MUMBAI, Dec 12: In anticipation of the upcoming 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled a final shortlist of 333 players who will go under the hammer in what is being touted as one of the biggest mini-auctions in recent years.
The pool consists of 214 Indian players and 119 overseas cricketers, including two from Associate nations. A total of 77 spots are up for grabs in this highly anticipated auction.
Among the shortlisted players, 116 are capped, while 215 are uncapped, with the remaining two hailing from Associate nations. A total of 23 players have set their base price at Rs 2 crore, and 13 others are in the Rs 1.5 crore bracket.
Leading the batting charge in the top base price bracket are Travis Head, Manish Pandey, Harry Brook, and former Australian captain Steve Smith. The all-rounders’ category features notable names such as Gerald Coetzee, Shardul Thakur, Rachin Ravindra, Harshal Patel, and Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins.
In the fast bowlers’ category, Mitchell Starc headlines the fourth set alongside the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi, and Sri Lanka’s World Cup star Dilshan Madushanka.
The wicketkeepers’ list includes Josh Inglis, Phil Salt, and KS Bharat, with Bharat being the only Indian amongst the five names in the third set.
Gujarat Titans boast the most substantial purse remaining with Rs 38.15 crore left in their coffers, while Kolkata Knight Riders lead the pack with the most slots to fill, requiring 12 players to complete their squad.
Top spinners in the fifth set include Mujeeb ur Rahman and Adil Rashid, both commanding a base price of Rs 2 crore.
On the flip side, Lucknow Super Giants find themselves with the smallest purse, totaling Rs 13.15 crore. Despite having the joint-least slots to fill (6), they share this distinction with powerhouse franchises Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Cricket enthusiasts and team owners alike are eagerly awaiting the auction, poised to witness high-stake bidding wars as teams look to secure their line-ups for the much-anticipated IPL 2024 season.
