Top 5 Overseas Batsmen To Watch Out For In IPL 2021 Auction

IPL 2021 Auction is all set to happen on 18th February as teams are in look out for some overseas batsmen who can change their fate. Here are our picks for the Top 5 overseas batting options teams should look in to at the auction table.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Base Price: 50 lakh INR

This teenage sensation from Afghanistan is the perfect money ball investment any team can ask for. His six hitting ability at the top of the order can be so beneficial in putting the opposition bowlers on the backfoot.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz had a stormy beginning to his International career – he created the world record for the most sixes (9) on ODI debut when he recorded a quick fire century (127). His T20 career boasts strike rate of 154.70. The 19 year old WK-Batsman already recorded 1069 T20 runs in 43 innings with the help of 75 Sixes.

Alex Hales

Base Price: 1.5 crore INR

We got English top order batsman Alex Hales over the likes of Aaron Finch (1 crore INR) and Jason Roy (2 crore INR) given his current form with the bat. Hales set the recent edition of Big Bash League on fire by becoming the highest run getter in the tournament – with 543 runs in 15 innings powered by a strike rate of 161.60.

The ability to give thunderous starts in the powerplay gives Hales an edge over other batsman in his skill set. Hales also backs himself as a safe fielder to have on field.

It would be riveting to see if any franchise would show interest in him in IPL 2021 Auction after ignoring him for the past 2 seasons.

Glenn Maxwell

Base Price: 2 crore INR

With a T20 strike rate of 152.05 Maxwell is a mouth watering prospect at the auction for many teams irrespective of his dismal IPL 2020 season.

Maxwell is no muck with the ball as he has 108 wickets to his name and can be a handy option to combat against left handed batsmen of opposition teams.

Glenn Phillips

Base Price: 50 lakh INR

New Zealand’s dashing top order batsman is in the form of his life and is going to be a massive X-factor going in to the IPL 2021 auction event at base price of 50 lakh INR.

The 24 year old wicket keeper batsman from Auckland could be a red hot property at the IPL 2021 auction table. Already renowned for his destructive ability, this Auckland based cricketer set ablaze CPL by scoring 1147 runs in last 3 seasons at an average of 37.00 for Jamaica Tallawahs.

Phillips also turned heads when he recorded his maiden T20 International century – 108 in 51 balls v West Indies in November, 2020 walking in to bat at No.4. It goes to show he can be flexible as a opener and middle order bat.

Dawid Malan

Base Price: 1.5 crore INR

The ICC no.1 T20 International batsman is the buzz of the town. Dawid Malan’s ability to shift gears and steer his team to advantageous position makes him a likeable player across franchises.

Malan has already over 6000 T20 runs at an average of 33.24. His ability to anchor the innings at a strike rate of 128.61 is a testament to his skill set. His International record is a step up as he scored 855 runs in 19 innings at an average of 53.43 powered by a strike rate of 149.47.

With Malan you get a batsman you can bank on with other batsmen playing around him. If required he can bowl some leg spin and hence he has been slotted in the all-rounder category at the IPL 2021 Auction.

It has to be seen how he can tackle the conditions in India.

Honorable Mentions:

Top order batsmen Steve Smith, Aaron Finch and Jason Roy can be in reckoning for a few teams. Finch’s about average IPL 2020 followed by a disastrous BBL poses questions on current form of Aussie skipper. Finch entered the auction at a base price of 1 crore INR. Other batting options are Proteas batsman Rassie van der Dussen who can provide stability at the top order and Devon Conway who has caused ripples already on world scene.