IPL 2021: Top 5 wicketkeepers to watch out for in auction

Just few hours go for the mini auction and the excitement is all building up. Apart from that India beat England convincingly in Chennai by a huge margin of 317 runs. But the show is not over in Chennai. A day after the 2^ndtest,we have the 2021 IPL auction in Chennai itself and the proceedings of the same will begin at 3 pm.

After the initial draft of 1097 players, the final list of 164 has been released by BCCI. Some important names like Sreesanth have been omitted while young talents like Arjun Tendulkar have been included. Different teams require players of different roles, batsmen, bowlers, all-rounders and so on. Wicketkeepers have a significant role while balancing the team perfectly and let’s take a look at some of the wicketkeepers who might earn big in Auction.

IPL 2021: Top 5 wicketkeepers to watch out for in auction

1) Alex Carey

The Australian wicketkeeper played for the Delhi Capitals last IPL season but was released by the franchise the very next year. Carey did not play many matches for Delhi in the season and did not get a chance to express himself.

But he is a exciting talent and a good keeper. He was one of the top scorers in the recently played BBL scoring as many as 425 runs. He also took 20 catches and scored a century. He is also usually Australia’s first choice keeper when available in LOIs

He is also a good player of spin and sweeps the ball very well. With the IPL expected to be played in India this is a very important skill. He also bats at a very decent strike rate. Thus Carey can be a wicket keeper to be watched out in the auction.

2) Sam Billings

The English wicket keeper is many a times under rated by cricket pundits, much to his misfortune. He played last year for the Super Kings and has been released this time around.

He played some vital knocks for CSK in the past two seasons but remained under the shadow of other big names. But in recent times he has been very improved with his game and won matches for England.

He plays spin well and is also a decent keeper. He also has the ability to strike the ball well. He can be a good keeper for a team with limited budget.

3) Glen Phillips

The Kiwi keeper batsman has grabbed much attention in recent times. He has played in T20 leagues all around the world and has impressed all. As a a result he is included in New Zealand’s T20 squad.

He scored absolutely rapidly in the CPL and grabbed attention. He has not played in the IPL as of yet but has registered this season. Looking at his recent performances teams might definitely looking at him.

His strike rate and clean striking ability are the biggest assets of his game. His game changing ability is what teams look for. If he gets picked, he might have a wonderful season.

4) Mohammed Azharudeen

The young keeper from Kerala recently grabbed attention in the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. A swashbuckling opener, can put quickly take the game away. His innings of 146 in the SMAT 2021was jaw dropping.

He has been playing for Kerala for a good time now and it’s about time he gets an IPL contract. IPL will not only give him exposure but also prepare him for the future. It will be a great milestone in his cricket career.

All he needs to do is add consistency to game. After the century he did not play very well. If he fixes these few things, he can be the next big thing in the Indian cricket.

5) Kusal Perera

The Sri Lankan wicket keeper batsman is known for his positive batting approach. As he opens for Sri Lanka, many compared him to Sanath Jayasuriya. But he has not been that consistent.

Nevertheless, his potential threatens to be unleashed anytime. His main job is to provide good starts and intent batting. He has played in the IPL many years earlier but then he was in his early days. After that. he was not bought.

But he is a part of the auction every year and is always a keeper to watch for. He can be picked by teams as a backup keeper and also an impact player, to be unleashed when needed. He can have a good season if picked.