Who would you recruit for the IPL in the January auction?

[SteveNZ]

I remember when Richard Levi hit the fastest 100 or something in a T20 just before the IPL auctions in NZ, then he got bought for big bucks only to fizzle out soon after. Same thing will probably happen to this Corey dude, I saw that innings but as awesome an achievement it is there was nothing fancy about his batting, not to mention the ridiculously small ground. Didn't McCullum once hit 80 odd against Bangers a few years back on that same ground?

Corey Anderson is 100 times the batsman Richard Levi is, he has a Test hundred and can bowl. Nothing fancy about a 36-ball hundred? I'd have to disagree. Queenstown is not a 'ridiculously small ground' - it's not big but neither are a lot of the IPL venues. Yes, Brendon did score 80 odd - you may also recall him making 156 off 73 balls around the same time in the IPL.

 

[hendrix]

The odd thing about that comparison is that Brendon McCullum is probably the best t20 batsman in the world.

 

[Kippax]

Yeah but it was ridiculously fast from McCullum that one, 80* in the sixth over -
3rd ODI: New Zealand v Bangladesh at Queenstown, Dec 31, 2007 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Flem274*]

If Neesham can give the Champions League sides a fright then Anderson can be a good IPL player imo. Corey is a couple of years ahead of Neesham development wise.

 

[Contra]

Corey Anderson is 100 times the batsman Richard Levi is, he has a Test hundred and can bowl. Nothing fancy about a 36-ball hundred? I'd have to disagree. Queenstown is not a 'ridiculously small ground' - it's not big but neither are a lot of the IPL venues. Yes, Brendon did score 80 odd - you may also recall him making 156 off 73 balls around the same time in the IPL.

I didn't say there is nothing fancy about a 36 ball hundred, I said it's an awesome achievement, I just don't think his batting is any more special than tons of innings we've seen in recent times in ODI/T20 cricket. Of course this was in an ODI (albeit in a shortened game) so he might have a greater chance at making an impact for NZ than Levi did for SA. My point was more that the IPL owners buy players usually based on 1 or 2 good innings, they're probably going "wow this dude broke the world record" and they will pick him based on that expecting him to perform similarly in the IPL, which I think is unlikely to happen, and it's the same thing that happened to Levi.

 

[SteveNZ]

I didn't say there is nothing fancy about a 36 ball hundred, I said it's an awesome achievement, I just don't think his batting is any more special than tons of innings we've seen in recent times in ODI/T20 cricket. Of course this was in an ODI (albeit in a shortened game) so he might have a greater chance at making an impact for NZ than Levi did for SA. My point was more that the IPL owners buy players usually based on 1 or 2 good innings, they're probably going "wow this dude broke the world record" and they will pick him based on that expecting him to perform similarly in the IPL, which I think is unlikely to happen, and it's the same thing that happened to Levi.

Fair enough. I would say that innings is more special than most I remember - to make 100 off 36 balls, against any attack is a hell of an achievement. Remember that four of that Windies bowling attack actually play/have played in the IPL, and on similarly sized grounds.

Will he perform similarly in the IPL? Perhaps not, but he'd be a more than handy signing as a proven hitter who is a genuine bowling option. Trust us as NZ fans, he's not the fizzer that Levi is.

 

[Kippax]

Tbf to Contra, Northern Districts have never exactly had Corey crushing our weak local competition nearer the top of the order. Even without his nemesis (Canterbury A swing bowler Willie Lonsdale) around, still no real impact on the comp.

Jacob Oram went for plenty in 2008 I guess -
2008 Indian Premier League - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"The New *Zealand captain, Daniel Vettori, famously sat in his parked car for 20 minutes sounding the horn with glee after hearing he had been signed by Delhi Daredevils for $625,000."
IPL dollars give Eoin Morgan the horn | Sport | The Observer

 

[Arjun]

Delhi Daredevils have retained nobody. In a way, a good thing, because of Sehwag's poor form and Irfan's poor fitness. They may pull back Morne, Mahela and Finch, although Warner also has a shout, Finch's BBL record can get him in. I am, however, interested in seeing how their Indian base shapes up. I hope there are plenty of Delhi/Haryana players in the mix, although they will miss Gambhir, Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli.

• If they pick a strong batting lineup with Mahela and Finch, with Morne leading the attack, they can push in some young Indian pacers, who can team up with him.
• Delhi has no decent spin stock, so they'll have to look elsewhere in India, or even abroad, and even close to home in Haryana, they have Amit Mishra and Yuzi Chahal.
• Ishant Sharma is India's Steve Harmison- doesn't feel so good outside of representing Delhi- so they can chase him- but won't really be worth it.
• Ashish Nehra has form on his side, but when they've got Morne in the side, they can let him pass, and invest in youth.
• Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron played for Delhi in the past, so this partnership, with Morne, can be explored. Their fitness, though, may not be up to it.
• They also have the option of Ranji's top performers from J&K- Saimullah, Mudhashir. J&K, apparently, has plenty of pacers, but Cricinfo reps say they're medium-pace green-top giants.
• The option of picking Awana and Suyal, both Delhi players, is still open, unless Punjab and Mumbai snare them again, respectively.
• Parvez Rasool is the man in form, with the bat, and a little with the ball. He can be Delhi's second spinner and all-rounder.
• Since Kolkata have clearly indicated their preference for Rajat Bhatia as their medium-pacer who can bat a bit, Delhi can grab the much better all-rounder (and in-form) LR 'Bittu' Shukla, who's a much better OD batsman and puts in more effort with the ball.
• Batting can be rounded off with Mithun Manhas, Unmukt Chand, Naman Ojha (solves keeper choice too) and Kedar Jadhav, who have played together- unless Mumbai snap up Kage, who flattened them in Ranji.

