IPL 2022 auction: From Shreyas Iyer to Pat Cummins – 10 players who could fetch the highest bids

Player auctions ahead of Indian Premier League 2022 are likely to be unlike any other. With a total of 590 cricketers from India and overseas in the pool, the IPL auction could see a number of bidding wars and a host of players fetching huge amounts.

With the addition of Ahmedabad Titans and Lucknow Super Giants taking the total number of teams to 10, and with just a handful of players retained, every franchise has a lot to do… they need to build a squad from the ground up.

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Since there are just four overseas players allowed in a playing XI, it is imperative to fill all those slots with high-impact players. For example, Sunil Narine, Lasith Malinga, Shane Watson, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and a few others have brought incredible success to their franchises.

It gets more tricky when it comes to Indian players since there are seven slots to fill. Every side has a few marquee players in its lineup, but successful teams usually edge ahead by using lesser-rated players more effectively than the competition.

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If one looks at the most successful IPL teams over the years, like Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, they all had a strong core of match-winners from both India and overseas. Thus, with the number of prominent names in the auction pool, it is tough to predict who could draw the biggest bid this time around.

Having said that, here’s a look at 10 players who are likely to fetch the highest bids in the IPL 2022 auction:

Shreyas Iyer

He is one of the top Indian white-ball batters and even captained Delhi Capitals to the IPL 2020 final. Iyer could well draw the biggest bid in the upcoming auction. The right-hander struggled with a shoulder injury last year but he’s fit now and back in the Indian team. Operating in the middle order, he is a good batter to have in a crisis and can even clear the ropes when needed. There are a number of teams who’re looking for a captain and Iyer’s experience as a leader makes him an attractive proposition.

Ishan Kishan

Possibly in the top three when it comes to the most explosive Indian batters as of today, Kishan is also a strong contender to secure the biggest bid. The left-hander played a key role in Mumbai Indians’ title-winning run in IPL 2020 and has the potential to set the game up for his team at the top of the order. He can be devastating against both pace and spin and the fact that he can be used as a wicketkeeper makes him a solid buy. It won’t come as a surprise if MI go out of their way to get him back.

Yuzvendra Chahal

When it comes to white-ball cricket, Chahal is arguably the best Indian spinner at the moment. The leg-spinner has an impressive record in international cricket and was a big weapon for Virat Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore for many years. Chahal isn’t afraid to toss the ball up which helps him be among the wickets, but he is also a thinking bowler and knows how to contain runs. He has been in impressive form in the ongoing ODI series against West Indies and is likely to be fetch big bucks at the IPL auction.

Washington Sundar

When it comes to IPL auctions, all-rounders are always hot property. Which is why Washington is well placed to go big this time around. The 22-year-old has made impact performances across formats in international cricket over the past two years. His game is constantly improving and he will definitely add great value to the team that gets him. He likes to bowl in the powerplay and has the knack of picking wickets, while his batting can be effective at the top well as lower down the order. With his all-round skills, he has the potential to be a consistent match-winner.

Avesh Khan

There are a number of top Indian pacers in the pool, like Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan. But we’re going with Khan for this list. The 25-year-old was one of the most improved players in the IPL over the past two years. Coach Ricky Pointing trusted him greatly at Delhi Capitals and the right-arm pacer repaid the faith with consistent performances. He bowls with genuine pace and can generate sharp bounce that hurries batters, and has a lethal yorker too. What sets him apart is his ability to pick wickets and contain runs with the new ball as well as in the death overs.

Pat Cummins

He is one of the best fast bowlers in the world, he can hit a long ball down the order, and his confidence is high having led Australia to a big Ashes win recently. Cummins is sure to be in high demand. In the IPL 2020 auctions, Kolkata Knight Riders bid a whopping Rs 15.5 crore for his services. The 28-year-old has a wealth of experience and his presence would add great value to any bowling attack. Cummins is in the bracket with the highest base price – Rs 2 crore – and one can expect him to go for a lot more.

David Warner

Warner’s IPL records are simply staggering. He is a title-winning captain, the highest overseas run-scorer in the history of the tournament, and has won the Orange Cap thrice. Warner was dropped halfway through IPL 2021 by SRH but he bounced back by helping Australia win the T20 World Cup and bagging the player of the tournament award. It seems unlikely he will return as captain in the IPL but if a team can figure out how to manage him, he is sure to provide great returns. The left-hander can be devastating at the top of the order and knows how to keep the scoreboard ticking against both pace and spin.

Wanindu Hasaranga

He is the top-ranked T20I bowler and fifth on the list of best all-rounders. Hasaranga was the standout player for Sri Lanka in the white-ball series against India last year. He was picked by RCB but didn’t get much game time. But there is no denying the potential he possesses as a genuine all-rounder. He is a gun fielder, an effective lower order batter, and his leg-spin bowling can consistently provide wickets and a full quota of overs. The 24-year-old has a base price of Rs 1 crore and is definitely one of the names to watch out for in the auctions.

Kagiso Rabada

Like Cummins, Rabada is likely to be one of the most sought after overseas fast bowlers. He has been a mainstay for South Africa for several years and was a strike bowler for Delhi Capitals. The 26-year-old can swing the ball at pace and also be a game-changer in the death overs. He was acquired by DC in 2017 and hasn’t played for any other IPL team since then. The right-arm pacer bagged the most wickets (30) in IPL 2020 and even picked 25 wickets in just 12 games in IPL 2019. One can expect DC to go after him once again.

Mitchell Marsh

Australia won the T20 World Cup for the first time last year and one of the key players for them was Marsh. He played a match-winning knock in the final and finished as the second-highest run-scorer for his team. He followed that up by starring for Perth Scorchers in their Big Bash League triumph. The all-rounder is fit, in the form of his life, bats with a high strike rate, and can be more than handy with the ball. He will definitely be a huge draw in the IPL auctions.