5 Lesser known players who will be on the list of the franchises for IPL 2017 Auction

IPL franchises have preferred to play it safe with regard to signing up foreign recruits after a few stray unfavorable instances. Andrew McDonald, Ryan McLaren, Dillon du Preez, Jesse Ryder were some of the signings who failed to click for their respective franchises in spite of their glowing reputations. Such cases have forced the franchises to rather play it safe and propelled them towards opting to invest in only high profile and proven players. However, there are a few talented players who are more than capable of taking the breath of the audiences away with their performances and deserve to be swooped at any cost. With the IPL auction just 1 day away let’s take a look at the low-profile players the franchises should opt to invest in – 1. Colin de Grandhomme Colin de Grandhomme congratulates Kane Williamson of New Zealand (L-R) after catching the ball during day two. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images) The 30-year-old Kiwi all-rounder is one of the lesser known players out there currently in the format. He smashed 629 runs and scalped 10 wickets in just 10 matches in the 2013-14 season which sent shockwaves down the opposition. His astounding strike rate of 170.54 is the highest amongst all batsmen who have scored at least 500 runs. His medium-paced bowling performances have earned him 38 wickets which indicate his efficiency with the ball in the medium overs. His balls per boundary rate of 4.25 and low base price of 30 lakhs should ensure a bid this Monday. Also read- 5 players who could be the most expensive in the IPL 2017 auction 2. Kesrick Williams Uday Nayak owner of the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots (L) presents the man of the match award to Kesrick Williams. (Photo Source: CPL/Sportsfile) The speedster from West Indies has been one of the most effective and efficient bowlers at least in the last 2 years having picked up 27 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 7.25. His maturity and ability to stay calm in the pressure overs make him the ideal option for any captain in the key overs. West Indian legend Chris Gayle was impressed by Keswick’s performances on his CPL debut and had the following words of praise for him and the other debutants. “I thought they kept their composure they are playing for the first time and they are debutants but they held their nerves,” he had said. Also read- IPL Auction 2017: All you need to know 3. Nicholas Pooran Nicholas Pooran. (Photo By Randy Brooks/Sportsfile via Getty Images) The wicketkeeper-batsman from the Carribean has earned comparisons to swashbuckling Kiwi batsman Brendon McCullum because of his extraordinary strike rate of 143.29 and ability to smash the ball into the stands at will. Pooran is very effective at scoring boundaries and clearing the fence which is evident from his stats. He has smashed a four or a six every 4.95 balls which is astounding, to say the least. Nicholas could be a safe bet based on his comfort levels while facing off against spin bowlers having smashed at a strike rate of 159 and average of 25 in the preceding year. His ability to play at various roles and adapt according to the bat scenario will surely make him a quality signing this season. 4. T Natrajan T. Natarajan. (Photo Source: Sportstarlive) Natarajan is one of the highly-rated bowlers in Indian domestic cricket at the moment. His discipline and persistence enabled him to bowl 6 yorkers in a super over scenario for his side in the Tamil Nadu Premier League against the likes of Abhinav Mukund. The youngster earned 27 wickets in just 9 matches in the Ranji Trophy and yorked out 5 batsmen in an over on his T20 debut against Karnataka. RCB will be wise to target him in the absence of Mitchell Starc. Also read- 10 Indian players to watch out for in the IPL 2017 auction 5. Mohammad Siraj Mohammad Siraj. (Photo Source: telanganatoday. news) Siraj enjoys the ability to clock high pace with a formidable action and elusive bouncer. His astounding bowling performances for Hyderabad earned him a lot of praise and appreciation from experts, cricketing fans and selectors. His stunning 9-wicket haul in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final this season against Mumbai will make his selection a mere formality considering the paucity of reliable Indian bowlers at the moment. Written by Arnab Mukherji

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5 Lesser known players who will be on the list of the franchises for IPL 2017 Auction

5. Mohammad Siraj

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