Indian Premier League 2023: Top-five steals from the bidding event
What's the story
We are done and dusted with the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 mini-auction and all 10 squads have been finalized. It was indeed an action-packed bidding event as several players went massive under the hammer. In fact, the top-three highest signings in IPL auction history were made in minutes time. Meanwhile, here we look at the top-five steals from the auction.
#1
Kane Williamson - Rs. 2 crore
Kane Williamson, the former Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain, was snapped by defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) at his base price of Rs. 2 crore. No other franchise showed interest in the New Zealand star. Though Williamson's stocks in T20 cricket have dipped lately, he still owns a substantial record in the format. He can play the anchor role in GT's otherwise destructive batting line-up.
#2
Litton Das - Rs. 50 lakh
Surprisingly, Bangladesh's star wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das was also sold at his base price of Rs. 50 lakh to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Litton has emerged as a prolific run-scorer for Bangladesh and can be a significant inclusion to the KKR line-up. The dasher can open the batting alongside donning the gloves. It will be interesting to see how the Shreyas Iyer-led side utilizes him.
#3
Shakib Al Hasan - Rs. 1.5 crore
Another steal buy for KKR at the auction was Shakib Al Hasan. He was bought at his base price of Rs. 1.5 crore. The talismanic Bangladesh all-rounder has been a veteran of the format and is well-versed with the drill of IPL. He can contribute significantly in the middle order alongside bowling four overs most days. The same provides balance to any line-up.
#4
Rilee Rossouw - Rs. 4.6 crore
Though Rilee Rossouw fetched a handsome Rs. 4.6 crore from Delhi Capitals (DC), his signing can still be called a steal, considering the way his stocks have risen lately. The South African star averages 37.1 in T20s this year, striking at 172.37. He would add more firepower to the DC batting line-up, which already has dashers like David Warner, Rishabh Pant, and Mitchell Marsh.
#5
Reece Topley - Rs. 1.9 crore
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bought England pacer Reece Topley for just Rs. 1.9 crore. The left-arm fast bowler, who took an ODI six-fer vs India earlier this year, can bowl at good pace. Topley's height helps him generate extra bounce which makes him even more lethal. Batters will certainly have their task cut out when Topley will share the new ball with Josh Hazlewood.