New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS): On Tuesday, the Indian Premier League (IPL) released the final auction pool of players, with the event set to happen in Kochi on December 23. A total of 273 Indian players, and 132 overseas, including four players from Associate countries, are part of the final auction list.
Also, in the final auction list, there are 119 capped players alongside 286 uncapped players. The auction will also see some of the biggest all-rounders in world cricket go under the hammer and teams will be vying to get them into their rosters. Here's a look at three world-class all-rounders who will be on the wish list of every team ahead of the IPL 2023 Auction: -
Ben Stokes (Auction Base Price: - INR 2 crore)
Considered by many to be one of the great all-rounders of modern cricket, there is no doubt that Ben Stokes, currently England's inspirational Test captain and leading their charge in changing the way of playing in the longer format, will be one of the biggest buys of the IPL 2023 Auctions.
The all-rounder was the most expensive player in the 2018 IPL auctions when he was bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs. 12.5 cr. Stokes is widely known as an expressive cricketer who relies on his instincts to get his team out of tight situations. He also has great leadership abilities and his character is looked upon by youngsters in the team, which makes him the perfect role model to have on the side.
Stokes did not feature in last year's IPL as he wanted to focus on his mental health and well-being, forcing the Royals to release him last year. But expect the teams to gear up for fierce bidding to sign up a real match-winner in Stokes.
Shakib Al Hasan (Auction Base Price: - INR 1.5 crore)
One of the finest cricketers to have ever emerged from Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan has been the backbone of a plethora of teams in his decorated cricket career. The all-rounder is known for his consistency, accuracy and aggression with the ball in hand and has a wide range of shots when batting.
His confidence and temperament have led him and his sides to perform at the biggest stages both internationally and domestically. He has represented Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad previously in the IPL, playing a vital role in winning many matches for them across many editions.
A lot of teams will be looking to have Shakib in their squads not just for his cricketing prowess but also for his unmatched experience and ability to handle pressure in clutch situations.
Sam Curran (Auction Base Price: - INR 2 crore)
Sam Curran comes into the IPL 2023 Auction riding on the success of being a major architect of England winning the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Australia. The young left-arm pace all-rounder had an outstanding time in his first T20 World Cup, not only winning the Player of the Match award in the final but also the Player of the Series award in the tournament.
Curran has already shown great performances for Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings in previous editions of the IPL and can be highly effective as well as useful with both bat and ball.
His growing experience, coupled with his qualities to leave a mark on the field with all-round performances make him an ideal buy for IPL teams. His ability to clear the fence as a lower-order batsman and his accuracy while bowling at the death make him an ideal buy for any team at this year's IPL auction.