IPL 2023 Auction: List of Teams likely to Bid Big for Ben Stokes, Sam Curran and Cameron Green

The IPL mini-auction will be held in Kochi on Friday, December 20, and there is a sense of anticipation with numerous international stalwarts having put in their name. The all-rounders is perhaps the most interesting category, with the designated Set 2 comprising Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Shakib Al Hasan, Cameron Green, Jason Holder, Sikandar Raza and Akeal Hosein.

Stokes, Green and Curran could be in line to bag major bids, given their recent exploits.

Here’s a detailed look at the teams likely to Bid Big for Ben Stokes, Sam Curran and Cameron Green at the IPL 2023 mini auction:

Ben Stokes

England Test captain Ben Stokes, having retired from ODIs earlier this year, has been in scintillating form across the other two formats in recent times. 

Stokes was roped in by the Rising Pune Supergiant ahead of IPL 2017 for a whopping INR 14.5 crores - one of the most expensive buys in IPL history - and he justified that with a Player of the Tournament performance in the team’s run to the final. He was bought by Rajasthan Royals for INR 12.5. Crore in 2018, and was retained for the next three years, until he opted out of the 2022 edition.

Rajasthan Royals might well target Stokes yet again, so too will the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, who seek a massive overhaul after underwhelming campaign last year, and head into the auction with the two biggest purses. The Lucknow Super Giants too, could target Stokes, given they released Jason Holder and would seek more stability in the middle overs.

Four-time IPL winners Chennai Super Kings had a rather disappointing IPL 2022 campaign, and would see a value addition in Stokes, who would lend great value to the leadership group, with MS Dhoni likely to play his last season.

Sam Curran

Sam Curran has been in prime T20 form of late, and bagged the Player of the Tournament and the Player of the Final award in England’s victorious T20 World Cup 2022 campaign in Australia, largely down to his fine execution with left-arm seam. A resourceful batter too, Curran was a key member of Chennai Super Kings’ IPL 2021 winning campaign, and as per reports, the franchise, including skipper Dhoni is already keen to acquire the services of the England all-rounder.

Punjab Kings too, would be keen on Curran, who had given him his maiden IPL gig back in 2019. With Kieron Pollard having drawn curtains to his IPL career, Mumbai Indians too, would aim for Curran to bolster their lower middle-order, so too would the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants to stabilise their line-ups.

Cameron Green

Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad would target most players with the huge purse remaining, and Cameron Green is likely to be on their and every other team’s radar following his recent exploits across formats. Green aggregated 118 runs at a strike rate of 214.54 while opening the batting in Australia’s three-match T20I series in India in build up to the T20 World Cup, and the range showcased then is likely to fetch him a fine deal at the auctions.

Mumbai Indians, sans the services of Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya, have found a reliable finisher in Tim David, and would be keen to couple that with Green. Rajasthan Royals, Lucknow Super Giants too, are likely to show interest in the Australian all-rounder. Royal Challengers Bangalore would be the other team to target Green to further bolster their middle-order, or perhaps in search for an opening partner to skipper Faf du Plessis, with Virat Kohli dropping down to No.3.