Pre-IPL Auction 2024: Dynamics, Impact player factor & Teams + Players to watch out for

[00:00:00] Welcome everybody to the podcast and also welcome to the most interesting time of the year.

[00:00:06] No, I'm not talking about December and Christmas while those are obviously amusing and they're

[00:00:12] not too bad. They bring in a lot of happiness to all of us. I'm talking about the IPL

[00:00:17] 2020 auction and boy this one's going to be a big one and every year we sort of build

[00:00:24] a lot of hype around the auction and for good reason because the valuation of the IPL and

[00:00:30] the worth of the IPL increases with every going year. In recent news, the valuation of the

[00:00:36] league has gone beyond the 10 billion mark. Each team's valuation is closing on 7, 800

[00:00:43] million dollars and it's very clear that the players form the core, the nexus of

[00:00:50] the brand of the franchise and therefore the brand of the IPL. And the auctions offer an

[00:00:55] opportunity obviously to not just increase the brand value of the team but increase the

[00:01:02] performance levels of the team and I think there's a correlation between the two and

[00:01:07] that's why this auction is going to be very, very important for everybody. So on this

[00:01:13] episode of the podcast we're not going to be looking at each team individually for

[00:01:17] that. You can head over to any of these super serious cricket analysts that are sitting across

[00:01:23] different newsrooms and different studios. We're going to be looking at different trends

[00:01:28] that could potentially unfold at the auction. This is going to be a short sweet, crisp

[00:01:34] and clear episode. We're going to be potentially listing out patterns that could unfold

[00:01:40] at the auction. What are the certain things that you're going to be needing to look

[00:01:44] out for and how could certain things unfold? So let's get into it. The first thing that

[00:01:50] strikes me is that you could metaphorically divide the set of 10 teams into two different

[00:01:57] units. The first unit is a set of teams that do not really need to do much. All they

[00:02:03] need to do is fill up a position or two and add a few backups, MICSK, GT, LSG

[00:02:09] and maybe even SRH. I would say SRH and GT are in that one category where they need to

[00:02:15] fill in the more important roles specifically GT, but MICSK and LSG I think are sitting

[00:02:22] pretty heading into the auction. They don't really need to do much along with, apart from

[00:02:28] I'd like to say filling in a few key slots. When you look at the other end of the

[00:02:32] spectrum you've got Punjab Kings, RCB, RRTC and KKR who need to make certain major

[00:02:38] changes and major additions to what are the retained players currently into their squads.

[00:02:46] When you look at these two sets and you look at these two teams and the way I have

[00:02:51] divided them it becomes very, very clear that apart from one or two names that the first

[00:02:57] set of teams that is MICSK, GT, LSG and maybe even SRH will be targeting it's clear that

[00:03:03] most of these teams are going to be sitting back for the first half of the auction and

[00:03:08] the other teams are going to take over a lot of the bidding. They're going to be a lot

[00:03:12] more active, the likes of Punjab, the likes of RCB who need Maki bowlers, the likes of

[00:03:19] Rajasthan Royals that need certain set of players will get to the specific categories

[00:03:24] a little later into the episode. DC of course were missing big personnel in that middle

[00:03:29] order in KKR who need pretty much a little bit of everything. You're going to see a lot

[00:03:34] of these teams step up and try and fight it out with each other but you'll also see the

[00:03:41] likes of MICSK, GT LSG not LSG to be honest but MICSK, GT and maybe even SRH trying

[00:03:48] to go in for one of the few Maki names in set 1 and 2 which essentially are your

[00:03:54] overseas Maki players, your Travis Heads, your Mitchell Starks, you know your Daryl

[00:04:00] Mitchell, your Achy and Ravindra these guys are going to be seeing some interest from

[00:04:05] the teams that I mentioned earlier but largely I think they're going to be sitting back

[00:04:10] but it's going to be trickier for teams that have identified a specific player for

