IPL Auction 2020: 3 batting dark horses who could attract huge bids at the auction
With the final auction list being released by the BCCI, there's an air of excitement around fans as they wait to see who their franchises target.
Several high profile batsmen like Glenn Maxwell, Eoin Morgan, Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Lynn and Jason Roy are expected to take the big bucks. However, there could also be some unexpected names that attract the attention of the franchises.
Here are 3 dark horses who might take the auction by surprise:
1. Alex Carey
One of the rising stars of Australia's limited-overs set-up, Alex Carey has been fantastic for Justin Langer's men over the last year and a half.
The lower-order batsman demonstrated his ability to play spin well during Australia's victorious tour of India in 2018-19. That, coupled with the left-hander's fantastic T20 stats - he strikes the ball at 133.55 whilst averaging 31.10 - and a reliable pair of hands behind the stumps, could see his selling price multiply many times over his base price of INR 50 lakh.
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Teams that might bid for him: Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab
2. Ross Taylor
While the phoenix most people have been talked about this year has been Joaquin for his performance as the Joker, the one who should be on most cricketer lovers' minds is Ross Taylor.
Frequent injuries and a deteriorating eye-sight had caused Taylor to be completely written off, but the 35-year-old southpaw has enjoyed a very fruitful second coming in limited-overs cricket.
He boasts spectacular T20I numbers, scoring at an average of 31.13 and a strike rate of 125.87 since the start of last year. His ability to play both the anchor and the aggressor, coupled with his versatility in terms of batting positions (he can bat anywhere from 3-6 in the lineup) should make him an attractive option at this year's auction.
Teams that might bid for him: Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab
3. Tim Seifert
A lesser-known entity until recently, New Zealand wicketkeeper Tim Seifert's value has risen manifold in the past year or so. He is no rookie to the art of T20 cricket, having scored 1178 runs in 67 innings at a strike rate of well over 135.
The top-order batsman (who can bat at any position up to 4) has scored at an impressive strike-rate of 138.69 in T20Is this year, further enhancing his stock in the cricketing community. His most impressive performances, however, have come against the Indian team, which should help his case at the auction.
Scoring 139 runs against India at an average of 46.33 and a mammoth strike-rate of 173.75, the 24-year-old Kiwi would be on the radar of several teams.
Teams that might bid for him: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Kings XI Punjab