We’re just a day away from the much-awaited mega auction for the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL), with Bengaluru playing host to this year’s auction that looks set to be one of the biggest auctions in the history of the league.
As many as 1,214 players had registered for the auction, of which 590 have been approved to go under the hammer in the two-day event that takes place over the coming weekend. Of the 590 shortlisted players, 220 are overseas players both from Test-playing countries as well as Associate Nations. As many as 14 nations besides India will be represented at the event. What also makes this year’s auction bigger is the addition of two new teams along with the eight original franchises, with Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Giants joining the fray.
In our build-up to this year’s auction, we take a look at some of the lesser-known names from foreign leagues who could attract the attention of team owners in the auction:
Matthew Short (Australia, Rs 20 lakh)
Adelaide Strikers opener Short was in impeccable form with the bat in the 11th edition of the Big Bash League (BBL), finishing third in the run-scorers’ list with 493 runs to his name in 16 appearances.
What stood out apart from his consistency in the season was his season strike rate of 155.2, which the team owners and scouts will have taken note of ahead of the auction. Among his notable knocks from the season was his unbeaten 44-ball 72 against the Hobart Hurricanes last month in which he almost singlehandedly obliterated the opposition attack. Two weeks later, he would produce a 48-ball 89 against the same side in another Player-of-the-Match-winning performance.
Short’s handy off-spin skills were also utilised fairly often by Strikers captain Peter Siddle, with the Victorian collecting eight wickets across the season.
Hayden Kerr (Australia, Rs 20 lakh)
With 25 wickets across the season at an impressive average and strike rate of 15 and 12 respectively, along with an economy of 7.50, Kerr finished second in the bowling charts in BBL 11 behind Adelaide Strikers skipper Peter Siddle, who had five more wickets to his name.
While the New South Welshman primarily starred with the ball, he was by no means a mug with the bat and saved the very best of his skills for the crucial Challenger clash against the Strikers.
Kerr stood tall at a time when the Strikers had made early inroads in the chase of the 168-run target and ended up turning the tide with a scintillating 98 not out to propel the Sixers into a third consecutive final. The sensational innings, which was laced with 10 fours and two sixes, not only became the toast of Cricket Twitter but will also make him one to watch out for in the player auction.
Tim David (Singapore, Rs 40 lakh)
Singapore all-rounder David had a decent outing for the Hobart Hurricanes in BBL 11, collecting 218 runs at an average of 24.22 and at a superb strike rate of 163.9, but he has been particularly impressive for the Multan Sultans in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season.
The middle-order batter has smashed 197 runs from six innings so far in the tournament, at a superb average of 65 and a staggering strike rate of 207.36. David smashed back-to-back fifties earlier this month — a 29-ball 71 against Islamabad United followed by a 19-ball 51 not out against Peshawar Zalmi, both coming in winning causes.
The knocks couldn’t have come at a better time, just a few days before he is to go under the hammer at the auction, and his hard-hitting skills no doubt should get a few franchises interested.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore (England, Rs 40 lakh)
The Englishman played a key role in Jaffna Kings’ victorious campaign in the second season of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), finishing the fifth-highest run-getter with 296 runs to his name at an average and strike rate of 32.88 and 137.03 respectively.
And Kohler-Cadmore, a consistent run-scorer across formats in the English domestic scene, proved his big-match credentials with an unbeaten 57 in the final to help the Kings post a steep 200-plus target that they would go on to successfully defend for the franchise to win its second title (albeit under a different set of owners and with a new name this season).
Kohler-Cadmore was also in blazing form Pune Devils in the Abu Dhabi T10 League that took place in November and December, smashing the season's highest score of 96 off 39 balls and finishing as the sixth-highest run-scorer. He is currently representing Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL and will hope to add an IPL contract to his CV later this week.
Matt Kelly (Australia, Rs 30 lakh)
Perth Scorchers seamer Matthew Kelly was having a terrific run in BBL 11 until his season was cut short when he tested positive for COVID-19 along with teammate Cameron Bancroft a month back.
The news came just a couple of days after Kelly decimated the Melbourne Stars batting lineup, producing a match-winning haul of 4/25 in the Scorchers’ 12th game of the season. The Western Australian had collected 14 wickets at a superb average and strike rate of 12.78 and 9.8 respectively, along with an economy of 7.78.
Judging by the kind of run that he was having, he could have finished as the leading wicket-taker, or among the top three for that matter had he not contracted the virus. Nevertheless, his performance should get some of the franchises interested in the upcoming IPL auction and could also fetch him lucrative deals elsewhere in the world.
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