Ben’s tipped for IPL big bucks again
BEN STOKES and Jofra Archer could be the big winners when the Indian Premier League auction gets under way in Bangalore in the early hours of tomorrow morning.
Stokes, who is set to attend court in Bristol to answer charges of affray on February 13, is tipped to break his own record of £1.7million for an overseas player from last year. But it is the relatively unknown West Indies-born Sussex fast bowler Archer who is one of the hottest tickets following some ice-cool death bowling for Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash.
A record 24 Englandqualified players have entered the IPL auction this term, including all of the centrally contracted white-ball players barring Jake Ball. Ireland’s Paul Stirling will also be in the mix when bidding gets going at 3.30am.
Yet leading sports agent Steven Musgrove predicts many could be disappointed given the scramble for IPL cash means a huge pool of international talent is up for a maximum of just 56 overseas spots.
“The competition is ferocious with well over 218 players in the mix and the auction can be a lottery,” said Musgrove, who represents England players including Alex Hales and Samit Patel.
“There are a few guys who look likely to go for a fortune, including Stokes and Archer, who has been stunning in the Bash. Then there is Jos Buttler, Eoin Morgan, Chris 2008: 2009: 2011: 2015: 2017: Woakes and Jason Roy, who should all go as well.”
Last year the chase for Stokes saw five franchises locked into a bidding war, the all-rounder eventually knocked down to Pune Rising Supergiants.
Yet a bigger surprise was Sussex quick Tymal Mills, who watched in disbelief from Dubai where he was playing in a T20 tournament, as his price went to £1.4m.
The prospect of a life-changing sum like that – Mills bought a house outright with the spoils – has encouraged the raft of English talent to put their names forward. And the ECB
have done their bit in trying to make them more attractive by opening a window for the competition’s length, enabling England players to play the full tournament.
England players will watch from Adelaide but one, Moeen Ali, admitted he is not holding his breath.
“I’ve put my name in but I’m thinking I’m not going to get picked,’ he said. “If I do it’s a massive bonus. It’s exciting to see so many English guys in the auction.”
The IPL have been boosted by a new TV deal worth £2billion over the next five years – a five-fold increase on the previous contract.
ENGLAND PLAYERS: IPL AUCTION HIGH WATER MARKS MS Dhoni £760,000 K Pietersen & A Flintoff £1.14m each Gautam Gambhir £1.52m Yuvraj Singh £1.725m Ben Stokes £1.7m