IPL mega auction: Five English players who should be picked up

With the IPL mega auction taking place later this week, many of the ten teams will be looking at English players to fill their overseas players.

24 English players have entered the mega auction, which is is scheduled to take place over the weekend of February 12th. 590 players have entered the draft, which will take place in Bengaluru.

Only Moeen Ali (Chennai Super Kings) and Jos Buttler (Rajahstan Royals) have been retained by IPL teams.

Jofra Archer has been ruled out until the middle of the English summer with an elbow injury. However, Archer has entered the mega auction. If fit, it is likely that Archer could have been retained at the Royals. Sam Curran has also pulled out of the auction as he focuses on rehabilitation from a stress-fracture in his back and starting the domestic season with Surrey.

Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Joe Root have further removed themselves from the mega auction to focus on the England Test team. Additionally, England white ball players Tom Banton and Phil Salt have not entered the auction to focus on the upcoming county season.

England’s dismal Ashes performances may indicate that Test cricketers may not go to the IPL. Instead, focusing on Test match cricket. The IPL is played after England’s Test series with West Indies in March. However, Test cricketers may be more likely to focus on the start of the domestic season in early April.

Here, The Cricket Paper will look at the five English players that are a must buy for IPL franchises.

5. Jason Roy

Averaging 25 with a strike-rate of 144.93 in IT20’s tells the story of one of the worlds most destructive batters. Roy is likely to be picked up in the IPL mega auction.

Roy has remained as England’s opener throughout Morgan’s tenure. Given the license to free this arms, Roy can be destructive and get teams off to a flier. Roy opened the batting for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last edition of the IPL, but was not retained ahead of the mega auction.

4. Jonny Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow is one of the most destructive batters in white ball cricket. His aggressive nature makes him a versatile batter who can bat anywhere in the order.

Despite dropping to number four in the England IT20 squad to accomodate Jos Buttler at the top of the order, Bairstow’s best position in the IPL would be as an opening batter.

David Warner and Bairstow formed a formidable partnership for Sunrisers Hyderadbad in 2019 and 2020. In the 2019 IPL, Bairstow averaged 55.62 as he scored 445 runs from 10 matches. His overall IPL average of 41.52 from 28 IPL matches is the eight highest in IPL history.

If Bairstow is in England’s Test match plans, he may opt to sit this years competition out following a three-match Test series in the West Indies and the impending English summer.

3. Mark Wood

A 90mph+ bowler is a necessity in the modern era of T20 cricket. Wood has previously said that in his one IPL performance, that he did not apply himself well and failed to showcase his talents.

After winning over the Australian public this winter, Wood is targeting the IPL to improve his T20 game.

The pandemic and a lack of time at home meant that Wood stayed at home with family rather than making himself available for the Indian Premier League.

As an England Test cricketer, there is minimal time in the English domestic season to improve on your T20 game. International cricket blocks the opportunity to play a big part in the Vitality Blast and The Hundred.

Wood’s IT20 career statistics are not as flattering as others. In 19 IT20 matches, Wood has taken 26 wickets at an economy of 8.68 runs per over.

2. Adil Rashid

Rashid finally made his IPL bow in 2021 for Punjab Kings. Indian teams had preferred to use home grown spinning talent.

Now focusing entirely on white-ball cricket, Rashid is has become the first name on the England white-ball team sheet.

77 wickets in 67 IT20 innings at an economy rate of 7.33 show that Rashid can take wickets whilst holding up an end in T20 cricket. Regularly coming on after the powerplay, Rashid has the ability to halt the best batters in their tricks.

Rashid has got the better of Virat Kohli on many occasions across various formats.

1. Liam Livingstone

Finally, the most sought after English player should be Liam Livingstone. His 2021 was utterly incredible. He forced his way into an England team that looked almost unbreakable to get into.

The star of The Hundred became an integral part of England’s IT20 side. Livingstone can bat anywhere in the top 6 – he’s destructive.

In international T20 cricket, Livingstone averages 28.00 at a strike rate of 165.78.

Whilst his batting is his key asset, Livingstone is a more than useful part time spin bowler. Being able to bowl off spin and leg spin makes him a tricky customer. He may not be considered as a frotnline bowling option. But, would prove to be a key 6th bowler in a team.

Livingstone was not retained by the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2022 campaign. Instead, the Royals opted to retain England and Lancashire teammate Jos Buttler.

The full list of England players in the mega auction from the IPL website are: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, George Garton, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Alex Hales, Jofra Archer, Tymal Mills, Reece Topley, James Vince, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Lewis Gregory, Saqib Mahmood, Laurie Evans, Benny Howell, Jake Lintott, David Willey, Craig Overton, Samit Patel

Additionally, Scotland and Hampshire seam bowler Brad Wheal has entered the IPL auction for the first time.