IPL 2021: 6 best bargains for franchises in the auction

The 2021 VIVO IPL mini-auction happened in Chennai on Thursday and saw a blend of auctioning- some high priced players alongside some steal deals sealed by the franchises.

With Chris Morris (16.25 crore), Kyle Jamieson (15aled crore), Glenn Maxwell (14.25 crore), Jhye Richardson (14 crores) and Krishnappa Gowtham (9.25 crore) being the high bids at the auction, let’s hog some light on the steal deals that happened in the trade.

Dawid Malan

Regarded as one of the best T20I players across the world, his deal with Punjab Kings (PBKS) for just 1.5 Crores is a win-win situation for the franchisee. His stats speak volumes of his skills- 855 runs in just 19 T20I innings, an average of 53.44, and at a strike rate of almost 150(149.48).

The swashbuckling left-handed batsman has scored nine fifties in 19 innings in T20I cricket so far. In easy terms, he has scored a fifty once every 2.11 innings in T20I cricket.

Alone capable of changing the complexion of the match, Malan, no doubt, deserved a high price accounting for his capabilities.

Steve Smith

Smith, the deadly Australian batsman, acclimatises himself to all the playing conditions that make him a unique player. With the capabilities that the player has, the price tag of 2.2 crores for which Delhi Capitals purchased him is too less for him.

His stats are startling- 95 matches, 2333 runs scored at a very good average of 35.35 and at a strike rate of close to 130(129.25). The heavy numbers stand nowhere justifiable to the price for which he has been traded to the Delhi franchise.

The fact that the right-handed batsman was the only player retained by Rajasthan Royals for a whopping Rs 12.5 crores, his current bid is too meagre to justify his skillset.

Mustafizur Rahman

Another outpouring deal has been of Bangladesh’s pacer, Mustafizur Rahman who Rajasthan Royals bought for a price of one crore. He is a go-to-bowler who can be very handy in T20 cricket, especially in the death overs for the variety he brings with the ball.

The bowling specialist, he is known to take wickets. Of the 41 T20I matches he has played for his country, he has picked up 58 wickets.

No doubt, Rahman will be a boon for Rajasthan alongside Jofra Archer and the newly acquired Chris Morris.

Shakib Al Hasan

The star allrounder from Bangladesh, Shakib invited quite some interest at the auction venue and was finally purchased by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for INR 3.2 Crores. Considering the offerings, he brings a complete spectrum to the franchise; Kolkata clinched an excellent deal while purchasing Shakib.

Besides being the second-highest run-scorer for Bangladesh in T20Is, he is also the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in the T20I format. Shakib has been a face in the IPL for nearly a decade now. He has earlier featured for the same franchise in the 2012 and 2014 IPL editions.

Jalaj Saxena

Punjab Kings sealed a deal with Jalaj Saxena for his base price of INR 30 Lakhs. Though Saxena hasn’t represented in any of the International platforms, the buy is indeed a steal for the Punjab Kings side.

Saxena produced a stunning performance in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament with the ball. The right-arm off-spinner picked up ten wickets in 5 games at an average of just 11.90. Besides, he also holds a stunning record in domestic T20s, where he has played 59 matches and has taken 59 wickets at an average of just 18.20. He is known for leaking very few runs.

Umesh Yadav

Delhi Capitals bought team India’s ace pacer at a deflated price for just one crore. It was surprising to see that Yadav triggered no interest among the franchisees’ table. He invited only a few bucks to his credit despite having a vast International bowling experience under his belt.

He has been a familiar face in the IPL and has been playing the league for over a decade. Yadav has played 121 matches and picked 119 wickets and has earlier played five seasons for Delhi Capitals (Delhi Daredevils).

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