IPL 2024 Auctions | 5 Foreigners Who Could Become ‘Million Dollar Babies’

image-lps09ilpGerald Coetzee during World Cup 2023 (AP Photos)

We are close to the IPL caravan, and preparations have already begun. It's been a busy year for star players, with Hardik Pandya's return to his former franchise, Mumbai Indians, making headlines.

The trade window will remain open until seven days before the auction, scheduled for December 19 in Dubai. Plenty of players have been released, and there will be bidding wars to acquire them. Some of them are going through a daunting phase, whereas some of them are in the form of their lives.


However, as much as where players move, the talk of the town has been about those who land million-dollar contracts over the years. Who will be the star of the show in this latest list? Throughout this article, we will examine those who have the potential to achieve this goal.


Travis Head

Base Price: INR 2 Crore

image-lps0215vTravis Head during Australia's recent T20I series in India (AP Photos)

This is not the same Travis Head who used to play for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2016 and 2017. He was a rookie back then, having aggregated 205 runs across 10 innings at a strike rate of 138.51. Even in IPL 2023, Head went unsold after making himself available for a base price of INR 2 crore. Franchises such as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) picked Jason Roy ahead of him to replace one of their unavailable players (Shakib Al Hasan) in the middle of the season. 

The 29-year-old set a similar price this time around as well, but the buzz around him has grown beyond anything he could ever have imagined, particularly because of his exploits in the 2023 World Cup.

Now, the important thing is who will go after Head, an overseas foreigner who can be multi-dimensional with both bat and ball. Mumbai Indians, RCB, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings, and even Sunrisers Hyderabad have their top-order settled. Hence, the battle for Head could potentially be between Delhi Capitals (DC), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Rajasthan Royals (RR). However, given that RR ideally don’t go for Australians lately, Head’s next destination should be either Delhi or Kolkata.



Gerald Coetzee

Base Price: INR 2 Crore

image-lps178t3Gerald Coetzee was breathing fire in World Cup 2023 (AP Photos)

South Africa's 23-year-old Gerald Coetzee is one of the few overseas fast bowlers who stands out from the rest in the upcoming mini-auction. While the aggressive bowler has yet to reach his full potential in the T20s, having picked up 57 wickets across 41 outings at an economy rate of 8.06, his performance at the recently concluded World Cup indicated (20 wickets in eight matches) that he is already a well-oiled machine.

Now the question is who will target Coetzee? There are quite a few franchises that need someone from overseas who can lead the pack, and RCB, MI, and KKR certainly top the chart. However, given the past records, either MI or RCB might go all out for the Proteas international, especially since the latterr nearly has let go of everyone from their pace battery.


Mitchell Starc

Base Price: INR 2 Crore

image-lps1wjwlMitchell Starc during World Cup 2023 (AP Photos)

The moment Mitchell Starc made himself available for the upcoming IPL edition, everyone’s eyes lit up. The talismanic left-arm quick, who last played in the IPL 2015 and has always prioritised country over franchise leagues, will be playing in the IPL 2024, largely as a preparation for the T20 World Cup that follows.

Starc played only two IPL seasons, both for RCB, in 2014 and 2015. The bowler performed admirably there, maintaining an economy rate of 7.17 across 27 matches and picking up 34 wickets. He has become more lethal with time, and no wonder the demand for the 33-year-old this time around will be greater than it was before.

Will it be Starc’s RCB homecoming next year? Or will teams like the Gujarat Titans, MI, and KKR—who, if you recall, signed Starc in 2018—raise the paddle more than the Red and Gold Brigade? Well, we will soon find out.


Pat Cummins

Base Price: INR 2 Crore

image-lps2q0jlA smiling Pat Cummins while posing with the World Cup in Ahmedabad (AP Photos)

Australians have always been in high demand in the IPL auctions over the years, and Pat Cummins, the two-time World Champion skipper (in the WTC and ODI World Cup), will presumably be one of the many sought-after players in the coming bidding war. The right-arm quick, who made his IPL debut in 2014, withdrew his name last time while playing for KKR, keeping the international commitment in mind.

This time, he will be available for the entire season, and guess what—everyone wants to add a good leader to their roster, who, at the same time, can be clinical with both new and old balls. However, given Gautam Gambhir’s return to KKR as a mentor, it will be interesting to see whether the Purple and Gold Brigade, who first signed him in 2014 before re-signing him at a whopping INR 15.5 crore in 2020, will come back at their den or not.


Rachin Ravindra

Base Price: INR 50 Lakh

image-lps35lp9Rachin Ravindra was at his very best during World Cup 2023 (AP Photos)

Rachin Ravindra emerged as the new sensation in the cricketing world during the 2023 World Cup in India. The 24-year-old Kiwi aggregated 578 runs with the help of three hundreds and also picked up five wickets. Not only is he a young player with potential longevity, but he can bat at the top of the order and also bowl a few handy overs. It sounds demanding, doesn't it?

CSK should be the first franchise that would like to bring Ravindra onto their roster, considering their spin-friendly home conditions. Aside from them, RCB—a team that Ravindra had a special desire to play for—will be another team, especially after they dealt Shahbaz Ahmed—a player of comparable caliber—to SRH.

Is there someone else who is willing to break the bank for Ravindra? Unlikely, yet you never know. Having the services of trendy players is desirable to everyone, and Ravindra, without any doubt, is one of them.