The IPL Auction is about to get spicier than ever. The BCCI has slashed a massive 1005 names from the original list, leaving just 350 players to go under the hammer this year. But here’s the real twist: 35 of these players have never registered for the IPL before - fresh faces eyeing the biggest T20 stage in the world.
On the high-stakes end, 39 players have pegged their base price at ₹2 crore, including Liam Livingstone, Ravi Bishnoi and Steve Smith. The action unfolds at 2:30 pm IST in Abu Dhabi on December 16, and as always, expect drama.
But the biggest shocker? A stunning comeback from a superstar nobody expected to see in the final list. Quinton de Kock Is Back.
South Africa’s dashing opener has made a surprise late entry into the auction. He wasn’t even in the preliminary list. But after that blazing century against India in Vizag, one IPL franchise reportedly personally requested him to enter the pool. De Kock agreed, and even slashed his base price to ₹1 crore, half of last year’s demand. If that’s not spicy enough for auction day, what is?
First Set Under the Hammer
The opening batch sets the tone with serious firepower:
Cameron Green, David Miller, Devon Conway, Prithvi Shaw, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Sarfaraz Khan. Expect some early bidding wars and a few teams blowing a big chunk of their purse right out of the gate.
Other players who were added to the roster include Sri Lanka's Traveen Mathew, Binura Fernando, Kusal Perera and Dunith Wellalage. Afghanistan's Arab Gul and West Indies' Akeem Auguste will be a part of the auction for the first time.
Among domestic players, the likes of Vishnu Solanki, Parikshit Valsangkar, Sadek Hussain, Izaz Sawariya and 20 others who were not part of the initial submission, have been added.
According to the report, the bidding process will start with a full round of capped players in the order of specialism - batters, all-rounders, wicket-keeper/batters, fast bowlers, and spin bowlers. Then, the same order of specialism will be followed for uncapped players.
"The first accelerated will cover all the players from 71-350. Once these players have been presented, franchises will be requested to submit the names of the players (unpresented and unsold) from all those on the full list of 350 for further accelerated presentation," the BCCI said.
The stage is set. The surprises have already begun. Now the only question is - who becomes the highest-paid player this year?
New inclusions in IPL auction:
Overseas players: Arab Gul (Afghanistan), Miles Hammond (England), Dan Lategan (England), Quinton de Kock (South Africa), Connor Eztherhuizen (South Africa), George Linde (South Africa), Bayanda Majola (South Africa), Traveen Mathew (Sri Lanka), Binura Fernando (Sri Lanka), Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka), Dunith Wellalage (Sri Lanka), Akeem Auguste (West Indies).
Indian players: Sadek Hussain, Vishnu Solanki, Sabir Khan, Brijesh Sharma, Kanishk Chouhan, Aaron George, Jikku Bright, Srihari Nair, Madhav Bajaj, Shreevathsa Acharya, Yashraj Punja, Sahil Parakh, Roshan Waghsare, Yash Dicholkar, Ayaz Khan, Dhurmil Matkar, Naman Pushpak, Parikshit Valsangkar, Purav Agarwal, Rishabh Chouhan, Sagar Solanki, Izaz Sawariya and Aman Shekawat.
