IPL 2021: 5 players who could spark bidding wars

The 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) Auction will see eight teams with very different strategies aim to build the best squad. While the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) retained their core, franchises like Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) have released some big names and have the purse to start a bidding war.

The types of players who all teams are typically desperate for include capped Indian seamers, overseas seam-bowling all-rounders and pinch-hitters. As Chennai Super Kings (CSK) showed on occasion in 2018 and 2019, experience can lift a team, so expect a few old horses to attract big bids. Here are five players who could spark bidding wars in the upcoming IPL auction.

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#5 Piyush Chawla (IPL 2020: CSK)

Piyush Chawla has the IPL veteran tag attached to him still, despite an average 2020 season.

Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat leg-spinner Piyush Chawla is one of the behemoths of the IPL - having played every season thus far, he has accumulated 156 wickets to his name at a decent economy of 7.87. His IPL career prior to 2020 was one of two halves, with a significant and successful chunk of it spent with the Kings XI Punjab, and a less fruitful but still long stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders. He memorably scored the tournament-winning runs for the Knight Riders in IPL 2014 as well.

However, Chawla's IPL 2020 with the Chennai Super Kings was below par, in a bowling attack that struggled to make an impact on the tournament. Thus, while the Yellow Army would not seek his services, he is available for a host of franchises looking for an experienced wrist-spinner who can also hit a few into the crowd - and with a solid record in the tournament overall, Chawla has shown his consistency over a long period of time.

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#4 Chris Morris (IPL 2020: RCB)

Chris Morris belongs to the class of players that light up the bidding in IPL auctions.

Lanky South African pace-bowling all-rounder Chris Morris was one of the costliest buys of the IPL 2020 auction, for an ability to hit 140+ kmph with the ball, and change the game with bat in hand. Though he joined the party late in the season for RCB, his bowling made impact, as he picked up eleven wickets from nine games, to go with a batting strike rate over 160 in his limited opportunities.

This IPL, a number of teams would be on the lookout for pace-bowling all-rounders - such as the Kings XI Punjab, who have released Jimmy Neesham, and Mumbai Indians who let go of Nathan Coulter-Nile and James Pattinson. The woeful Chennai Super Kings bowling attack could also do with some teeth - thus Morris looks likely to demand attention in the auction.

#3 S Sreesanth (IPL 2020: -)

Though still a bit of a risky bet, Sreesanth should spark excitement in the auction.

Infamously banned for his role in a spot-fixing incident in IPL 2013, S Sreesanth has worked behind the scenes to prepare for the ban being lifted. Fans were treated to seeing the Kerala pacer in action in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he delighted with a semblance of the bowler he was remembered to be.

Although his IPL record over the years is relatively modest - 40 wickets from 44 games, with not a lot to speak of after his first season - Sreesanth provides the aggression and outright pace that franchises could be interested in. Given the outspoken former India bowler's comments indicating his interest, one can expect Sreesanth to draw a lot of interest in the auction.

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#2 Steve Smith (IPL 2020 - RR)

Steve Smith is more than capable of dominating an IPL season with the bat.

Most of Steve Smith's IPL career has been with the Rajasthan Royals, with short stints for two different and now-defunct Pune franchises. Retained for a hefty fee in the 2018 mega-auctions, the Royals floundered under his leadership in the last few seasons, and hence he was let go of. While he sparkled with the bat, a run of low scores probably convinced the team that they could look elsewhere.

It remains to be seen whether the Royals will regret Smith's decision. Overcoming a poor IPL season and riding a stroke of luck, Smith roared back to form with brisk back-to-back centuries against India in the ODI series played recently. Smith has shown his ability to assert himself in all three formats, in addition to his value to the leadership group of any franchise, and IPL teams could see huge long-term value in Smith.

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#1 Glenn Maxwell (IPL 2020: KXIP)

Once again, Glenn Maxwell finds himself released for not living up to his price tag.

Glenn Maxwell and Yuvraj Singh have a similar relationship with the IPL. Aside from both making it big for the same franchise - the Kings XI Punjab - both have had a love-hate relationship with the cash-rich league. Like the former Indian all-rounder, Maxwell too has a huge ability to change the game, but has struggled to fire, enduring his worst ever IPL season in 2020.

While KXIP could be lambasted for breaking the bank for Maxwell once again, the decision makes sense given team balance considerations. Maxwell showed his hitting form in the ODI series against India, and remains a big draw in international cricket - one can trust IPL franchises to hope against hope that 2021 is his return to form in the league.