IPL 2021 will begin on April 9th, with the defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on Virat Kohli‘s Royal Challengers Bangalore. This will be the first time that two IPL campaigns will be taking place within the measure of one year. In this article, we talk about the highest paid overseas players of the upcoming campaign.
Overseas players are now rated more than ever in IPL. The franchises have begun to realize that all four foreign cricketers must and should belong to the core of the unit. Hence, we see plenty of money being invested in them. We discuss five players who will be earning the highest next season.
5. Jhye Richardson – INR 14 cr
Jhye Richardson was the highest wicket-taker at the recent Big Bash League. As a reward, he earned a spot in the Australian team as the leader of the pace unit. He will have to do a similar role for Punjab Kings in IPL 2021.
The KL Rahul-led unit required a pacer who could complement Mohammed Shami very well. They went hard for Richardson, who was enjoying a good run of form. Hence, PBKS procured him at INR 14 cr.
4. Glenn Maxwell – INR 14.25 cr
Glenn Maxwell was poor in IPL 2020. Although many predicted him to go for a lesser amount at the 2021 Auctions, surprisingly, the bar went high. He is now the fourth-highest paid overseas player in the league.
The all-rounder will be offering his services to RCB in the forthcoming campaign. He will be part of the power-packed batting line-up of the unit. On spinning tracks, Maxi will also have to do a little of his off-spin bowling. Overall, the Aussie has his hands full, and if he fails again, the next auction will surely be an eye-opener for him.
3. Kyle Jamieson – INR 15 cr
At INR 15 cr, Kyle Jamieson stands at No.3 on this list. While the others have proved their potential in this format, the Kiwi was picked purely based on his potential. Hence, many felt that this spurge by RCB was wrong.
Nevertheless, things could change once the season starts. A tall pacer, Jamieson could actually trouble batsmen with the extra bounce and pace. While his batting exploits are yet to come to the fore, RCB will be keen to note how the New Zealand player will perform with the bat.
2. Pat Cummins – INR 15.5 cr
Pat Cummins was the highest paid overseas player last season. For IPL 2021, he takes the second position. The Aussie is ICC’s No.1 Test bowler now and is his country’s go-to bowler across formats.
For KKR, Cummins was underwhelming last season. He leaked runs often and also failed to pick adequate wickets. That said, at the back end of IPL 2020, Cummins seemed to rediscover his groove. KKR will hope that he can continue that. Also, Cummins delivered with the bat last season, something that will help the balance of the XI.
1. Chris Morris – INR 16.25 cr
It has been a crazy ride for Chris Morris in the last two IPL auctions. While he got INR 10 cr in 2020, the South African improved his pay-cheque to INR 16.25 cr for the upcoming season. It was Rajasthan Royals who broke the bank for the talented all-rounder.
Despite not being entirely active in international cricket, Morris offers plenty of attributes that are suitable for IPL. He is a real deal with the ball at the death while he can be extremely explosive with the bat when he gets going. Morris also comes in with plenty of experience that can be useful for an inexperienced team like RR.