Now assemble a playing XI with this list.

 

[Dan]

Now assemble a playing XI with this list.

1. Finch [6]
2. Warner
3. Chand
4. Jayawardene *
5. Ojha +
6. Manhas
7. Rasool [4]
8. Mishra [5]
9. Morkel [1]
10. Yadav [2]
11. Ishant [3]

Could be a lot worse, tbh, though everyone in the top 5 is an opener and I'm not convinced in anyone bowling at the death.

 

[Arjun]

Good attempt, although you've gone in with experience over experimentation. Can't complain about the top order- hopefully they'll be in form. The bowling attack looks good, as long as Ishant doesn't do silly things. I'd be tempted to push for both Umesh and Aaron, but prefer to have one fast and one tight or swinging. I'd like Umesh, Morne and Pankaj to play together, but that's three new-ball bowlers at a time- who struggle once it gets old. Fielding is good, except for Mishra's outfielding and Ishant's ground fielding.

 

[brockley]

Jaya averaged early 20's,has averaged under 30 last 3 seasons,@ 36 and only scoring his first test ton in 2 years,must be lucky to get a IPL contract same as Kumar Sangakarra who averaged under 30 last 3 seasons.Also unavailable from 13th May.

 

[Arjun]

That will leave Mahela and Pietersen out of the race. Last time, they couldn't give too many chances to Ross Taylor, but now, they're in a better position. Finch, Warner, Taylor and Morne would be the quartet for them, then.

 

[brockley]

I think Aussies,South Africans and Kiwis too dominate at the auction.
The English test players no,Flower already stated he wants his players to play 6 weeks of County cricket.Counties unlikely to release players.
Sri Lankan Board snubbing their nose in front of BCCI won't go down well(no games against Sri lanka).,Windies have cancelled their series for the IPL.

 

[Arjun]

What's your opinion of Jackson Bird as an IPL contender? He's leading the wickets tally in the BBL, and may be a value-for-money choice in the auction. Nathan Coulter-Nile is also in decent form, and Brett Lee has got seven in five.

Punjab may try to get back Dave Hussey and Shaun Marsh, also Simon Katich. What's the way forward for them in the auction, for overseas players? They have plenty of local talent, if they stick to Punjab and HP alone.

Mumbai have chosen Malinga over Mitchell Johnson. Good idea? Maybe Mitch has too much on his hands as a revived Test player, while Malinga has stopped playing Tests. How this team shapes up is also worth a watch.

 

[brockley]

Well teams can maintain a player if they match the offer made on a player.
Mumbai will probably retain Coulter Nile(did well Champions League) and Johnson..
On players like Brett lee 37,and 3 year contracts i don't think we will see them back bar Kallis and Mike Hussey.
Jackson Bird yeh good,but has a County contract don't think the County will release him.
Punjab will keep Marsh look what he has done for them,doubt they will retain Pomersbach in poor form.

 

[brockley]

Dave Hussey no 37 been poor in IPL.
With 9 overseas players i think IPL sides will look how players performed over last 3 years,and there are a lot of other overseas players who won't get guernsey.
Sunrisers no Sanga averaged 9 last year,Dekock instead.

 

[Arjun]

IPL loves its Australians- this is how they discovered Shaun Marsh, David Warner, Dave Hussey and Dirk Nannes, and rediscovered Shane Watson and Dougie Bollinger. This season won't be very different. Their scouts may be watching the Big Bash League with plenty of interest. Wish they'd also watch the Ranji/Hazare/SMA Trophy with so much interest.

The way forward for Delhi would be to push for plenty of reserve Australian and South African blokes, preferably from the same state/T20 team. Warner and Finch will be the players to splurge on, as also Morne, and also one of Ross Taylor and Cameron White. That will give their relatively young bowling attack something to bowl to- and the combination of Morne, Umesh and the third Indian seamer (if it is Ishant, let's just hope he doesn't mess things up, likewise RP Singh and Nehra- but I'd push for MP's Pandey) should grow, as also the combination of Mishra and Rasool. On present form, Rasool can be that team's all-rounder. In the company of three top T20 batsmen, with help from domestic veterans Manhas and Naman, young Chand can grow as a batsman.

Rajasthan have blown it by retaining Watson, Faulkner and Stuart Binny. They needed just one, or at best two, not all three- now they'll have trouble assembling a strong bowling attack. They will need to spend on not one but two good spinners- Sri Lankans are there at a bargain, they had Sam Badree from WI earlier, and all of Mishra, Ojha and Abdulla are there to take. However, knowing the Royals' tendency to back less-fancied domestic players, they may throw Goa's Amit Yadav in the frontline, and offer more than a few chances to home-grown Ashok Menaria, with bat and ball. For that one really good Indian seamer, they can spend a little, but their spending will be limited- they'll be lucky to get back Pankaj Singh.

 

[brockley]

Nathan Coulter Nile is going to be a star,Kane Richardson has gone off the boil.Chris Lynn was om Sunrisers book till got injured,been masterful in Big Bash.
IPL will look at the overseas stars in the Big Bash.
On Rajistan with Binny dunno what they see in him.
They we're right to resign Faulkner and Watson tho,cornerstones of the side,they may resign Brad Hodge had a great year ly,been on fire in the Bash.

 

[Daemon]

Why did Punjab retain Vohra?

 

[Dan]

Maybe they had him on a really cheap deal from last season, and didn't want to risk paying him more through the auction process? Young Indian opener who has showed some IPL promise, could end up with a few teams after him (for squad depth if nothing else), and he'd be on the minimum U/19 contract as it stands. If you're not concerned about retaining anyone else, it isn't the worst of moves IMO.