[00:04:16] the job. A lot of times the teams that have their pockets full will just sit back

[00:04:20] and bid to try and push the team that's desperate to a certain salary cap or a

[00:04:26] certain number that becomes incredibly uncomfortable for them. We could see that

[00:04:31] phenomena happening very evidently especially for the likes of RCB who've

[00:04:37] you know released Hazel Wood, Hasaranga and Herschel Patel they need to really go

[00:04:43] out there and fill their bowling up. The likes of DC that need middle order

[00:04:48] batters that need players that will supplement Rishabh Pan's return they could be pushed to try

[00:04:54] and fetch the services of English and a couple of others and a few others as well but it's going

[00:05:00] to be very very tricky for them. Right let's move on now to categories now in the next section

[00:05:05] I've divided or rather listed down the three or four major categories, the major skill sets of

[00:05:11] players and try to take a look at which team needs these skill sets immediately. I'm going to

[00:05:19] start obviously with batters straight up and I think the first name that strikes me is DC as

[00:05:26] I mentioned before Delhi Capitals I think have let go of quite a few middle order players

[00:05:32] and also top order players you've lost Salt, you've got you've lost Ravman Pavel,

[00:05:36] you've lost Sarfaraz Khan, you've lost a few other very very important players it's pretty much a

[00:05:43] clear out that's happening at DC they've realized that not a lot of things have worked in the last

[00:05:47] few years and this time it's very clear that along with the potential top four of say Warner,

[00:05:55] Shaw, Marsh and Rishabh once he returns you need a lot of support after that. So DC I think

[00:06:03] are going to be the team to watch out for in terms of batters you could see them going hard after

[00:06:08] Shah Rukh Khan or English and a couple of others in that category Rajasthan Royals I think need

[00:06:14] a little bit of middle order support as well. Sunrises Hyderabad will go in I think to finally

[00:06:21] replace David Warner and they need to go in for Travis Head to do that. Speaking to a fellow

[00:06:25] Sunrises Hyderabad fan and he mentioned that the psychological advantage of having somebody

[00:06:30] at the top of the order that's overseas that they that's experienced is is something that exists in

[00:06:36] the IPL that's very very real and if you look at the power play numbers of Hyderabad in the last

[00:06:42] couple of years they've been the lowest in the league so they clearly need an opening batter

[00:06:46] maybe to go along with Abhishek Sharma to really take the attack to the opposition. Hyderabad

[00:06:52] is a team that will probably look to go in all in for an opening batter maybe even

[00:06:57] or Travis Head I think one of the two they'll go hard for. Punjab Kings will need to replace Shah Rukh Khan

[00:07:03] will they bid for him is a question and stop at a certain point he was obviously on a high salary

[00:07:10] maybe I think around 10 crore so that is a question CSK will CSK try to replace Ambatir Aidu

[00:07:15] with an Indian batter that is something that will be there but I think CSK will also bid

[00:07:20] for Shah Rukh Khan as they need a more long-term lower order finisher for MS Dhoni and

[00:07:24] they probably have identified Shah Rukh to be that guy. Okay let's move on to bowlers next and no

[00:07:30] surprises obviously RCB they need to replace Triple H as we mentioned earlier in this episode

[00:07:38] Mumbai Indians obviously need a few backup bowlers I think Piyush Chawla was revolutionary

[00:07:45] he reinvented himself last year but it was very clear that despite putting up

[00:07:50] 200s and 220s on the board they lacked the bite in the bowling they needed somebody along with

[00:07:57] Pumbra who can go Jason Berendorf mind you is in form you might see him bowling but with the new

[00:08:03] captain in place you never know there might be a few new decisions being made Harthik Pandey

[00:08:08] obviously taking over as Mumbai captain recently so but I definitely see Mumbai going in for a

[00:08:16] spinner I think for a very very long time we've kept saying this out loud that Mumbai need a

