For many, the auction is the most exciting bit about the IPL – not the sixes and fours, the centuries and wickets or the nerve-jangling action in a final.
Full player list for the IPL 2017 auction
Well, all that excitement is about to come back in again with the IPL 2017 auction as the eight teams in the Indian Premier League get ready to lift that paddle up in search of the players they believe can take them to the title.
Quite a few of the teams, coming into this IPL 2017 auction, have settled squads; so, at the end of it all, they might end up only making a few purchase here and there, just to make sure all holes are plugged up.
For some of the other teams, though, there is a lot of work to be done, particularly for the ones who were never even in contention for a place in the playoffs in IPL 2016.
With this auction being the last one before pretty much all the players go back into the pool for a mega auction in 2018, the franchises will have the option of looking at the short-term – just for this season, who can do what and will they be able to give me instant success.
So, don't be too surprised if the franchises go for a few established, experienced players over some of the lesser-known, young ones, purely because they will have to give them right back at the end of the IPL 2017 season. Going with a young squad and building for the future, like the Delhi Daredevils planned will not make too much sense, considering the fact that the majority of the players will need to be released.
While a definite path hasn't been set yet towards that IPL 2018 mega auction, this 2017 version will be a tame one compared to what we can expect in a year.
However, that doesn't mean there won't be excitement.
The auction pool is filled with superstar players, including Ben Stokes, Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy, Mitchell Johnson, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Angelo Mathews, Martin Guptill and more.
Some of these big names will end up being unsold, but there will be a few of them who will end up with a lot of money in their hands and a chance to showcase their talents in one of the biggest tournaments in the world.
Below is a look at the purse available for all eight franchises, with the maximum number of players they can buy as well. Note: 1 crore is 10 million.
Gujarat Lions (GL): Purse available: Rs 14.35 crore. Maximum number of players that can be bought at the auction: 11 (3 overseas players).
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): Purse available: Rs 17.825 crore. Maximum number of players that can be bought: 7 (1 overseas player).
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Purse available: Rs 20.9 crore. Maximum number of players that can be bought: 10 (4 overseas players).
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Purse available: Rs 19.75 crore. Maximum number of players that can be bought: 14 (6 overseas players).
Mumbai Indians (MI): Purse available: Rs 11.555 crore. Maximum number of players that can be bought: 7 (3 overseas players).
Delhi Daredevils (DD): Purse available: Rs 23.10 crore. Maximum number of players that can be bought: 10 (4 overseas).
Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS): Purse available: Rs 17.5 crore. Maximum number of players that can be bought: 10 (4 overseas).
Kings XI Punjab (KXIP): Purse available: Rs 23.35 crore. Maximum number of players that can be bought: 8 (4 overseas).
Schedule: IPL 2017 auction.
Date: Monday, February 20.
Time: 9.30am IST (3pm AEDT, 4am GMT, 11pm ET). Coverage begins at 9am IST.
Venue: Bengaluru.
TV listings: India: Sony Six, Sony Six HD. UK: Sky Sports. USA: ESPN. Middle East: OSN Sports Cricket HD. Canada: Sportsnet. South Africa: SuperSport.
