There are several new names in the IPL ranks following the auction earlier this year, and here we profile those who could make an impact for their respective franchises.
Glenn Maxwell (Mumbai Indians)
Maxwell, 24, is a batting allrounder from Victoria who bowls offspin and is known for his excellent fielding. In 40 Twenty20 matches, Maxwell averages 21.96 with the bat and 30.20 with the ball. He first broke into the Australian limited-overs side in August 2012 and since then has played nine ODIs and Twenty20 internationals. The big question is: will Maxwell justify his $1 million price tag?
Sachitra Senanayake (Kolkata Knight Riders)
The tall 27-year-old offspinner has played seven ODIs and two Twenty20s for Sri Lanka, having earned an international debut in 2012 following a string of successful performances on the domestic circuit. In the 2011-12 Premier Limited-Over tournament, Sri Lanka’s main one-day competition, he was the highest wicket-taker with 16 in six games at 11.18. Senanayake last played an international in June 2012. KKR forked out $625,000 for him.
Darren Sammy (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Sammy, who captained West Indies to the ICC World Twenty20 last September, was bought for $425,000 by the latest IPL francise after previously never being part of the tournament. As an allrounder, Sammy brings to Sunrisers the experience of 40 Twenty20 internationals and 70 Twenty20 matches, from which he has taken a combined 104 wickets and scored 1698 runs. It remains to be seen how the franchise slots him into their playing XI, given that they paid $675,000 for Sri Lankan allrounder Thisara Perera.
Kane Richardson (Pune Warriors India)
Richardson, 21, is seen as one of the brightest pace prospects in Australia. He impressed during Australia’s run to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2010 and has since then lined up good limited-overs numbers playing for South Australia. Richardson has played one ODI, against Sri Lanka in January. He was bought by Pune for a whopping $700,000.
Chris Morris (Chennai Super Kings)
Valued at $625,000 by CSK, the fast-bowling South African allrounder has acquired a reputation of a successful limited-overs cricketer and made a name for himself during the 2012 Champions League Twenty20 where his domestic side Lions reached the final. In the tournament he hustled batsmen with his raw pace and upsetting lift from the deck from a tall frame. He is capable of bowling in the mid-14okph range consistently and can also hit the ball hard, as evident by a Twenty20 strike-rate of 172.29. Morris, 25, has taken 34 T20 wickets at an average of 16.68.
Nathan Coulter-Nile (Mumbai Indians)
Coulter-Nile has been an active domestic cricketer for Western Australia since 2009 and in 26 Twenty20 matches since then has taken 25 wickets with a best of 3 for 9. A tall right-arm fast bowler, he has impressed many in Australia.
James Faulkner (Rajasthan Royals)
Just 22, Faulker is rated highly in Australia as an allrounder and his rise is being regarded as crucial to the health of his country’s cricket. A left-arm fast-medium bowler and right-hand middle-order batsman, Faulker has played two ODIs and T20Is. In 33 Twenty20 matches he has 35 wickets at 24.34.
Ravi Rampaul (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
The West Indian fast bowler went for $290,000 as RCB sought to bolster their pace-bowling attack. The team does not have a strike bowler who can bowl bursts of pace and so Rampaul, with 93 Twenty20 wickets under his belt, fits this requirement suitably.
Samuel Badree (Rajasthan Royals)
Badree, a legspinner from Trinidad & Tobago, signed with Rajasthan before the big spending day in Chennai. An experienced Twenty20 bowler with 59 wickets at an economy rate of 4.83, the 32-year-old may find it tough to make Rajasthan’s XI with Brad Hogg and Kevon Cooper ahead in the line.
Which of these new faces do you think will have the biggest impact in IPL 6?