[00:08:23] Maki spinner no disrespect to Piyush Chawla or anybody else that has played for the franchise but

[00:08:28] a big spinner is important Mumbai could very well go in for that also and they can afford to go

[00:08:33] in for an overseas spinner because you've got a largely solid Indian contingent at the top of

[00:08:39] the order so you could potentially go in for an Adil Rashid or a Keshav Maharaj also perhaps

[00:08:44] you never know and I think LSG and GT I think GT will also look to replace a few bowler Shivam

[00:08:50] Mavi Yash Dayal have been released so they'll probably try and get in some of the younger

[00:08:56] Indian fast bowlers into the unit Alzari Joseph's also been released, Odian Smith's also been

[00:09:01] released so yes GT will be in the market for a couple of fast bowlers but the big one for

[00:09:05] me will be Lucknow Super Giants I think they need somebody to bowl at the death and also

[00:09:09] at the start and I think they'll go in for Mesh Shadav Lucknow really do not need to

[00:09:13] do much I think Kautam Gambhir has done an incredible job with the way he set up the squad

[00:09:18] this could very well be their big year but I think an Indian fast bowler and an experienced one maybe

[00:09:25] somebody like Numesh Adav or you could even go in for a Shivam Mavi very talented

[00:09:29] could fit in very very well there. Next let's move to Wicked Keepers and I think GT will need

[00:09:35] Wicked Keepers they've released Urvill Patel and Konabharat both you've only got Ritman

[00:09:40] Sahar and Matthew Wade at the moment in the squad definitely a couple of Indian backup keepers DC

[00:09:46] will definitely be in the market for a big keeper and I think they're not a lot of teams I think

[00:09:52] the other team is only KKR in my opinion that needs a Wicked Keeper but DC and KKR will be

[00:09:58] in the hunt for a Maki Wicked Keeper and I think Joss English here could really make big

[00:10:03] bucks in the IPL DC I think will try and push a lot because of the Australian factor but

[00:10:10] but you know I think there's going to be a bidding war for for Joss English especially after the way

[00:10:14] he batted in that T20 series versus India scoring their 100. All right let's move to All-Rounders

[00:10:21] the last category GT, RR, DC and RCB all we'll be looking at for All-Rounders GT obviously

[00:10:28] you know like I think the GT question is something that will be answered only after the auction because

[00:10:34] do you replace there is no like for like replacement for Hardik at the Indian level

[00:10:39] yes there is a Shardul Thakur in the auction but do you do you, is there a skill comparison

[00:10:45] between the two to a certain level but I think Hardik has been of an incredibly valued player

[00:10:51] across all formats across all teams so do you replace Hardik with Shardul? I few days

[00:10:57] ago I was thinking that but I think now with the impact player rule being such an important factor

[00:11:02] they might go in for a specialist batting All-Rounder where Ratchan Ravindra could be the big big

[00:11:10] big splash that the GT might make you never know. DC will be looking for that lower middle

[00:11:16] order option I think you've got only Akshar Patel at this point of time a few others you've

[00:11:20] got Ripple Patel you've got Yash Dhul a couple of others but you still need an All-Rounder or

[00:11:25] not too many but that's pretty much about it I think the All-Rounder's impact is a little subdued

[00:11:33] with the impact player rule in place but you still have value for money and you still have

[00:11:39] the recognition for the skill set that an All-Rounder brings for you in the game and

[00:11:43] especially in this format so don't rule it out yet but I think to and this is a great

[00:11:49] segue to move into the next segment which are things that I'm going to be looking out for

[00:11:53] in the auction and the first thing is the impact sub rule and how teams now pivot

[00:11:59] that it's been one or two seasons that the impact player rule has been in place and a

[00:12:03] couple of teams have done well to use it effectively but I think a couple of teams

[00:12:08] have clearly struggled so now will you be sort of not looking at All-Rounder options and looking

[00:12:14] at specialists in the batting or bowling department and then use them effectively you need specialist

[00:12:20] players players that have certain skill sets that you can use in situations in a game and I think

[00:12:29] big big batters and maquis fast bowlers are going to be in demand because of the impact player rule

[00:12:35] and therefore I feel a lot of the teams will not be looking out for All-Rounders but essentially

[00:12:40] players that have a dominant skill set and therefore I could see All-Rounders losing

[00:12:46] out a little bit but hey remember there are still some very very good players out there.

