IPL 2023 Auction Updates: Prior to the IPL 2023 auction, which is scheduled for December 23 in Kochi. Kolkata Knight Riders have acquired New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson and Afghanistan wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz via swaps from IPL winners Gujarat Titans. The IPL or the franchisees have not released any information about this all-cash transaction.
IPL 2023 Auction Updates So Far
Earlier, Jason Behrendorff, an Australian fast bowler, was dealt by Royal Challengers Bangalore to Mumbai Indians on Friday. They paid Behrendorff his basic salary of INR 75 lakh when they signed him. They didn’t play him in any of the games this year. This is KKR’s first but IPL 2023’s second transaction.
Teams have been granted an additional INR 5 crore to spend at this auction. This is in addition to the INR 95 crore (about US $11.5 million) remaining from the last auction. The worth of the players they release will also be there.
IPL 2023 Auction: Lockie Ferguson in IPL 2023
Ferguson’s addition bolsters KKR’s pace lineup, which already includes Pat Cummins, the Test and ODI captain of Australia, Tim Southee, a fellow New Zealander, and Umesh Yadav and Shivam Mavi of India. With his new contract, Ferguson rejoins the team he played for from 2019 to 2021. Additionally, he has defended Rising Pune Supergiant.
Ferguson, who was signed by the Titans in their debut season for INR 10 crore (five times his base price), was paid that sum in the February auction this year. In 13 games, he took 12 wickets, with a high of 4 for 27 and an economy of 8.95. The fastest ball of the year, clocked at 157.3 kph, was also bowled by him to Jos Buttler in the championship game.
During New Zealand’s T20 World Cup campaign in Australia, where they lost to Pakistan in the semi-finals, he took seven wickets in five matches.
IPL 2023 Auction: Rahmanullah Gurbaz in IPL 2023
Gurbaz from Afghanistan has been added, giving KKR more alternatives in terms of wicketkeeping. They had trouble with it in the IPL 2022. Neither Sam Billings, Sheldon Jackson, nor B Indrajith were able to secure their spots in the starting XI.
Prior to being recruited by Titans as a substitute for England’s Jason Roy, Gurbaz, who had first advertised himself at a basic price of INR 50 lakh, went unpurchased initially. Gurbaz sat out the whole 2022 season as the Titans occasionally preferred the skills of Matthew Wade and Wriddhiman Saha above his inexperience.
Gurbaz has already appeared in foreign competitions including the Abu Dhabi T10 League, PSL, CPL, BPL, and CPL. He has scored 2481 runs, including 16 half-centuries and a century. He has a strike rate of 152.48 average throughout 99 T20 matches.
