The IPL auction 2017 concluded yesterday and it was as fascinating as it promised to be. Months of research go into executing a plan for the auction keeping the various variables in mind, but what actually happens during the 6 hours can be very different.
One can only imagine how much of an incredibly painstaking task it is for all the teams as we ourselves spent hours pondering the best possible players for each team.
This year’s auction was slightly different from previous years. It appears that after 9 years, owners have decided to take a more pragmatic approach towards making bids for players.
Out of the 352 players that went under the hammer, only 66 eventually got sold. It might be due to the fact that 2018’s auction will be very different as we will see a clean slate for each team like we did in the first ever IPL auction.
FULL LIST OF PLAYERS SOLD AT THE AUCTION.
Some teams like the Rising Pune Supergiants decided to splash the cash on one player, while others like the Gujarat Lions decided to spend it on a number of different options.
After the conclusion of the auction, we listed down the most suitable buy for each team for the 2017 season.
Delhi Daredevils – Kagiso Rabada
The South African speedster’s pedigree is unquestionable and his recent form merits the top-10 ranking he holds in both Tests and ODI cricket. The Delhi Daredevils had a strong squad prior to the start of the auction with a mix of foreign matchwinners like Quinton de Kock, Chris Morris, Carlos Brathwaite and Indian youngsters like Rishabh Pant and Karun Nair.
However, the team did appear to be very ‘top heavy’ and lacked depth in the bowling department. They fixed that during the action, snapping up Pat Cummins, Rabada, Angelo Mathews and Murugan Ashwin.
That being said, Rabada promises to be the most exciting acquisition and there’s a high chance he will be close to the top of the wicket-takers list at the end of the season. In T20 cricket, he takes a wicket every third over and has an economy of just over 7 showing his effectiveness.
Royal Challengers Bangalore – Tymal Mills
It was widely expected that the RCB would spend all their money on acquiring the services of English all-rounder Ben Stokes. The team boasts of the some of the biggest names (arguably the biggest three – Kohli, AB & Gayle) and Stokes would have been another one in that ilk.
When Stokes did go under the hammer, it appeared that the RCB might look to buy him before they pulled out when his price starting shooting up above the 10-crore mark.
They instead went for Stokes’ compatriot, left-arm seamer Tymal Mills. Mills comes with a reputation of being an absolute star in the T20 format with an arsenal of variations in his armour.
The side has been looking for someone who can stem the flow of runs at the death while picking up crucial wickets and have banked upon Mills to be that guy for them.
Kolkata Knight Riders – Chris Woakes
Along with Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes was another who was expected to go for big money. The English all-rounder differs from Stokes as he is more of a bowling all-rounder rather than a batting one, like Stokes.
Andre Russell’s doping ban caused a vacuum in the KKR squad that immediately needed to be filled. Russell is famed for his explosiveness with the bat but it is worth noting that he often opened the bowling for the KKR, and thus Woakes makes the perfect replacement.
KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir had remarked that they had meticulously thought about their purchases and the fact that Woakes cost only 4.2 crore allowed them to purchase other top quality players as well.
With Woakes in the side, the KKR look as formidable as ever.
Sunrisers Hyderabad – Rashid Khan
The only role gap that needed to be filled in the defending champions’ squad was that of a wicket-taking leg-spinner and they addressed that with the acquisition of 18-year-old Afghanistan bowler Rashid Khan.
The Sunrisers had plenty of money in the tank and were expected to go for the world’s no.1 ranked T20 bowler, Imran Tahir, but instead decided to go with Rashid.
What makes him an amazing acquisition is his suitability to the T20 format. In 21 T20I matches in his career, he has taken 31 wickets while conceding just over 6 runs an over.
At just 18, he appears to be a sure bet for the IPL young player of the year award.
Rising Pune Supergiants – Ben Stokes
The Rising Pune Supergiants have absolutely dominated the headlines over the past couple of days. First, it was announced that MS Dhoni would relinquish his captaincy and Steven Smith would take over.
Second, they swooped in at the last second during the bidding for Ben Stokes and acquired him for a massive 14.5 crore, dealing a massive blow to their funds at a very early juncture of the auction.
With him in the squad, the RPSG represent an incredibly well-rounded unit. While their bowling unit is not the strongest, in T20 cricket, the West Indies have shown that you can rely on top quality all-rounders to get you over the line.
Stokes will walk into this squad and the prospect of him, MS Dhoni and Mitchell Marsh in the middle-order should send shivers down the spines of their opponents.
Kings XI Punjab – Martin Guptill
The Kings XI Punjab seemed to be playing a different game altogether at the auction. It appeared that what Virender Sehwag wanted, he got. He summarized it perfectly with this tweet –
Kiwi opener Martin Guptill seems to be an absolute bargain at 50 lakhs. Easily one of the most dominant batsmen in limited-overs cricket, he promises to form an exquisite opening combination with either Hashim Amla or Murali Vijay.
Their other acquisitions, notably Eoin Morgan and T Natarajan were great buys too and it was tough to pick their most suitable pick.
Gujarat Lions – Basil Thampi
Gujarat Lions were absolutely dominant in their first ever IPL last year. While the Rising Pune Supergiants dominated the headlines, the Gujarat side was very balanced and had a great mix of batsmen and all-rounders.
The side was almost perfect, but it lacked a little depth in the bowling department. At the 2017 auction, they went out to acquire young Indian talent that can help them possibly win the title this year around.
Kerala right-arm seamer Basil Thampi was one they had decided to fight for in an otherwise dull action for the side. Having taken 26 wickets in 23 T20 games at just over 7 runs an over, he promises to be a revelation during the IPL.
Mumbai Indians – Karn Sharma
it wasn’t a very typical auction for the Mumbai Indians. They failed to add any star names to the squad, but were amongst the busiest in the auction as they bolstered both their batting and bowling departments with some smart buys.
Even before they entered the auction, Mumbai’s squad was strong enough to be considered favourites for next year’s title but the addition of Karn Sharma certainly adds another dimension to their side.
The leggie has gathered plenty of experience over the past 3 seasons in the IPL and will benefit from playing in a squad that has the kind of support staff that the Mumbai Indians do.
In 46 IPL matches, he has taken 36 wickets at over 7 runs an over.
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