3 Indian batsmen who could be big buys in the IPL auction
While performance on the field is the ultimate deciding factor of the success of any team, in franchise cricket, the shrewdness of the management in acquiring players at the auctions or draft hold key significance. A team like Sunrisers Hyderabad are known to be wily at the auction table, time and again ending the auctions as the best-placed team. This, in turn, reflects in their consistency off the field too.
This editions' IPL auction has a different feel to it, thanks to the upcoming ICC World Cup 2019. Given the unavailability of many international superstars, teams will be looking to grab their hands on good domestic Indian players. Star batsmen Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell have already declared that they won't be available for this year's auctions.
Let's look at three Indian batsmen who can earn the big bucks this IPL Auctions.
1. Manoj Tiwary
The swashbuckling Bengal batsman was touted to be an India star in the waiting. However, untimely injuries coinciding with other players grabbing their chances meant he could never really cement his spot in the team. Now 33, his India career seems to have come to a standstill. But he keeps racking up the runs for Bengal.
Despite not having staggering numbers in the IPL, he averages 28.73 at a strike rate of nearly 117, he can be a valuable addition if given a decent go. He memorably hit the winning runs for KKR in the 2012 finals, while he was a more than handy middle-order bat for the Rising Pune Supergiants during their road to the finals in 2017.
2. Hanuma Vihari
The Andhra batsman has evolved a lot in terms of batting, even going on to make his Test debut against England. Picked by SRH in 2013, he was awarded the Man of the Match award for his all-round show. But, he failed to put up strong shows then onwards. Of late he has been going unsold in the IPL auctions. But Vihari 2.0 is a different package. He can be a dependable middle-order batsman for any team, capable of teeing off once set and inform.
3. Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan showed a lot of promise when he smashed Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 19 runs in an over during the 2016 edition of the IPL. He had played handy cameos for RCB in the past too. Post that, even though he failed to live up to the promise, the management continued to repose faith in him and he was retained as the third player before last edition's auction ahead of KL Rahul or Yuzvendra Chahal. He disappointed yet again and the management finally released him ahead of this year's auction. Despite his struggles, Sarfaraz remains a talented batsman capable of producing the x-factor to any team.