This story is from December 19, 2019

IPL Auction 2020: All eyes on RCB as 332 players go under the hammer

Many of the world's top cricketers will be among 332 players going under the hammer when the Indian Premier League holds its auction on Thursday. RCB have released 12 players, 7 of them overseas. That leaves Virat Kohli with only 2 foreigners at his disposal. With a purse of Rs 27.90 cr to spend, RCB can afford to chase a few foreigners aggressively.
IPL Auction 2020: All eyes on RCB as 332 players go under the hammer
Royal Challengers Bangalore have released 12 players, seven of them overseas. (TOI Photo)
Key Highlights
  • With a purse of Rs 27.90 crore to spend, RCB can afford to chase a few foreigners aggressively.
  • Kohli has already set the tone, assuring fans that all bases will be covered.
  • With an amount of Rs 35.65 crore at their disposal, Kolkata Knight Riders may well adopt a boorish stance.
KOLKATA: The Thursday matinee show on TV screens may not promise the thrills of a full IPL auction, yet the hearts of quite a few cricketers will skip a beat or two when their names come up for 'business'.
This is a mini-auction - 332 players have registered - and the franchises will only fill up a few slots - maximum of 73 - which have fallen vacant after some of the players were released.

At the end of the auction, which will get under way at 3.30 pm, the squads for the 13th edition of the highly-popular T20 league will be finalised. Following the 2020 tournament, the teams will be disbanded and the franchises will pick their players afresh. On the face of it, the stakes don't seem to be too high in this player auction.
But is that actually the case? A look at the players released and the positions available indicates that the team managements may go all out to get some men of their choice. Given that a total purse of Rs 207.65 crore will be available, a few players can dream of a big pay day.
IPL

Take, for example, Royal Challengers Bangalore. They have released 12 players, seven of them overseas. That leaves Virat Kohli with only two foreigners at his disposal. With a purse of Rs 27.90 crore to spend, RCB can afford to chase a few foreigners aggressively. Kohli has already set the tone, assuring fans that all bases will be covered.
Among the players RCB have released are Shimron Hetmyer, Colin de Grandhomme and Nathan Coulter-Nile - all of whom could be in demand on Thursday afternoon.

Kolkata Knight Riders, too, will be looking to tick a few boxes, having let go of Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn and Piyush Chawla. With an amount of Rs 35.65 crore at their disposal - the second-highest after Kings XI Punjab - the Shahrukh Khan-owned franchise may well adopt a boorish stance.
It won't be surprising if they don't hold back to acquire some of their targetted cricketers.
It won't be surprising either if Rajasthan Royals continue their 'shock and awe' approach.
Among the most sedate bidders in the early years of IPL, the Jaipur-based franchise threw up the biggest surprises in the last two auctions. Having released players like Ajinkya Rahane, Jaydev Unadkat and Dhawal Kulkarni, they will be chasing some domestic names with vigour, with an eye on specific slots. They might well decide to splurge on one big name.
Will they aim to get back Unadkat at a cut-price, a repeat of the last auction? "Wait and watch," was all that a Royals official had to offer.
Delhi Capitals may have a problem of plenty when it comes to captaincy, but on the bidding table they will have some specific positions in mind. Having brought in veterans Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin into the side, they have done much of the spadework and will be looking to spend their Rs 27.85 crore judiciously.
Kings XI, with Rs 42.70 crore and nine slots to fill, are expected to go for experienced men. Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have a settled look while Sunrisers Hyderabad will look at some domestic talent closely.
Permutation and combinations in place, its over to the gavel.
FOREIGN PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR:
Glenn Maxwell (batsman, Australia)
Maxwell

Will be raring to go after taking a break to address some mental issues. Franchises will be eager to acquire him as he can turn a game on its head in a jiffy.
Shimron Hetmyer (batsman, West Indies)
Hetmyer

The southpaw will be in demand after a decent T20I series against India and a match-winning ton in first ODI, more so as franchises often chase players who have done well against India in recent past.
Chris Lynn (batsman, Australia)
Lynn

Released by KKR after six seasons, the hard-hitting opener will be sought after by teams looking to bolster their top-order. His experience in IPL could be a key factor.
Pat Cummins (bowler, Australia)
Cummins

Consistency has been his middle name since he returned to international cricket in 2017. Leader of the pack in the Aussie attack, this gentle fast bowler will be an asset for any team.
Kesrick Williams (bowler, West Indies)
Kesrick-Williams

The fact that he has managed to get under Virat Kohli's skin should excite the franchises. The Vincentian medium-pacer varies his pace cleverly and has an effective slower one.
INDIAN PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR:
Robin Uthappa (batsman)
Robin

Although not in his best form of late, this former KKR wicketkeeper-batsman is one of the most experienced domestic players who can provide stability to the middle-order.
Jaydev Unadkat (bowler)
Jaydev

A left-arm pacer always adds variety to the attack and with loads of experience, the 28-year-old from Saurashtra should be a sought-after bowler at the auction.
Ishan Porel (bowler)
Ishan

The India U-19 World Cup-winning member may have felt left out in the previous auction, but the Bengal pacer has matured and developed with time and had a good domestic season.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (batsman)
Yashasvi

Franchises may gamble on the Mumbai teenager, who made headlines by becoming the youngest to score a List A double century
Piyush Chawla (bowler)
Piyush

One of the most successful bowlers in IPL history with 150 scalps, the experienced leg-spinner can be relied to pick wickets on any surface.
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