[00:12:51] The second thing that I'm going to be looking out for in this auction is how

[00:12:54] RCB replace Hasaranga, Harshal and Hazelwood these are major absentees right which is why we are

[00:13:00] saying this again and again on this program. One in the Hasaranga you know has won you

[00:13:05] a few games with the bat and the ball remember not just at the ball he's also batted for you

[00:13:12] Harshal Patel has been purple cap holder of not too long ago. Joss Hazelwood is easily one of the

[00:13:18] best fast bowlers in the world in the top three in my opinion because of the way he plays in all

[00:13:22] three formats and so this gap is major will RCB go in for two out of these three again

[00:13:30] or for all of them or for none you never know but you know there's obviously a lot of chatter

[00:13:37] around them going for Mitchell Stark he's played for them before but what that could do is a lot

[00:13:42] of teams could push them to pay Mitchell Stark a lot of money I would say around 8 to 9 crore even

[00:13:51] and that could put RCB in a very precarious position maybe even more I think maybe even more

[00:13:58] but how do they replace these three players? Harshal Hasaranga gave you something with

[00:14:03] the bat they picked up wickets for you Hazelwood obviously as we said Maki Bola so big big gap for

[00:14:09] RCB to fill they've obviously done well with getting Cameron Green in the the price tag might

[00:14:16] attract a lot of white balls eyeballs but he fits in beautifully at three for them and I think

[00:14:23] he's going to be a major addition if you look at it Farf Virat Cam Green and then you've got

[00:14:28] Maxwell and then you've got a few other really really good players DK Rajat Pardidhar that's

[00:14:33] that's pretty good that's pretty pretty good I think Rajat Pardidhar might just bat at four and

[00:14:37] then Maxwell at five and DK at six that's very very good right I think they'll be looking out

[00:14:42] for an all-rounder who could bat at seven and that's Hasaranga who would you bring him

[00:14:48] bring in in place of Hasaranga is going to be important there is a generation 2.0 of Gujarat

[00:14:53] Titans that's now going to be built under captain Shubman Gill Shubman is going to captain ideally

[00:14:58] going to captain the team for a long long time however Gujarat going to now build this team

[00:15:04] it was centered around Hardik for a long time now Shubman is going to be the focus and do you

[00:15:09] now go down the route of replacing Hardik with an all-rounder or do you get in a specialist

[00:15:15] batter and really fortify that batting at the top let the options take care of the rest in

[00:15:20] terms of bowling is something that we're going to see are you going to I think it's going to be

[00:15:27] shoot out between Ratchan or English you get one of the two for sure is what GT will be telling

[00:15:33] themselves Ratchan if Ratchan Ravindra comes in you could see Sai Sudarshan batting at four he's

[00:15:39] done that for Sari in the English county he can bat at four he's done that for GT as well

[00:15:45] before if I if I can recall correctly so you could have Ratchan and Gill opening with Williamson

[00:15:52] and Sudarshan at four and then you've got Vijay Shankar and you've got David Miller

[00:15:57] and Rahul Thewathi which is absolute fire top six that is the one the one caveat the one trick

[00:16:06] that the one the one move that GT need to effectively make in this auction are they going

[00:16:11] to go down the India route and make two changes to replace the one Hardik or are they going to

[00:16:17] do a like for like that is what I'm going to be looking out for and number three for me is

[00:16:22] is Delhi capitals and how they're going to supplement Rishabh's return into the IPL and

