JOIN USWith the biggest catch, Chris Gayle, in their bag even before the IPL V auction could start, Royal Challengers Bangalore are expected to pitch in hard for paceman R Vinay Kumar when the latest bidding for players begins here on Saturday.
The Karnataka bowler, who served the Challengers in the opening three seasons of the T20 league with no insignificant success, will be one of the most sought-after Indian players in Saturday’s auction. RCB, with a balance of $1.44M in their kitty, will be in hot pursuit of the 27-year-old crafty bowler, who was bought by the now-disbanded Kochi Tuskers Kerala in the previous auction.
The Vijay Mallya-owned franchise can also be expected to bid aggressively for Saurashtra’s Ravindra Jadeja who has emerged as the hottest property in the absence of many star players. His all-round abilities, coupled with his mercurial presence on the field, have given him an extra edge over other players in the auction. “He can easily hit the $1M-mark,” said an RCB official.
The Daniel Vettori-led side, the losing finalists to Chennai Super Kings last season, has a total of nine vacancies including two slots for foreign players after the Bangalore franchise released two South Africans -- Johan van der Vath and Dillon Du Preez -- and Sri Lankan paceman Nuwan Pradeep while buying Australian all-rounder Andrew McDonald from Daredevils. Ireland’s hard-hitting batsman Kevin O’Brien too is on top their list.
“Of course we have players on our minds, but during auction not everyhthing goes according to your expectations,” reasoned the official. “Given the limited amount in our hands, we can’t expect to get everyone we wish for. For us, and in fact for most other teams, what is more important is when the window opens for ‘player requisition’ on February 6 (A franchisee can request for a specific unsold player provided they have money and vacancy left after the auction).
“As the clock hits 12.00 midnight, we have to dash in the form for the player we require which will be another interesting phase because you get the player of your choice on a first-come-first-served basis,” he explained.