Ahead of the mega Indian Premier League (IPL) auction (scheduled for January 27 and 28), the base prices of top players, including international and local stars, has been revealed.
All eight franchises, including Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) who are returning after two-year suspensions, assembled their "core groups" by retaining a maximum of three players on January 4.
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The rest — a list of 1,122 cricketers — have signed up for the auction that will see teams rebuilding their squad for the 11th edition of the cash-rich league. A total of 778 Indian players, including big names like Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir and R Ashwin, are part of the auction pool.
Also read: Country-wise breakdown of overseas players in auction
Chris Gayle, Rashid Khan in highest price band
As it turns out, the likes of Chris Gayle, Ben Stokes, Mitchell Starc, Kieron Pollard and Brendon McCullum have set their base price at Rs 2 crore ($315,000 approximately) for the upcoming auction, according to ESPNCricinfo. A total of 13 Indians and 23 overseas players are in the Rs 2-crore bracket.
Also read: RCB will look 'stupid' if they don't buy this player, says Virender Sehwag
Afghanistan sensation Rashid Khan, who was picked up Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 4 crore in 2017, also falls under the Rs 2 crore, which is the highest base price for the auction.
Yuvraj, Ashwin, Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kedar Jadhav are some of the India internationals who are in the highest price band. India discards Harbhajan Singh and Robin Uthappa join the rest in this category.
The likes of Ashwin, Gambhir, Rahane and Dhawan, who were not retained by their respective franchises, have chances of leading franchises in the upcoming season.
Will teams pick Lasith Malinga, Dale Steyn?
Young Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar has listed his base price at Rs 1.5 crore, while the likes of Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Wriddhiman Saha have set themselves a Rs 1-crore base price.
Indian pacer Ishant Sharma, who went unsold after setting himself a Rs 2-crore base price last year, has listed himself at Rs 75 lakh.
Meanwhile, IPL's highest wicket-taker Lasith Malinga, who was not retained by Mumbai Indians, has set Rs 1 crore as his base price and is joined by veteran South Africa paceman Dale Steyn.
Base price of players — Full list
Rs 2 crore
R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, Gautam Gambhir, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, M Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, Karn Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Robin Uthappa.
Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Rashid Khan, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, James Faulkner, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Cameron White, Eoin Morgan, Liam Plunkett, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Corey Anderson, Brendon McCullum, Quinton de Kock, Colin Ingram, Angelo Mathews.
Rs 1.5 crore
Aaron Finch, Amit Mishra, David Miller, Evin Lewis, Faf du Plessis, Harry Gurney, Hashim Amla, Jason Holder, Jason Roy, Jaydev Unadkat, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Kagiso Rabada, Kane Williamson, Kuldeep Yadav, Kyle Abbott, Lendl Simmons, Mark Wood, Michael Klinger.
Moeen Ali, Mohit Sharma, Moises Henriques, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Nathan Lyon, Peter Handscomb, Ravi Bopara, Shaun Marsh, Steven Finn, Travis Head, Trent Boult, Washington Sundar.
Rs 1 crore
Adam Zampa, Alex Hales, Andrew Tye, Ben Cutting, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Jordan, Dale Steyn, Daniel Christian, Dwayne Smith, Jason Behrendorff, JP Duminy, Lasith Malinga, Manish Pandey, Mitchell McClenaghan.
Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Imran Tahir, Mustafizur Rahman, Parthiv Patel, Piyush Chawla, Sam Billings, Samuel Badree, Sanju Samson, Shakib Al Hasan, Shane Watson, Tim Southee, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills, Umesh Yadav, Vinay Kumar, Wriddhiman Saha
