IPL Auction 2018: 5 players with a surprising base price

IPL Auction 2018 is less than a week away and the owners and the decision makers will be keen to make their mark and pick the best possible side ahead of the 11th edition of the IPL. They have 578 players to choose from and given the recent track record of buys in the auction, don't be surprised if there are a few surprise picks.

578 players will go under the hammer and 36 of them have the maximum base price of INR 2 crore. Among the players that will go for big money, there have been some interesting moves made by certain players as they listed their base price. Some players have opted for a surprisingly high price while others have opted for a lot less than they probably deserve.

Let us take a look at 5 players with a surprising base price in the IPL Auction 2018.

Note: All the base prices are mentioned in Indian Rupees.

#1 Colin Munro - 50 lakhs

Colin Munro is currently the No.1 ranked T20I batsman in the world. No batsman has hit more T20I centuries than the Kiwi star and the 30-year-old still has a base price of just 50 lakhs, when he is likely to be one of the most sought-after players in the auction in Bengaluru.

A strike rate of almost 150 after 150 T20Is speaks volumes about the southpaw's ability to take the game away from the opposition. In the last 12 months, he has been in blistering form in T20s across various domestic leagues and he will undoubtedly be one of the most expensive foreign players.

And despite all of this, he has a base price of just 50 lakhs, well below the base price of the likes of Travis Head (150 lakhs) and Colin Ingram (200 lakhs).

#2 Harry Gurney - 1.5 crore

Gurney was sensational for the Outlaws in last year's T20 Blast

The 31-year-old left-arm seamer enjoyed a successful Natwest T20 Blast Finals Day with Nottinghamshire as he picked up seven wickets in two matches and helped his side claim the title in 2017. But Harry Gurney, who has never played in a domestic T20 tournament outside England, has surprised everyone by not just putting his name on the list ahead of IPL Auction 2018 but also with his base price of 150 lakhs.

While Gurney is an experienced T20 campaigner, having played 99 matches, his record is not extraordinary. In fact, an economy rate of almost 8 is on the higher side and while he does have plenty of variations and the left-arm angle, he isn't exceptional with either the new ball or at the death.

With that being the case, few would consider picking up Gurney, especially with such a high base price and the fact that he is relatively inexperienced in conditions outside of England.

#3 Nathan Lyon - 1.5 crore

Lyon has enjoyed a lot more success in whites than in coloured clothing

It was surprising to see Nathan Lyon go with a base price of 150 lakhs ahead of IPL Auction 2017 and unsurprisingly he went unsold. One year later, the Australian spinner has opted to go with the same base price and it would be a huge surprise if he gets picked this time around.

While it is true that he is Australia's best spinner, majority of his success has been in Tests and he hasn't played an ODI for Australia since August 2016 and has played just one T20I in his career. He has played more than five times as many Tests as he has in the shorter formats for Australia (13 ODIs and 1 T20I compared to 74 Tests).

A decent record in the Big Bash League for the Sydney Sixers and a career T20 economy rate of just over 7 are good but not enough to command a base price of 1.5 crore. And it looks like the 30-year-old might find it difficult to find any suitors for him this time around as well.

#4 Jason Holder - 1.5 crore

Jason Holder is unlikely to claim an IPL team with his huge base price

Considering the plethora of West Indian all-rounders that teams have to choose from, it is surprising to see that Jason Holder has opted to go with a base price of 150 lakhs. Especially considering the fact that he had the same base price last year and was one of the players who went unsold.

While the 26-year-old is a solid all-rounder who can contribute with both bat and ball, the availability of so many alternatives, especially cheaper ones who can make a bigger impact in T20s, means he is unlikely to fetch too many suitors.

A career T20 bowling economy rate of almost 8 and batting average of under 15 aren't what you look for in a game-changing all-rounder. So it looks as though Holder is likely to go without an IPL team for another season.

#5 Peter Handscomb - 1.5 crore

Handscomb is not the greatest shot-maker going around

Considering the number of all-rounders that have graced the game since the advent of T20s, the market for middle-order batsmen who don't score at a rapid pace has gone down considerably. That is precisely what makes Peter Handscomb's decision to list himself with a base price of 150 lakhs when he hasn't played a T20I for Australia and isn't a regular in the national side all the more surprising.

His record in T20s is far from impressive. In 50 matches, he averages just over 20 and has a strike rate under 120. He doesn't have a range of innovative strokes that can make the bowlers change their plans nor is he an explosive batsman who can clear the boundary at will.

He doesn't open the innings so for a middle-order batsman, who isn't a finisher to command such a price is going to be highly unlikely.