IPL 2022: 10 foreign players who might get maiden contract due to addition of two teams

After a very long time, the IPL is getting revamped and restructured. The BCCI and the IPL’s governing body have decided to add two new franchises and the money to fetch the ownership is humungous. Perhaps for the icon and elite players, the mega auction brings a profusion of demand and opportunities but for the neophytes, it can become a big outset.   

Since every IPL franchise will build their squads almost from the scratch, the superabundant appetite this time can positively reward the newcomers. And if the retentions are curbed up to a maximum of three players then certainly more than 150 cricketers are bound to be bought at the 2022 mega auction table. 

Here are 10 foreign players who might grab an IPL contract for the first time because of the addition of two new teams:

1. Devon Conway

For Devon Conway, the migration from South Africa has rewarded him extraordinarily. The cricketer, since September 2020, has become the new sensation of NZ cricket and plays all three formats. In Test cricket, the southpaw already has a double hundred at Lord’s and in even the T20Is, the numbers are staggering. In fact, from his 15 T20I games, Conway already averages around 55 and strikes at 148.36.

From his 107 appearances across the globe, Conway has smashed 3582 runs at an incredible average of 44.22. Also in terms of the fifties and centuries, the left-handed batter has amassed 27 fifty-plus scores and 2 centuries. Such numbers are certainly very credible to bag him an IPL contract in the world’s toughest T20 league.

The 30-year old can easily perform the roles of what the likes of Quinton De Kock, Devdutt Padikkal and Nitish Rana offer and in fact can also be used as a floater in the middle-order. Besides all this, Conway is also a gun fielder and an occasional wicket-keeper. Hence, such an action-filled offering will throw a big mark on many IPL team’s selection radars.

2. Reeza Hendricks

In recent times for South Africa, Reeza Hendricks has emerged as a dependable batter in T20Is. The cricketer has been an attacking top-order player who easily can make the utmost use of the power play. Though he may not be a solid whacker of the ball, the 32-year old’s shot-making is very crisp and particular in finding gaps. Perhaps like many IPL openers, Hendricks can become a very good proponent of giving flourishing starts to the teams.

In terms of his T20I record, Hendricks from his 37 appearances has scored 1032 runs at a fine average of just under 30 for SA. Also as a T20 freelancer, the batter has crisply amassed 4195 runs from his 148 T20 games at a healthy average of over 35. 

Overall, especially teams that will be low on budget on the auction table can easily bag Hendricks in a steal deal. Being someone who also plays spin well might generate interest from heavyweight franchises like the CSK and KKR. All in all, if the South African shines in the ongoing 2021 World T20 then many franchises will show a strong interest in him at the auctions. 

3. Avishka Fernando

Lately for Sri Lanka, Avishka Fernando has become one of the established white-ball batters. The cricketer as a top-order batter likes batting in the powerplay and has a nice touch in his stroke-making. Against the spinners, Avishka likes attacking with his sweeps and is proportionately good on both sides of the wicket. 

With regards to his T20 career, the 23-year old has played a total of 67 games and has scored 1531 runs at an average of around 25. Additionally, the batter is also known for scoring big in Sri Lanka’s domestic white-ball competitions along with having a strong knack for performing against the non-Asian nations in his U-19 days. 

Overall, in terms of his potential IPL selection, he can easily be picked at least as a reserve. In fact at the spin-friendly venues, the 23-year old can easily replace an overseas non-Asian batter who may struggle with the conditions. All in all, the teams which will get tight with their purses can simply grab Avishka at a very reasonable deal.

4. Rassie van der Dussen

Well, almost in the second half of IPL 2021, Rassie van der Dussen was all set to play in the biggest cash-rich league. The cricketer was handed a deal by the RR franchise to replace injured Ben Stokes but the CSA never granted any permission. However, in the upcoming mega auction, it will be no surprise if the 32-year old grabs a fat paycheck.

Especially for the two new teams, Rassie can become a very vital proponent of their squad. The batter can easily perform the role that the likes of Glenn Maxwell plays for RCB and even control the entire proceedings of the middle-order. In terms of his T20I record for SA, Van der Dussen already averages more than 35 and has scored 801 runs from his 31 games. Even the strike rate is kept well intact around 130.

Perhaps as a T20 freelancer, the numbers further improve as from his 137 T20 games, the batter has stacked close to 4000 runs along with three centuries. All in all, though most IPL teams will surely enroll in a bidding war for this cricketer, precisely franchises like PBKS or SRH shall seize him for long-term purposes.

5. Roston Chase

Very early in his international career, Roston Chase was only perceived as a Test match cricketer. Since the tall all-rounder had a strong defence, many conceived him as someone who will highly struggle in white-ball cricket. However, from 2019 onwards, Chase has been strongly establishing himself into limited-overs proceedings. With the backing of skipper Kieron Pollard often, he’s now part of the WI ODI squad and is strongly paving his way into the T20 format. 

