Mega draws at the mega auction: Pant, Starc, Rahul

Opinion / Analysis

Viswasruti thumbnail
Posted: 8 months ago
#1

Mega draws at the mega auction: Pant, Starc, Rahul and others in line to earn big

Also on our list of ten: captain fantastic Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep boss-both-ends-of-the-innings Singh, and one Fraser-McGurk who offers a glimpse into the heady future of T20 batting

On the morning of deadline day, Delhi Capitals were unable to close negotiations with their captain Rishabh Pant, who opted to head to the auction instead. Fans and experts alike believe he could be one of the most expensive players at this auction, crossing the INR 20-crore mark.

Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer pose before the toss, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals, IPL 2024, Kolkata, April 29, 2024

Why is Pant that valuable? Measured purely in terms of his T20 numbers, Pant doesn't stand out. Counted among the most dangerous batters in Test cricket already, Pant, who is 27, has won just eight Player-of-the-Match awards in his 111-match IPL career which started in 2016.

But Pant has always made us expect something special or freakish, that's his X-factor. Also, alongside DC, several franchises - Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, Kolkata Knight Riders - are on the lookout for a captain. Pant doubles up as a wicketkeeper-batter, too, a skillset many teams have a vacancy for. DC have the option of buying him back via the right-to-match card (RTM). A top India player, a leadership option, a growing brand, and, importantly, a fan favourite - there is a lot that can drive Pant's bids to escalate quickly.

Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer are captaincy options for teams•BCCI

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Viswasruti thumbnail
Posted: 8 months ago
#2

Shreyas Iyer

Set 1: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)

Like Pant, Shreyas Iyer is a frontrunner to fill the captaincy role available at several franchises including KKR, whom he led to the IPL title last season. Shreyas was bought by KKR at the 2022 mega auction, the franchise staving off rival bids from four others (RCB, DC, LSG, GT) to secure his services for INR 12.25 crore. They appointed him captain straightaway. After missing the 2023 season with a back injury, Shreyas took charge last season and worked successfully with the leadership group led by current India coach Gautam Gambhir.

While KKR were open to retaining him, Shreyas opted to head to auction; their talks failed over money. Having retained six players, KKR don't have a RTM to buy Shreyas back. They will still keep the option of buying him back with a modest purse (INR 51 crore) open, but Shreyas the captain is also an attractive option for PBKS - who have the strongest purse going into the auction (INR 110.5 crore) - as well as DC (purse: INR 55 crore) and LSG (purse: INR 69 crore).

Shreyas the batter is also a bankable option in the middle overs, and there are teams who will eye him for that role too.

Viswasruti thumbnail
Posted: 8 months ago
#3

Mitchell Starc

Set 1: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)

Last time around, the multiple-World-Cup winner breezed past the record bid of INR 20.50 crore that SRH had minutes earlier made for Pat Cummins, making him momentarily the most expensive player bought at any IPL auction. KKR had broken the bank for Starc, spending 80% of their purse (INR 24.75 crore out of 32.7) on him.

Quiet during the league phase, Starc burst through SRH in the two matches that mattered: Qualifier 1 and the final. On both occasions, Starc hurt their top order with fiery spells of fast bowling which included the early wickets of the red-hot form players Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Starc was the Player of the Match in both games.

With his varied skills, Starc is equally impactful in the powerplay and death overs, the crucial phases where matches are predominantly won and lost in T20s. After the 2024 IPL final, Starc, who will be 35 next January, said that he would be focusing on franchise cricket in the last leg of his career - this means whoever signs him could see him as a three-year player.

With his experience, teams will also look at Starc as a bowling leader and a mentor. No surprises then, if Starc ends up adding another million or two to his wallet.

Viswasruti thumbnail
Posted: 8 months ago
#4

KL Rahul lasted just three deliveries , Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants, IPL 2024, Delhi, May 14, 2024

KL Rahul has had six 500-plus years in the IPL•BCCIsmiley4

KL Rahul

Set 2: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)

Since IPL 2018, KL Rahul has scored 500-plus runs in six seasons. The one time he didn't, in 2023, he had missed the second half of LSG's campaign having injured his quadricep. In comparison, Virat Kohli and David Warner, bonafide IPL legends, have had seven 500-plus aggregates though they started much earlier than Rahul. Despite the constant chatter around the manner of his batting and strike rate specifically, Rahul has stuck to his strengths and shown enough signs of improvement during his three-season stint at LSG.

He opted to leave LSG, who are highly unlikely to trigger the RTM option for him. Rahul has dropped hints that he would be happy heading to RCB, where his IPL journey started in 2013. RCB are on the lookout for a captain and Rahul could be seen as a long-term leadership option. RCB also need a keeper-batter, a position Dinesh Karthik performed from 2022-24 before retiring last year.

There are also several other teams that need an experienced top-order Indian batter-cum-wicketkeeper, which means Rahul could be in for a significant bid.

Viswasruti thumbnail
Posted: 8 months ago
#5

Jos Buttler

Set 1: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)

Since the 2022 IPL season, among top-order batters, Jos Buttler is the fourth-highest run-maker with a strike rate of nearly 145. In the same period, Buttler is also the fourth-highest six-hitter (71). Buttler can both create pressure with the bat and release pressure by hitting the ball into areas not many others can, especially thanks to his dextrous wrist work.

Buttler, who is 34, has had recent struggles with his calf but showed his batting powers have not diminished with a brutal 83 in his second T20I on return for England against West Indies, playing at No. 3. At Rajasthan Royals, where he played since 2018, Buttler played mainly as an opener.

A T20-World Cup-winning captain, Buttler offers teams the leadership option too.

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