Records tumble at IPL auction as only two Kiwis get signed

After eight years with the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kane Williamson has a new home in the Indian Premier League.

Williamson was back on the auction block in the world’s richest domestic cricket competition, as teams had the opportunity to fight over the best talent for the upcoming season last night (NZ time).

He was purchased by the Gujarat Titans, with the Black Caps T20 and ODI skipper being picked up at his base price of NIR 2 crore (about NZ$386,000).

Williamson was one of two New Zealanders picked up at the auction, with fast bowler Kyle Jamieson being sold to the Chennai Super Kings at his base price of INR 1 crore (NZ$192,000). Jamieson’s signing might have come as a surprise to some, as the 27-year-old has been dealing with a back injury since June and has not been sighted in the professional game since.

Speaking to NZME earlier this month, Jamieson said he was hopeful of returning in early 2023.

“Everything is tracking pretty good. We’re cautiously optimistic of where things are. We’ve had quite a big body of work over the last few months. I’m certainly feeling pretty good and, when the time comes, I’ll be raring to go for sure.”

While Jamieson has recently been hampered by injury, Williamson had his issues in that area during the 2022 IPL season. Dealing with a niggling elbow issue, he struggled at the crease and scored just 216 runs at a 93.50 strike rate – the lowest of any batsman in the competition who faced at least 100 deliveries.

He will be hoping for a turnaround in form when he suits up in his new colours in 2023. Other Kiwis available at the auction included Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi and Scott Kuggeleijn. They were all unsold.

Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee (Kolkata Knight Riders), Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner (Chennai Super Kings), Finn Allen (Royal Challengers Bangalore), and Glenn Phillips (Sunrisers Hyderabad) were all retained by their clubs following the 2022 campaign.

English pace bowler Sam Curran cashed in on his success at this year’s T20 World Cup in Australia. The tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker and man of the match for England’s triumph in the final, the 24-year-old became the most expensive player in IPL history, signed by the Punjab Kings for INR 18.5 crore (NZ$3.5 million).

Australian Cameron Green (NZ$3.3m), West Indian Nicholas Pooran (NZ$3m), and England’s Ben Stokes (NZ$3.1m) and Harry Brook (NZ$2.5m) rounded out the top five most expensive players.