IPL 2024 auction: Overseas pacers who can start bidding wars
The player auction for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) will take place in Dubai on December 19. Several marquee overseas stars have registered for the bidding event. Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, being one of them, is set to return to the IPL after nine years. Here are the overseas pacers who can attract massive bids in the impending mini-auction.
Starc returns to the cash-rich league
Australian seamer Starc is set to end his nine-year IPL hiatus. He has played 27 games, all for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He owns 34 wickets at 20.38. In 2018, Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for a whopping Rs. 9.4 crore, but he withdrew due to fitness issues. Starc, one of the most lethal pacers, has set his base price at Rs. 2 crore.
All eyes on Hazlewood and Cummins
Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, the other members of Australia's pace trio, will also go under the hammer this time. Like Starc, they have Rs. 2 crore as their base price. Hazlewood, who has played for RCB and Chennai Super Kings, will miss the tournament's start. Cummins, who attracted a Rs. 15.50 crore bid in the IPL 2020 auction, could start a bidding war.
Franchises could go after Chris Woakes
Among the English players, all-rounder Chris Woakes will enter the auction. He last featured in IPL 2021 for Delhi Capitals. Woakes had his best IPL season in 2017 when he took 17 wickets at 22.70 for KKR. He starred (3/6) when KKR defended 131, bowling RCB out for 49. Woakes, who is also handy with the bat, could fetch a massive bid this time.
England's David Willey could attract bids
Bowling all-rounder David Willey was one of the positives for England in the recently-concluded ICC Cricket World Cup. The defending champions fared poorly, but Willey took 11 wickets at 23.54. Willey, who has the propensity to swing the ball, has featured in three IPL seasons so far. He was released by RCB recently. He could become a go-to bowler for a franchise this time.
Gerald Coetzee will light up the auction
South Africa's pace sensation Gerald Coetzee will certainly light up the IPL 2024 auction. The right-arm pacer was SA's highest wicket-taker in World Cup 2023. He snapped up 20 wickets from just eight games at an incredible average of 19.80. Coetzee has the required pace and variations to succeed in the IPL. Several teams will target him at the auction.
What about Jofra Archer?
England's Jofra Archer will miss IPL 2024 to manage his workload. The right-arm seamer hasn't played professional cricket since May 2023 when his elbow stress fracture resurfaced while playing for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL.
