The IPL today is a big treasure trove for everyone involved in it. It is the BCCI’s cash cow, an opportunity for cricketers to secure their futures and impress upon selectors, a dream investment for advertisers and broadcasters, and a source of wholesome entertainment for the spectators.
The corporatization of the game has brought in plenty of capital which has allowed huge paychecks for youngsters with talent. Today there are many players who are yet to make an international debut but are making huge money playing the IPL and are financially secure. Not just domestic players, international uncapped cricketers are receiving IPL contracts before maiden call-ups.
It is also an opportunity for cricketers who have fallen into oblivion or have still not been noticed by their board to earn a decent living and earn their way back into the team. If picked up by franchisees, the players can light up the tournament with their dazzling performance and bring in the attention of the selectors. One such cricketer is Robin Uthappa, who had the curse of oblivion on him and hardly got chances with Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in the last two seasons.
However, his two eye-catching performances in the playoffs for Chennai this year shall ensure that he gets a handsome IPL contract. We look at 5 such cricketers who can go for big bucks in the 2021 IPL auctions.
1. Abdul Samad
The Kashmiri boy has got a limited chance in SRH but in whatever little opportunity he has received, he has made a strong impact. He has positioned himself as a strong candidate for a good strong finisher. His strike rate of 146 establishes his big-hitting credentials. His performances in the last seasons will ensure that franchisees go into a bidding war for him in the next auction. He is yet to make an impact in the domestic circuit or India-A but the 2022 auctions can be his break out in terms of big money.
2. Chris Lynn
Chris Lynn was the toast of IPL a few years back but fell off the radar. He struggled to get going for KKR in the IPL after initial performances. He was not part of the 2020 season and was part of the 2021 season for Mumbai Indians but just got one game. However, his performance in the BBL over the years and his big-hitting abilities make him an automatic buy. With the addition of two new franchises, we may see multiple franchises bidding for him.
3. Jimmy Neesham
Neesham was an out-of-favor cricketer for the most part of the year. For the majority of this year’s IPL, he was benched. However, the 2021 ICC T20 world cup could not have come at a better time for Neesham. His match-altering innings in the semi-final would have caught the attention of most IPL franchises scouts. His exceptional range hitting and ability to bowl handy overs set him apart. He will be a much sought-after bowling all-rounder.
4. Lalit Yadav
The Delhi Capitals player has not set the stage on fire but put up handy performances in the 2021 IPL for his franchise. He played a few of the games in the first leg as a lower middle-order batsman also bowled vital overs. He picked up 4 wickets too in the 7 games he played. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament that had preceded the April leg of IPL, Yadav had smashed 152 runs in 5 games with a strike rate of close to 200. He may be on the radar of quite a few franchises for the 2022 IPL auctions.
5. Jason Holder
Jason Holder, till sometime back, was not even a regular in the Windies T20 team. however, in the UAE leg of IPL, he was brought in by SRH as a desperate move to turn their fortune. Not much could be salvaged by the franchise, however, Holder put up some commendable performances. He scored 85 runs in 8 matches and picked up a solid 16 wickets. His performances helped him make it to the Windies world cup squad as well.
