3 Players for whom CSK and RCB might get into a bidding war

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) stand on the contrasting ends of the spectrum as far as glory in the IPL goes. CSK has won the IPL title as many times as RCB has managed to make it to the finals! The trade window has closed and the auction for the 13th season is about a month away. While both the teams did not trade any players in the transfer window, they have let go some of them back into the auction pool.

RCB released a total of 12 players including Shimron Hetmyer and Marcus Stoinis. Hence AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali are their only two overseas retentions. With the core retained RCB would look to build their team around them. On the other hand, CSK, who lost the final last year, has released 6 players. They have almost all their bases covered and the Chennai management will head into the auction in hunt of an overseas quick.

Here we look at players who will be on the radar of both the teams which may lead to a tussle between them in the auction room.

1. Mitchell Starc

Standing 6 feet 6 inches tall, Mitchell Starc is one of the most lethal fast bowlers in the modern game. He is capable of blowing away any batting line-up with his unadulterated pace. The Sydney-born pacer is a World Cup winner and the leading wicket-taker in two consecutive World Cups.

Starc has played for the Bangalore franchise previously in 2014 and 2015. The left-hander accumulated 34 wickets in two seasons at an economy of 7.17. Starc hasn’t played an IPL game for four years. Last year he pulled out from the auctions as the Australian board wanted their star pacer to be fit and fresh for the World Cup and The Ashes.

RCB has released Dale Steyn, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Tim Southee, hence they would want to gain the services of the Aussie speedster to eliminate their bowling woes and end their title drought. Without many overseas pacers, CSK looked a bit off-color in the pace department last season in their away games, hence they too would desperately want a genuine tearaway pacer.