The 29-year old vigorously emerged as the highest run-scorer in the CPL 2021 by jolting a total of 446 runs from his 12 games at a towering average of almost 50. Even in his overall T20 games, the cricketer averages in the 40s along with a credible strike rate of almost 130. 

With regards to the IPL, Chase can be conceived as someone who can dwell himself in the top three batting positions. Since the batter can play authentic shots, he can very much helm the innings, especially in the middle passage. Predominantly at no.3, Chase can be an exciting option especially for franchisees who will play on sluggish slow pitches. Besides his batting, the Caribbean all-rounder can also fulfill a spinner’s role. Overall, few teams can also view him as a quality reserved middle-order batter.

6. Joe Root

In the mega auction of IPL 2022, Joe Root definitely will have a strong chance of getting picked. As some of the few IPL teams will be exploring their captaincy options, the England red-ball captain might easily fit their bill. Though the cricketer doesn’t anymore play the T20Is, his overall record so far is highly impressive.

Currently, from his 32 T20I appearances, Root has scored a total of 893 runs at a commendable average of 35.72. Even in terms of strike rate, Root keeps himself afloat above 125. Perhaps his other T20 numbers are also very similar as from his 83 appearances, the batter has scored 1994 runs. 

Overall, Joe Root can certainly emerge as a very similar proposition to what Kane Williamson offers to the orange army. He can easily nudge the runs by batting in the top three and nowadays with his enhanced shot-making, the 30-year old can simply attack the spinners. All in all, possibly the new IPL teams might get very allured if the cricketer decides to join the competition.

7. Andre Fletcher

In the realm of global T20 leagues, Andre Fletcher is now a very old proposition. The Grenadian is playing the shortest format since the year 2008 and is also the seventh-highest run-scorer for WI in T20Is. As an explosive batter, nowadays, Fletcher does bats even in the middle-order but plays best when he’s opening at the top. 

The 33-year old overall in his T20 career has played 233 games, scoring a total of 5453 runs at an average of 26.47. Though playing spin seems to be one of his weak links, the batter still likes taking them to cleaners. Perhaps the IPL teams that adore having attacking batters at the top can easily fetch Fletcher’s services. 

All in all, the WI cricketer has also enjoyed some success in the BBL and prefers batting on hard flat tracks. Hence his vast T20 experience can be smoothly utilized by those teams who play on bouncy pitches. 

8. Matt Parkinson

Well, after a very long period, England has again found a robust leg-spin bowling proposition. In their recently concluded summer season, Matt Parkinson had emerged out as a sensation that was even well lauded by the legendary Shane Warne. His natural ability to turn the ball and drift is conventionally different from many T20 leg-spinners.

As a T20 bowler, the 25-year old has a very powerful record that almost also dwelled his place in England’s 2021 World T20 squad. So far from his 67 T20 games, Parkinson has remarkably grabbed 103 wickets at an economy of 7.5. The cricketer also has a knack for going hard on a wicket-taking spree as often he is known to bag big quality batters.

Hence, since the IPL teams have now started to entrust upon overseas leg-spinners, there are chances that Parkinson might at least be picked even as a reserve for any leading spinners. 

9. Chamika Karunaratne

There’s no doubt that in recent times, Sri Lanka has been receiving many multi-talented cricketers. The likes of Wanindu Hasaranga, who can strongly perform both the skills, are also being rewarded by the IPL teams. On that note, someone like Chamika Karunaratne can also a contract as he is a handy bowling all-rounder. 

Especially in the home T20I series against India, the 25-year-old flexed both his bowling and batting skills. With his medium-fast bowling, Chamika looked like a reasonable proposition but with the bat, he looked very potent and well built. When it comes to tonking the ball, Karunaratne already looks like one of the elusive Sri Lankans who can clear any field. 

Hence, the teams who will be looking to catch the bowling all-rounders can place an easy bet on this Sri Lankan. Overall, the cricketer can also act as a reserve for any overseas player who precisely bats in the lower middle-order.

10. Ashton Agar

From the last two years, Ashton Agar has been groomed in Australia’s white-ball cricket. The cricketer now has very much become a regular member of the ODI squad and also often dwells himself in T20Is during the away tours. The extensive set of opportunities in 2021 has also improved his T20I record as from his 39 T20Is, Agar has scalped 42 wickets. 

Even his batting skills can become very handy, as Australia also sometimes uses him as a floater in the middle-order. Possibly to up the ante or to keep the left-right batting combination afloat, Agar can come in at any situation. Also, as a slow left-arm orthodox spinner, Agar can bowl in the power play and can run through the overs in the middle passage of play.

Eventually, for IPL teams, the all-rounder can become a proper backup especially for the likes of Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja or even Fabian Allen. Or else, teams like MI or KKR who like having different types of resources around can simply bag this Australian all-rounder.