IPL 2017 auction: Stokes, Morgan and Ishant in highest category - full list of top base prices

It will cost an IPL franchise at least Rs 2 crore if they want to add the likes of Ben Stokes, Eoin Morgan, Ishant Sharma or Mitchell Johnson in their team for IPL 2017.

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While the entire player list for the IPL 2017 auction is not out – the final shortlist will take a little more time – the base prices of some of the key players in the auction have been released.

Joining Morgan, Stokes, Ishant and Johnson in the highest base price list are Chris Woakes, Angelo Mathews and Pat Cummins.

While the top bracket consists of three England players, there is one more in the level right below.

Jonny Bairstow will hope to be picked by one of the eight teams at a base price of Rs 1.5 crore, with the England wicketkeeper-batsman joined by Trent Boult, who was released by the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Nathan Lyon and Brad Haddin, who will probably find it difficult to get picked, Kyle Abbott, who recently signed a Kolpak deal and Jason Holder, the West Indies skipper.

In the top list, it will be interesting to see if all of the seven players are sold.

Morgan showed he is back in form with a few outstanding knocks in the limited-overs series against India and while he has the tendency to blow hot and cold he could prove to be a really solid option for a team which is a little light on batting and leadership.

Stokes should be the biggest draw – even if much will depend on how long he will be available during IPL 2017. There is little doubt that he is one of the best all-rounders in the game and all eight teams might end up being in the running.

Johnson was outstanding in the Big Bash League that just finished, leading the Perth Scorchers to the title, while Cummins is an express pacer, something that IPL franchises like – his injury problems though will be a worry.

Woakes and Mathews are valuable all-rounders that could add the balance that a team requires, so they could be in demand as well.

Ishant is the most interesting of names in the top list.

While the fast bowler is a regular in India's Test teams, he is not quite in the reckoning anymore when it comes to the limited-overs setup. Ishant's inability to bowl different lengths and mix his pace up always seems to work against him in the T20 format and that will be something the franchises will take into consideration when they raise their paddles up for the pacer.

The final shortlist will be handed out once the franchises decide on which players they want to be a part of the auction. As it stands, 799 players have handed in their names in the hope of getting an IPL contract.

The IPL 2017 Player Auction is scheduled to take place on February 20 in Bengaluru.