, and the delivery that nips back into the right-handers. Occasionally, he will bowl the outswingers to surprise the batter. The Aussie picked up 16 wickets in the Cricket World Cup in India, six of them in the semifinal and final, which underlines his big-match temperament.
KKR will bid for Starc as they have released Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson. Mumbai Indians, which has a purse of ₹17.75 crore with four overseas slots available, can go for Starc too. He can be the new-ball partner for Jasprit Bumrah.
Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand): All-rounder (base price ₹50 lakh)
Ravindra has been New Zealand's breakout star in the ODI World Cup 2023. The 24-year-old scored 578 runs—the most by a player in his debut World Cup—and also picked up five wickets with his slow left-arm orthodox spin. The talented left-hander has an array of strokes which could come handy in the IPL, especially when he scored 500+ runs in similar conditions in the World Cup.
Ravindra has a good back foot game. He is calm and has the ability to play late. He has a terrific cut shot and is an intense puller of the short ball.
The Indian-origin New Zealander is a floater. He can open the innings and play in the middle-order if required. His T20I record isn't that impressive, with only 145 runs in 18 matches, but that was before the World Cup. He is a different player now—more confident, lethal and precise with his strokemaking.
All teams in the mix will have a go at Ravindra, but Rajasthan Royals perhaps need him the most as they don't have a spin-bowling all-rounder. With ₹14.50 crore in the bag and three slots, they will be keen to rope in the Kiwi star. His T20I bowling records are slightly better: 11 wickets at an average of 22.45 and economy of 6.67.
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka): All-rounder (base price ₹1.5 crore)
Wanindu Hasaranga has single-handedly destroyed world-class batters with his vicious spin. In times of poor performances, the 26-year-old has remained the only source of sunshine for Sri Lanka as the bowler with most wickets in the last two T20 World Cups—16 scalps in 2021, followed by 15 in 2022. Unfortunately, he missed the ODI World Cup due to an injury.
Hasaranga, however, was operational in the Lanka Premier League. The 26-year-old emerged as the highest wicket-taker with 19 scalps, with best figures of 6/9. Earlier, he was part of RCB in the IPL. He picked 35 wickets in 26 games at an economy of 8.13. His best figures in the tournament are 5/18 versus SRH.
Hasaranga can be a handy lower-order batter who can clear the fence. His skills are similar to that of Afghanistan star Rashid Khan. SRH, a pace-heavy side with Umran Malik, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Marco Jansen, could bid for the Sri Lankan to strike the balance.
Even Delhi Capitals, with ₹28.95 crore and four slots, could go for the Lankan. Along with Kuldeep Yadav from one end, Hasaranga could be a magical addition.
Gerald Coetzee (South Africa): Fast bowler (base price ₹2 crore)
South Africa pacer Coetzee is expected to make a grand IPL debut after his exploits in the World Cup. The right-arm pacer shot to fame after clocking 140 kmph regularly in the tournament and finishing as the highest wicket-taker (20 scalps) for Temba Bavuma's side at an economy of 6.23.
The 23-year-old is a genuine wicket-taker at any stage of the game. He has the ability to surprise the batters with extra bounce.
Coetzee is still work-in-progress in T20I cricket, with six wickets in four games, but he has proved his potential in the franchise leagues with 60 scalps in 42 games at an average of 19.05.
His association with Texas Super Kings and Joburg Super Kings in other leagues makes him a frontrunner for a job in Chennai Super Kings. The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side will be keen to add a young fast bowler. If MI fails to bag Starc, they could look at Coetzee, too.
RCB is approaching the auction with a fresh strategy under new head coach Andy Flower, who might be willing to invest in Coetzee as the franchise has released Josh Hazlewood.
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