Australia's World Cup heroes Travis Head, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc have all kept their respective base prices in the highest bracket of Rs 2 crore along with out-of-favour India pacer Harshal Patel for the IPL auctions, scheduled in Dubai on December 19.
As per ESPN Cricinfo, franchises have been sent a list of 1166 players, who have registered for the auction. There are 77 slots up for grabs and 30 of them would be overseas players. The 10 teams can collectively spend Rs 262.95 crore.
New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra, who made everyone stand up and take note with his batting exploits during the World Cup, is priced at Rs 50 lakh but he is expected go at least 15 if not 20 times more than his base price.
Surprisingly, former India batter Kedar Jadhav, who is well past his sell-by-date has also kept his base price at Rs 2 crore along with Umesh Yadav, whose India Test career has all but ended. Jos Inglis, who recently scored his maiden T20 hundred against India, along with former skipper Steve Smith and pacer Josh Hazlewood, are also in top bracket.
Ditto for South Africa's new pace bowling sensation Gerald Coetzee and the dangerous Rassie van der Dussen, who is likely to see the hammer go up multiple times. Wanindu Hasaranga, one of the world's top T20 wrist spinners and released by RCB, is in the Rs 1.5 crore bracket.
Base Price INR 2 crore (USD 240,000 approximately): Harshal Patel, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Kedar Jadhav, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith, Mustafizur Rahman, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Lockie Ferguson, Gerald Coetzee, Rilee Rossouw, Rassie van der Dussen, Angelo Mathews
Base price INR 1.5 CR (USD 180,000 approximately): Mohammad Nabi, Moises Henriques, Chris Lynn, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Daniel Worrall, Tom Curran, Marchant de Lange, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Phil Salt, Corey Anderson, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Tim Southee, Colin Ingram, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jason Holder, Sherfane Rutherford
Base price INR 1 CR (USD 120,000 approximately): Ashton Agar, Riley Meredith, D'Arcy Short, Ashton Turner, Gus Atkinson, Sam Billings, Michael Bracewell, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Wayne Parnell, Dwaine Pretorius, Alzarri Joseph, Rovman Powell, David Wiese.
BCCI to release dates after election commission announce election dates:
Meanwhile, the BCCI is yet to release dates of this year's season as they will depend upon the election dates. According to reports, the board has informed the franchises that they can anticipate the tournament to take place from the 3rd week of March to 3rd week of May.
Due to the operational and logistical arising out of elections, a part of the tournament could take place outside of India.
(With inputs from PTI)