[00:16:27] Delhi capitals there are reports that he's not going to keep if he doesn't keep then you

[00:16:33] definitely need an a maa ki keeper somebody who'll bat at five and I think Joss English

[00:16:40] is literally the person for them to go after if not English then you've got a few other options

[00:16:47] that are there in the foreign contingent as well there's Shey hope there is I think Kushal

[00:16:53] I think one of the one of the Sri Lankan Dushmanta Chameer or Kushal Mantis one of them keeps as

[00:16:57] well I might be wrong on this please let me know in the comment section but there are

[00:17:02] a few options for DC there to be to be taken care of they also need a bowler to to try and

[00:17:08] give that bowling a little bit of cushion I think over the over the last few years

[00:17:13] Andrek Norkia has not been at his best that he was in 2020 and 2021 you need somebody that

[00:17:18] will bowl with him they've had to call upon Ishan Sharma a number of times and he's done

[00:17:23] a fabulous job for them but this ideally should not be in that position and so you know lower

[00:17:30] order power a wicketkeeper and a bowler and these are major major changes that you

[00:17:35] need to make into you know going into a season how will Delhi go about it is going to be a big

[00:17:41] big question I think for me English Shahrukh Khan Shivam Maawee are three names that they would be

[00:17:47] targeting if they get these three along with a few backup Indian players DC will walk back

[00:17:52] very very happy from the auction I think apart from that MICSK LSG will be will have a couple

[00:18:00] of picks and then get in a few young Indian players and and not really do a lot more Punjab will spend

[00:18:08] we know that by now they'd like to spend they come into the auction with a bit of money they'll go

[00:18:13] in for the next big hot talent and Rajasthan Royals need to make a big splash I think it's

[00:18:19] super important now for RR to you know they've obviously with with the new with the new wave

[00:18:26] after the mega auction last year they did sort of make an impression but now it's time for RR

[00:18:32] to really press on that pedal they need marquee batters who will win them games in the middle

[00:18:39] order Rianne Parag Hetmire has not worked in the past they now need a Daryl Mitchell they need

[00:18:44] to go after Mitchell again get him and and really fortify that middle order because after Yashas

[00:18:51] we Butler and Sanju just struggling for names Rianne Parag obviously has done well in the Said

[00:18:58] Mushta Kali tournament so you might see him batting at at four or you might see him batting at six

[00:19:03] Hetmire in and around five but Hetmire is also not really worked and then you let go of Jason

[00:19:08] Holder as well who offered you a little something with the bat so that the batting from four

[00:19:14] to six those three slots I think are going to be huge for Rajasthan Royals to fill and

[00:19:20] I think they're going to be fighting with the likes of Punjab the likes of DC and maybe even

[00:19:28] Sunrises Hyderabad to make it happen not so much SRH I think because SRH are looking good

[00:19:34] in my opinion with one or two additions all right that was from me those are my thoughts

[00:19:39] ahead of the big auction it's very clear to you know before before I leave it's very very

[00:19:45] clear that there are going to be two sets of teams one set that's looking comfortable heading

[00:19:50] into the auction they've done their work with retentions and trades and one team that's

[00:19:56] sort of one set of team one set of teams that's going to need to do a lot of work in the auction

[00:20:02] and however you know like you never know how things pan out and that's the beauty of the

[00:20:08] auction right even mini auctions you know give you a sense of how teams are shaping up

[00:20:15] heading into a tournament and who could potentially go all the way and this is where the ball starts

[00:20:22] rolling for everybody in the IPL and for all of us fans as well so it's a great indicator of

[00:20:29] how the league is shaping up how the teams are shaping up and that's why all the excitement

[00:20:33] so stay along with me on the Indian cricket podcast and on my socials as well as we move

[00:20:41] towards the auctions and chat a little bit after it as well I hope you enjoyed this episode and

[00:20:45] you come back for more I'll see you around

[00:21:15] you