IPL 2023: 5 franchises that might target Jason Holder at auction

Jason Holder has been a proven performer in the T20 circuit. The Barbados-born has featured in 200 matches in the shortest format and picked up 197 wickets at an economy of 7.86. On the batting front, he has scored 1758 runs at a strike rate of 126.38. The 31-year-old has also displayed his all-round prowess in the international arena. He has bagged 51 wickets in 49 T20Is at an economy of 8.17 and scored 385 runs at a strike rate of 120.68.

Lucknow Super Giants went all guns blazing to sign the West Indies all-rounder at the 2022 mega auction and eventually grabbed him for INR 8.75 crore. Holder played 12 games for Lucknow and took 14 wickets at an economy of 9.42. On the batting front, he scored 58 runs at a strike rate of 131.82. 

Given the ace all-rounder was not able to perform as per his lofty standards, Lucknow released him from their squad. So, Holder will go under the hammer at the IPL 2023 auction. He brings balance to the side due to his all-round prowess and many franchises could be eager to pick him at the upcoming marquee event. 

Here are five franchises that might target Jason Holder at auction:

5. Punjab Kings 

Punjab Kings assembled a power-packed side for the 2022 season, comprising many match-winners of the T20 arena. However, they did not pick many multi-faceted players for their team. PBKS signed Odean Smith to fill the all-round void in the team but the West Indies all-rounder was not able to deliver the goods, be it with the ball or bat. The 26-year-old could manage only 51 runs in six games and leaked runs at an alarming rate of 11.87.

Punjab had invested a staggering sum of INR 6 crore at the 2022 mega auction for Odean and would have expected more from him. Therefore, the team management parted ways with the Jamaica-born ahead of the IPL 2023 player auction. Presently PBKS does not have a gun all-rounder in their team. Though they have stuck with Rishi Dhawan to add depth to the side, the 32-year-old was awful with the bat last season scoring 37 runs at a strike rate of 92.50. 

Therefore, it is highly likely that PBKS would go shopping for top-drawer all-rounders at the upcoming player auction and the think tank could look at Holder, who has been a consistent performer in the lucrative T20 tournament. The West Indies all-rounder has bagged 49 wickets in 38 matches and scored 247 runs at a strike rate of 124.12. So, he could be the answer to Punjab’s all-round woes going ahead. Thus, Shikhar Dhawan & co. might try to pick Holder at the auction.