JOIN USChallengers fortify bowling unit
On a day when Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell hit the jackpot by attracting a million dollar bid by the Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore splurged heavily on pace bowlers at the auction of the Indian Premier League in Chennai on Sunday.
The Bangalore franchise used close to Rs 7.8 crore of the total amount Rs 9.5 crore spent at the auction to buy RP Singh (Rs 2.1 crore), Jaidev Unadkat (Rs 2.7 crore) and Pankaj Singh (Rs 79 lakh) in an effort to bolster their Indian bowling unit.
While the choice of bowlers, each for entirely different reason, may raise a few eyebrows -- particularly with the likes of Zaheer Khan, R Vinay Kumar and Abhimanyu Mithun already in their ranks -- RCB’s move to induct extra pacemen isn’t without a logic.
There is no doubt about the value Zaheer adds to the team both as a spearhead of the attack and as a mentor to young pacers on the field, but his fitness is increasingly becoming a major concern.
Given India’s international calender and the hectic schedule during the IPL, the team’s think-tank had a good reason to think beyond Zaheer. Vinay was their most successful pace bowler in terms of number of wickets taken in the last edition, but the right-arm quick often came under the cosh at the back end of the innings.
Abhimanyu Mithun still needs to get the right rhythm to bowl in the shortest format while Sreenath Arvind, their surprise find in 2011 when they reached the final, returned to action only a few days ago.
Given this situation, it wasn’t surprising to see the RCB team at the auction go aggressively after the Indian quicks. How much beneficial these bowlers will be for the team remains to be seen though!
RP returned to action in the ongoing BCCI Corporate Trophy after a gap of eight months and his record in the last IPL was modest (10 wickets in 11 matches at an economy rate of 7.75 run per over). Unadkat is a promising bowler but defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders played him in just one match in the last season before releasing the the left-arm pacer in November last.
This Ranji season, the Saurashtra player has claimed just 20 wickets in 11 matches. Pankaj, who has previously played for the Bangalore side, has had a reasonably good Ranji season (29 scalps in seven games) but his IPL show for Rajasthan Royals (seven wickets in six matches at an economy rate of 8.06) wasn’t quite flattering.
The Vijay Mallya-owned side also has signed up Kerala pacer Sandeep Warrior and has resigned Prashant Parameswaran, another pacer from Kerala.
Also looking for an all-rounder, RCB fiercely bid for Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayar who was eventually bought for Rs 3.5 crore by Pune Warriors. They, however, got Moises Henriques (for $Rs 1.5 crore) and the Aussie all-rounder may just turn out to be a bargain buy. The surprise pick was the little-known West Indian all-rounder Christopher Barnwell who was added to the side at his base price of Rs 26 lakh.
Ravi Rampaul (Rs 1.5 crore) is another good addition but with Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and Muttiah Muralitharan almost sure to occupy three of the four foreign berths in the final 11, the Windies’ quick may have to spend much of the time warming the bench.
Player Team Cost (In rupees)
Glenn Maxwell Mumbai Indians 5.3 crore
Ajantha Mendis Pune Warriors 3.8 crore
Kane Richardson Pune Warriors 3.7 crore
Abhishek Nayar Pune Warriors 3.5 crore
Thisara Perera Sunrisers Hyderabad 3.5 crore
Chris Morris Chennai Super Kings 3.3 crore
S Senanayake Kolkata Knight Riders 3.3 crore
Dirk Nannes Chennai Super Kings 3.1 crore
Jaidev Unadkat Royal Challengers 2.7 crore
Manpreet Gony Kings XI Punjab 2.6 crore
Johan Botha Delhi Daredevils 2.3 crore
Nathan Coulter-Nile Mumbai Indians 2.3 crore
Darren Sammy Sunrisers Hyderabad 2.2 crore
Ricky Ponting Mumbai Indians 2.1 crore
RP Singh Royal Challengers 2.1 crore
Michael Clarke Pune Warriors 2.1 crore
James Faulkner Rajasthan Royals 2.1 crore
Luke Pomersbach Kings XI Punjab 1.5 crore
Moises Henriques Royal Challengers 1.5 crore
Ravi Rampaul Royal Challengers 1.5 crore
Jesse Ryder Delhi Daredevils 1.3 crore
Fidel Edwards Rajasthan Royals 1.1 crore
Pankaj Singh Royal Challengers 79 lakh
Phillip Hughes Mumbai Indians 53 lakh
Sudeep Tyagi Sunrisers Hyderabad 53 lakh
Nathan McCullum Sunrisers Hyderabad 53 lakh
Dan Christian Royal Challengers 53 lakh
Clint McKay Sunrisers Hyderabad 53 lakh
Jeevan Mendis Delhi Daredevils 26 lakh
Christopher Barnwell Royal Challengers 26 lakh
Jacob Oram Mumbai Indians 26 lakh
Ryan McLaren Kolkata Knight Riders 26 lakh
Ben Laughlin Chennai Super Kings 10 lakh
Quinton de Kock Sunrisers Hyderabad 10 lakh
Akila Dananjaya Chennai Super Kings 10 lakh
Jason Holder Chennai Super Kings 10 lakh
Kushal Perera Rajasthan Royals 10 lakh
BIG NAMES BUT NO TAKERS
Base price in Rupees:
-Martin Guptill: 53 lakh
-Herschelle Gibbs: 1 crore
- Matthew Wade: 1 crore
-Matt Prior: 1 crore
-James Hopes: 53 lakh
-Vernon Philander: 53 lakh
-Doug Bollinger: 1 crore
-Aaron Finch: 1 crore
-Darren Bravo: 53 lakh
-Dinesh Chandimal: 53 lakh
-Kevin O’Brien: 26 lakh