3 overseas batters who may start a bidding war at IPL 2023 auction

Like every year, overseas batters will be keenly observed at the IPL 2023 auction.

Each will bring a razzmatazz and a different flavor to his team. But he'll also have to manage the expectations of taking one of the four overseas spots for a batting-loving fanbase. It's generally, 'either add great value or get out' in this category.

Sixty-two of the 405 players at the IPL 2023 auction have registered as batters and 20 of them are in the overseas categories.

Below, we further categorize them into the three who could be the most sought-after and might even spark a bidding war or two:

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#1 Harry Brook - England

Don't look too much into his international T20 record, 23-year-old Harry Brook can take IPL by the storm. The youngster has put his base price at ₹1.5 crore at the IPL 2023 auction and will come in Set 1.

He recently cemented his place in England's red-ball team by scoring three consecutive tons in Pakistan in his first overseas Test series. However, his journey started with T20s only. He's one of those technically-sound T20 talents who Brendon McCullum found suited best to the aggressive 'BazBall' in Test cricket.

Brook is easy on the eye even though he plays as a finisher - it should already tempt a few IPL teams - and is particularly strong in front of the wicket.

He has played 99 T20s, scoring over 2400 runs at a brilliant strike rate of 148.38. This includes 264 runs in 10 games at a strike rate of 171.43 in the Pakistan Super League 9PSL) 2022 and 436 runs at 163.91 in this year's T20 Blast.

He didn't do well in the 2022 T20 World Cup but showed his class at the biggest stage previously when he smashed 238 runs at an average of 79.33 and a strike rate of 163.01 in the seven-match T20I series against Pakistan.

Any team looking for a No. 5 at the IPL 2023 auction would go for him. SunRisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals, and Rajasthan Royal will all love his profile and have the money to go for him. A bidding war is almost inevitable in that scenario.

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#2 Rilee Rossouw - South Africa

South Africa's Rilee Rossouw offers an aggressive left-handed option at No. 3 and 4. He'll also come in Set 1 of the IPL 2023 auction with a base price of ₹2 crore.

A promising player in 2014-16, Rossouw's best years were lost to South Africa because of his Kolpak deal. However, his second coming proved to be much better than his first. The 33-year-old scored 131 runs at an average of 65.50 and a strike rate of 170.13 in his comeback, three-match T20I series against England.

South Africa took on India next and he scored an unbeaten 48-ball 100 in the final T20I, after ducks in the first two. He put the icing on the cake by scoring his second T20I century at the World Cup in Sydney against Bangladesh.

Few can compete with his global T20 league experience at the moment - 273 matches, 6944 runs, a strike rate of 143.20 with five hundreds and 43 fifties to his name.

The SunRisers and the Super Giants may want him in their first team while others would happily take him as a versatile top-order backup at the IPL 2023 auction.

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#3 Kane Williamson - New Zealand

When Kane Williamson announced he was stepping down from New Zealand's Test captaincy, many felt he chose the wrong format.

After all, his recent T20 form has been poor at best. In the last two years, his T20I strike rate has been only 117.32 and 118.77, respectively. IPL 2022 was his worst-ever season with 216 runs at an average of 19.64 and a strike rate of a mere 93.51.

He's neither a power-hitter nor a versatile batting option. But Williamson brings with him better technique against spin than his peers, an ability to adapt to any match situation and bat accordingly, and experience of captaining at the IPL. If he can return to form, his consistency will provide immense stability to any team.

Gujarat Titans would be happy to splurge to have that stability while Chennai Super Kings would feel this is their last chance to sign a future captain of substance and get him accustomed to the team environment. Teams with tight budgets might also feel they have a chance to get him.

Willaimson will certainly not reach his last year's price of ₹14 crore at the IPL 2023 auction but could be the dark horse to start a bidding war.

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