Picture credit: IPL

Set against the backdrop of anticipation and excitement in picturesque Dubai, the IPL 2024 auction scheduled for December 19 promises to unveil a constellation of cricketing stars. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially released the list of players going under the hammer ahead in the upcoming auction. The mini-auction will be held at Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena, with proceedings underway at 2:30 PM IST (1 PM local time).

The auction pool, initially comprising 1166 players, has been distilled to a select 333, including 119 overseas talents and 214 Indian names. Among those, 2 players will represent their respective Associate Nations, with Netherlands pacer Paul van Meekeren and Namibian all-rounder David Wiese part of the selection. The auction will kick off with capped players, starting with batters and progressing to all-rounders, wicket-keepers, fast bowlers, and spinners in that order. The same order will be followed for uncapped players.

 

 

The 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup champions Travis Head, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc are all set to be part of the initial group of players available for bidding, falling into their respective categories of capped batters, all-rounders, and bowlers. Additionally, Rachin Ravindra, the breakout star from the recently-concluded 50-over mega extravaganza, has listed his base price at INR 50 lakh as an all-rounder.

Among the capped batters is England's Harry Brook, who commanded a significant interest and price at the previous auction but was subsequently released due to subpar performances. Travis Head, absent from the IPL for six seasons, could emerge as a highly sought-after player following his standout World Cup display. The shortlist also includes the youngest player, 16-year-old mystery spinner Allah Ghazanfar, and the oldest, Mohammad Nabi at 39.

Gujarat Titans hold the highest purse at INR 38.15 crore, followed by Sunrisers Hyderabad with 34 crores and Kolkata Knight Riders with 32.7 crores. As for the Royals, they enter the auction with a purse of INR 14.5 crore, with a retained core of 17 strong players and 8 slots to fill.

Check out the list of retained players across all 10 IPL teams.