The highly-anticipated mega IPL Auction returns to our TV screens in 2022 for the first time in four years on the 12th and 13th of February in Bengaluru. A total of 33 players have already been retained by the ten IPL teams, and a further 217 can be bought by the franchisees at the auction, with a maximum of 70 overseas players slots available.
1214 players have registered themselves for the 2022 IPL auction, including international stars like Quinton de Kock, David Warner and Pat Cummins, but there is a distinct lack of quality all-rounders in this auction with the likes of Archer, Sam Curran and Ben Stokes not available due to injury.
IPL teams will have to do some serious scouting to balance their sides with multi-skilled players, and here are five all-rounders to watch out for in the upcoming 2022 Auction.
1. Mitchell Marsh (Base Price: 2 crores)
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Mitchell Marsh enjoyed an outstanding year in 2021 in the shortest format, with the all-rounder playing a pivotal role in Australia’s T20 World Cup victory in the UAE to go along with his nomination for the ICC Men’s T20 player of the year. Although there are some question marks over his ability to play spin, Marsh is one of the best seam-bowling all-rounders available in this auction and could be used as an opener due to his ability to take on the pacers.
2. Dwayne Bravo (Base Price: 2 crores)
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Dwayne Bravo is still one of the premier all-rounders in the world in T20 cricket at the age of 38, and the three-time IPL champion can add plenty of vital experience and leadership to every team in the tournament. Bravo is just four wickets away from becoming the all-time highest wicket-taker in IPL history, and the West Indian all-rounder possesses one of the rarest skillsets in world cricket due to his ability to bowl at the death while also providing some explosive power-hitting with the bat.
3. Krunal Pandya (Base Price: 2 crores)
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Along with his brother Hardik, Krunal Pandya has been the glue that has held the Mumbai Indians together over the past half a decade, helping the team win three IPL titles since 2017. Although Krunal’s numbers have dipped a bit in recent times, the left-hander is still an incredibly valuable asset for any IPL side, with a strike rate of 138 with the bat and an economy of just 7.3.
4. Jason Holder (Base Price: 1.5 crores)
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Jason Holder is quietly becoming one of the most underrated T20 all-rounders in world cricket, given his excellent performances for West Indies and the Sunrisers Hyderabad over the past two years. With the bat, Holder doesn’t offer incredible upside, but the 6’7” Barbadian is a great option with the ball on Indian pitches due to the extra bounce he can generate due to his height. Holder won’t have the same impact the likes of Pollard or Andre Russell have on their team, but the West Indian can still be a great option this season due to the lack of quality all-rounders in the auction.
5. Aiden Markram (Base Price: 1 crore)
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After making his name on the international circuit in Test cricket, Aiden Markram has shown some substantial improvement in recent times as a white-ball player and has risen to number three in the ICC T20 batter rankings and number nine amongst the all-rounders. The South African has vastly improved his range-hitting and has an excellent strike rate of 147 in T20I’s to go along with his respectable economy rate of 7.4 with the ball.
[Featured Image Credit: ANI]
Shivaan Shah