IPL Auction 2020: Top 3 Australian players who could end up being steals
With the 2020 IPL auction around the corner, discussions are rife on who can be the best buys for the teams at this year's lucrative event. A total of 332 players, which also feature as many as 186 Indians, go under the hammer on the 19 December auction.
While most eyes are on the international stars such as Pat Cummins, Eoin Morgan, Chris Lynn and home favourites like Robin Uthappa and Jaydev Unadkat, it is the unheralded players that are more likely to make headlines with their surprise bids.
Keeping that in mind, here is a list of three Australian players from the auction list that could prove to be be steals for the franchises on 19 December.
1. Alex Carey
While he is better known for his exploits in the 50-over format, Alex Carey is surely going to be a talking point in the auction. Coming off of a stellar World Cup campaign, the wicketkeeper-batsman makes for an enticing choice.
He has come into his own after some initial blips in his career and has even gained experience, which is sure to help him moving forward.
As things stand, a few teams would be looking for a middle order batsman who can double up as a wicketkeeper when called upon. And that's where Carey fits in well.
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He would be high on confidence after being named in the Team of the Tournament at the World Cup, ahead of several seasoned wicketkeepers, and could well transfer that to his batting. With a modest base price of INR 50 lakh to start with, Carey is a definite steal for whichever team keeps an eye out for him.
2. Nathan Coulter-Nile
Another Aussie on the list is the 32-year-old pace bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile. A veteran of sorts in the IPL, Coulter-Nile is a calculated risk that could result in big gains for a team willing to bet on him.
A seasoned T20 campaigner, he brings a lot to the table, especially for a team lacking experience in their bowling attack.
Coulter-Nile has proven his worth in the powerplay overs time and again, he could be very handy for teams struggling to start a match on the right footing. A wicket-taker early on in a match can be a real game-changer in the current setup of teams that have an ever-increasing dependence on their opening batsmen.
At a base price of INR 1 crore, Coulter-Nile could be just what many teams need at this point.
3. Chris Green
The last name on this list is that of 26-year-old all-rounder Chris Green. Best known for his time with the the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League, Green is a hidden gem in the auction list if there ever was one.
A sureshot asset to any bowling lineup with his right-arm off-breaks, Green also brings in some batting skills that can come in handy. He could be the perfect counter for the increasingly thinning list of explosive left-handed batsmen (Rishabh Pant, Shikhar Dhawan, and Chris Gayle) in the league.
Placed in the bracket with a base price of INR 20 lakh, Green could be a hush-hush buy for a franchise looking to provide a surprise star at the big stage in 2020.