Brad Hogg picks his three best buys of the IPL 2021 auction
Former Australian left-arm wrist-spinner Brad Hogg revealed the three picks he felt were the best buys at the IPL 2021 auction. The highly-anticipated event saw numerous world-class players command massive price tags.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Brad Hogg opined that Dawid Malan, Piyush Chawla, and Harbhajan Singh were the three best signings of the auction.
The No.1 ranked T20I batsman in the world, Dawid Malan went for his base price of INR 1.5 crore to the Punjab Kings. Experts and fans believe the acquisition of a player of Malan's caliber at that price is an absolute steal for the Mohali-based franchise.
Experienced leg-spinner and third-highest wicket-taker in the history of IPL, Piyush Chawla was snapped up by the Mumbai Indians for INR 2.4 crore. Meanwhile, the Kolkata Knight Riders also added experience to their spin department through the acquisition of Harbhajan at his base price of INR 2 crore.
"Malan for the Punjab Kings, they need a batter and they got the best T20 batter in the world for a very cheap price. Mumbai Indians with Piyush Chawla, the third-highest wicket-taker in the competition. And KKR with Harbhajan Singh, who is the fifth-highest wicket-taker and has got a good economy," Brad Hogg said.
Nathan Coulter-Nile was the smartest buy of the auction: Brad Hogg
Another signing that Brad Hogg was impressed with was that of Australian speedster Nathan Coulter-Nile. The pacer cost the defending champions MI a whopping INR 8 crore in the last auction.
They released him in the auction pool this time around, and bought him back at a cheaper price (INR 5 crores). The extra money helped them to sign another fast bowler in Adam Milne. Brad Hogg admired the smart piece of business by the five-time IPL champions.
"The smartest buy of the tournament was Nathan Coulter-Nile. They threw him back in the auction and got him back for a lot cheaper," Brad Hogg said.
With most teams covering all their bases at the auction, it will now be up to the players to prove their mettle, especially those with heavy price tags.
There is still some uncertainty around where the cash-rich league will take place this year. The potential change in venue could also affect the strategies of multiple IPL teams.