IPL Auction 2023: Everything You Need To Know!

IPL, also known as the Indian Premier League, is one of the most-watched sports competitions in the world. Fans eagerly wait for this sporting spectacle annually during the summer and cheer for their favourite cricket team fervently. The IPL, which consists of 10 teams named after different states and cities in India, conducts an annual auction before the tournament's commencement. This year, the IPL Auction for the 2023 season will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Kochi, Kerala. The auction began at 2:30 pm IST and was available to watch live on the Star Sports Network and on Jio Cinema for free. 

After a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IPL will be back to its former glory and be played at stadiums across India. This year, 991 players registered for the IPL auction, of which only 405 made it to the auction list. Out of these 405 players, 273 are Indian players, and 132 are overseas players, with 4 of them belonging to the Associate Nations. Only 87 slots are available to the teams, meaning only 87 out of the 405 will be available for the teams to choose from. The total amount available for the teams that can be spent is approximately INR 183.15 crores. As these 405 players go under the hammer, let's look at some of the key players that the teams have gone for!

1. Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson has been one of the most consistent players of the IPL. Making his debut in 2015, Kane Williamson was a key figure for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was their star batter and also helped them win their maiden IPL Title. Kane arguably had his best season with the Hyderabad outfit when they came second in the IPL, as he managed to become the top scorer of that season, amassing 735 runs in the process. He then went on to captain the side, but because of a poor 2022 campaign, Kane was released from the squad and available to bid for this year's IPL auction. His past exploits and leadership qualities at club and country levels enticed Gujarat Titans to bid for the veteran batter. Kane Williamson was the first player at the TATA IPL auction. He was sold to Gujarat Titans for his base price of INR 2 Crores, where his international experience will come in handy.

2. Harry Brook

Harry Brook is a young English player who has been creating waves in county cricket for years. His exploits with the bat for the Yorkshire county side helped him gain his international debut against West Indies on 26 January 2022. Harry has brought his county form to the international stage, averaging an impressive 80 in the four test matches he has played so far. Harry's scintillating form caught the eye of Sunrisers Hyderabad, who bought him for a whopping INR 13.25 crores in this year's IPL auction and made him one of the most expensive IPL players of all time.

3. Mayank Agarwal

Mayank Agarwal, who captained the Punjab Kings' side in last year's IPL, has been released from the team. He is one of very few seasoned Indian batters available at the IPL auction, and his price tag did justice to his talents. Playing as an opener, Mayank Agarwal has consistently performed for whichever team he has played for, both domestically and at the international level. Mayank is another high-profile player bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 8.25 crores. His leadership qualities and batting prowess will help the orange army to go deep into the competition. 

4. Sam Curran

Sam Curran is one of the most sought-after cricket players of the modern era. His explosive batting style and his knack for picking up wickets at crucial moments make him of the best all-rounders to be sold in this year's IPL auction. It's no surprise that almost every team bid for this talented youngster, with Punjab Kings winning the bidding war by spending a whopping INR 18.5 crores for his signature and making him the most expensive player ever to be bought in the IPL. A lot is expected from this young talent, which is sure to make a mark at the IPL with his new team.

5. Heinrich Klassen

Heinrich Klassen is a South African wicketkeeper-batsman who has been playing for his national side since 2018. He made his T20 international debut against India and has been an instrumental figure for the South African team ever since. His ability to hit the ball out of the park with relative ease and quick reflexes behind the stumps made him the tenth-most expensive player at this year's IPL Auction. Heinrich Klassen was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 5.25 crores. He will provide much-needed depth in the batting department.

6. Mukesh Kumar

Mukesh Kumar is a right-arm medium fast bowler who plays for the Bengal team in first-class cricket. His ability to take wickets at crucial moments helped him get picked for the Indian national team against South Africa, where he was a part of the ODI series. His deceptive bowling, combined with a scarcity of quality Indian fast bowlers at the IPL Auction, made the Delhi Capitals team shelve INR 5.50 crores at the IPL Auction. 

7. Jason Holder

Jason Holder is regarded as one of the best all-rounders to play for the West Indies. The 6ft 7 all-rounder, who made his national team debut in 2013, has been a key figure for almost a decade and has helped his teams get out of sticky situations. He was bought by Chennai Super Kings shortly after his international debut and was eventually sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he played some of the best IPL of his career. Along with his stint at Sunrisers Hyderabad, Jason Holder played for Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants. Jason Holder was sold to Rajasthan Royals at this year's IPL auction and became the eighth-most expensive player to be sold this year.

8. Shivam Mavi

Shivam Mavi is a talented youngster who has played in the IPL since he was a teenager. The right-arm fast bowler was a key figure for Kolkata Knight Riders and is seen as the future of Indian bowling. However, due to a poor 2022 campaign, he was released from Kolkata Knight Riders and was available for all the teams at the IPL auction. Shivam Mavi was bought by Gujarat Titans for INR 6 crores and became the seventh-most expensive player at IPL 2023.

9. Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran is a left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman who was the West Indies National team's captain until November 2022. He is a power-hitter known for his quick thinking and ability to strike the ball out of the park. Nicholas Pooran first played in the IPL for Mumbai Indians in 2017 but did not play any matches. He was sold to Punjab Kings in 2019, where he spent three years before moving to Sunrisers Hyderabad. After having a lukewarm 2022 campaign, Nicholas Pooran was released from Sunrisers Hyderabad and was available at this year's IPL auction. He was bought by Lucknow Super Giants for a whopping INR 16 crores and became the fourth-most expensive player at this year's IPL auction. 

10. Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes is arguably the most crucial player in the England team. His absence is felt in the team when he is not representing his nation in a match. Ben Stokes has become an irreplaceable figure for the England national team in the limited-overs format and continues to deliver at the highest level with both the bat and the ball. His importance has been understood by the IPL teams since his debut in India's premier T20 tournament, with teams splashing big cash for the English all-rounder. Ben Stokes was a key figure for the Rajasthan Royals side from 2018 to 2020. He was ruled out of the competition in the 2021 edition after an injury and decided to opt out of the competition altogether in the 2022 edition, which pushed Rajasthan Royals to release him from the squad for the 2023 edition. As expected, Ben Stokes was one of the most expensive players at this year's IPL auction, where he was bought by Chennai Super Kings for an eye-watering fee of INR 16.25 crores.

11. Cameron Green

Cameron Green is a young talented all-rounder who has been instrumental in the Australian national team's success since 2020. Since childhood, his exploits with the bat and the ball caught the eye of selectors and made him one of the youngest players on the national side. Cameron Green has been in scintillating form for the past two years, which helped him gain a big-money move to the most successful IPL team of all time, Mumbai Indians. He was bought by Mumbai Indians for a record fee of INR 17.5 crores, making him the second-most expensive overseas and the most expensive Australian player in the history of IPL. People will have a lot of expectations from the young Australian, but his ability to adapt to any playing conditions with relative ease will surely help him justify his pricetag for the 2023 edition of the TATA IPL. Mumbai Indians have a future star in their ranks!