IPL 2023: Six Foreign Players to Snag a Million Dollar Deal at the Mini Auction

The mini-auction prior to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 will take place on December 23 in Kochi. Ahead of the bidding process, the final list of players to go under the hammer was released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This time, as many as 405 cricketers will participate in the auction, including 273 Indians and 132 foreign players.

In particular, IPL has always been an important platform for top quality foreign stars, and more often than not, many foreign cricketers have featured on the list of most expensive purchases. The upcoming auction will be no different either, as there could be quite a few foreign players that will spark a bidding war between the 10 franchises. So let’s take a look at six such cricketers that could be among the most expensive buys in Kochi on December 23.

1) Cameron Green

As with any auction, the main focus of franchises will be on choosing high quality all rounders as they are always in high demand due to their versatile role. All-rounders often fetch big bucks at auctions and Cameron Green, the Australian sensation, is likely to be the center of attention.

Green has already impressed with his bowling spell as he tends to use his long length which helps him hit the hard lengths. The 23-year-old is one of the few all-rounders who can hit the top.

After his exploits with the bat in India earlier this year, it is likely that the reckless Aussie star will be a standout player in the auctions. Notably, the Western Australian has registered his name in the mini-auction of the lucrative tournament at a base price of INR 2 crore.

2) Ben Stokes

England superstar Ben Stokes is most likely to spark an intense bidding war between the IPL franchises as every team needs a kind of player who can not only contribute across all departments but also lead the squad.

Having Stokes on the team will solve many problems of any franchise as he can bat in the top order as well as be a finisher. Furthermore, the England Test skipper can also open the bowling and also deliver the death overs.

Stokes, which has self-registered for a base price of INR 2 crore, is bound to be a popular asset in the mini auction. The Christchurch native has played 43 matches in the money-rich league to date in which he has scored 920 runs, including two centuries and as many fifties, and has also taken 28 wickets at an economy rate of 8.55.

3) Nicholas Pooran

In contemporary cricket, every team needs an explosive wicketkeeper batter, and Nicholas Pooran meets that requirement brilliantly. That is why he was bought at a high price in the previous auction, but his form in the lucrative competition was a big disappointment and so was released by the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Pooran had an average campaign last season, making 306 runs at an average of 38.25. However, he has his form back for the IPL 2023. In particular, the left-handed batsman was the leading run catcher in the recently concluded Abu Dhabi T10 2022-23. He scored 345 points in 10 games at a 49.28 average and a mind-boggling 234.69 hit percentage for the Deccan Gladiators.

In total, Pooran has played 47 matches in the money rich league, with 912 runs at an average of 26.05 and a strike rate of 151.24, along with four half-centuries. There is no denying that Pooran will be on the radar of franchises in need of a top quality wicket-keeper and high-quality batsman.

4) Sam Curran

One of the main talking points leading up to the mini auction is English star Sam Curran. The top quality all-rounder has already proven his ability to make an impact with both the ball and bat, doing so at the highest level in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Curran was both Player of the Tournament and Player of the Match in the final of the global showpiece in Australia, where England beat Pakistan in the summit meeting.

Besides his all-round heroics, the biggest selling point for Curran is that he is only 24 and still has a lot of cricket in him. He played two seasons for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), including 2021, when the MS Dhoni-led side won the prestigious trophy. However, the Northhampton cricketer missed the 2022 season as he recovered from back surgery.

Curran is part of the second batch of players to hit the market and all teams will be happy to have him in their ranks. When it comes to the IPL, the 24-year-old has taken 32 wickets from 32 matches at an economic rate of 9.21. With the bat, the left-handed batter has scored 337 runs with a batting rate of 149.77, including two fifties.

5) Harry Beck

A fine batsman, top batsman and an emerging talent in the cricket arena is England’s young star, Harry Brook. On his first international overseas trip to Pakistan, Brook was the Player-of-the-Series in the seven-match T20I leg after hitting 238 runs with a batting frequency of 163.01. Even on the ongoing Test tour of Pakistan, Brook was phenomenal, racking up 468 runs in just three games at an astonishing average of 93.60 with three hundred and a half centuries.

The biggest advantage Brook brings is that he can play both in any order and dominate both fast bowlers and spinners with natural ease, especially in the death overs.

Brook has yet to play in the IPL, but his numbers in Asia are quite impressive indeed. The right-handed batter scored 581 runs in 16 innings at an average of 64.55 and a batting frequency of 167.43 using a century and a fifty.

6) Rilee Rossouw

Since returning to international cricket in 2022 after six years, South African Rilee Rossouw has been super impressive and consistent in white-ball cricket. He played in T20 Blast this year, scored 623 runs in 16 innings with a remarkable strike rate of 192.28, and was called up for the national T20I squad.

Since his return, Rossouw has amassed 372 runs in 10 T20I innings at an average of 46.50, using two centuries and three half tons. The southpaw has the ability to play big innings and could be a point of attraction in the IPL 2023 mini-auction.

Rossouw also played in the money rich league in 2014 and 2015 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). But he only got five games and scored 53 points. The left-handed freestyle hitter would be an ideal choice for the franchises that are looking for a high quality batsman at the top who can speed up the runflow and also anchor the innings when needed.