The Indian Premier League (IPL) is known for producing new stars with every edition. Team analysts spend countless hours working out the perfect players to form a well-rounded team each season. This results in many interesting bidding wars over unexpected players, considering their ability to balance out any squad. The IPL 2024 auction is sure to see more such tussles among the teams. Teams will be looking to invest in the future and bring younger players into their fold. The mini-auction gives them the perfect opportunity to do so. They can go for some lesser-fancied names and see if they want to build a team around them ahead of the mega auction in future.
Here are five dark horses who could steal the spotlight in the upcoming auction:
David Willey
After announcing his retirement from international cricket, English pacer David Willey is all set to shift his focus to franchise cricket. Though disputes with the board caused Willey's early retirement from the England fold, he still has a lot of cricket left in him.
Willey's consistent bowling was one of the only bright sparks in England's below-par 2023 ODI World Cup campaign. The left-arm fast bowler has 51 T20I and six IPL wickets to his name. But he has been relatively economical in his 11 IPL matches so far, going for just 7.56 an over. He will be an asset for sides looking for some variation in their pace attack.
Daryl Mitchell
New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell has shown how much he loves playing in subcontinent conditions during the Kiwis' 2023 ODI World Cup campaign. A middle-order batter who isn't afraid to go after the bowling from the start, Mitchell is especially lethal against spinners. His role in the New Zealand team is as an anchor who comes down the order and stops a possible collapse. This makes him a good fit for a tournament like the IPL where the top-order batters play short but explosive innings.
Daryl Mitchell can also be a backup bowler which gives the team he plays for the flexibility to pick an additional specialist batter or bowler.
Rachin Ravindra
Young Rachin Ravindra made a tremendous impact in his debut World Cup, becoming New Zealand's top-scorer in the competition. He can open the innings, as well as play at the No. 3 position. Ravindra is also an effective slow left-arm spinner. He can take the ball away from the right-handers. This skill will also be highly valued in Indian conditions where the ball tends to grip and turn. Ravindra has scored 767 ODI runs at an average of 45.11.
Dilshan Madushanka
Dilshan Madushanka spearheaded the Sri Lankan attack at the 2023 ODI World Cup. At 23, Madushanka has 31 ODI and 12 T20I wickets to his name. Madushanka is particularly effective at varying his pace. His natural bowling angle takes the ball away from a right-handed batter, making it difficult to hit him. He also has a well-disguised bouncer that can take batters by surprise. Madushanka will be an enticing option for teams looking for a young pacer. He might start a bidding war among the teams.
Azmatullah Omarzai
Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai was one of the youngsters who impressed during the 2023 ODI World Cup. He has a batting average of 44.54 in 16 ODI innings he has played so far. He has also picked up 13 wickets with an economy rate of 5.68.
A middle-order batter who can bowl with a new ball as well as with an older one, Omarzai's skill set makes him ideal for T20 cricket. His unbeaten innings of 97 against South Africa was the cherry on top of an extraordinary campaign where he averaged above 70 at a strike rate of 97.78. Omarzai can also make the new ball swing. Teams with aging players in their ranks could target Azmatullah to infuse some young blood into their squad.