Tomorrow eight franchises will be bidding on 292 players in the auction for the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League 2021.61 slots are up for grabs with all teams have a total purse of 196.6 crore.

Glenn Maxwell(Base Price: INR 2 Crores): Barring a couple of seasons where he was ultra successful, he has been rather cold in the IPL. He, however, still attracts big bids due to the sheer power he possesses to take games away from the opposition in a matter of time, as was seen in the limited-overs series when India had toured Australia. Maxwell had had a horror season in 2020 for Kings XI Punjab, where he didn't even hit a six. In the series against India following the IPL, he was a different batsman. A decent Big Bash 2020-21 followed where he scored 379 at a strike rate of 143.56 and picked seven wickets. Although released from KXIP, now Punjab Kings, he will be subject of bids from a couple of franchises.

Steve Smith(Base Price: INR 2 Crores) Released by Rajasthan Royals after an underwhelming season, where he was the captain of the team, Steve Smith has made a rather strong case for himself ahead of the auction. He smashed a sensational century for New South Wales against Victoria in the 2021 Marsh One-Day Cup.

Aaron Finch(Base Price: INR 1 Crore) The Australian limited-overs captain has played for as many as eight IPL franchises. After an underwhelming performance in 2020, he was released by RCB. At a base price of INR 1 crore, some franchises though could be interested in him. Like CSK for example, who will be looking for a replacement for Shane Watson at the top.

Kyle Jamieson(Base Price: INR 75 Lakhs): The New Zealand quick has grabbed eyeballs and has forced his way into the spotlight after some consistent match-winning performances in international cricket. In the six Tests he's played so far, Jamieson has 36 wickets at spectacular average of 13.27, striking at 33.3. Add to that his prowess with the bat, and he is a handy buy for any team that's looking for a tall strike bowler who can double-up as a lower-order hitter.

Dawid Malan(Base Price: INR 1.5 Crores) He's ranked the No.1 batsman in T20I cricket in ICC's rankings, and for good reason. His reputation as one of the best batsmen in T20I cricket is not for nothing; in 19 T20Is, Malan has 855 runs, averaging 53.43 at a brilliant strike-rate of 149.47, with nine scores of 50-plus and century. In the recently-concluded Big Bash League, for the Hobart Hurricanes, he had an ordinary season, with 265 runs averaging 26.50. The brilliant top-order batsman could have a number of takers.

Shakib Al Hasan(Base Price: INR 2 Crores) Shakib's return after his one-year ban hasn't been a bed of roses, given that he has been afflicted by injuries after rediscovering his touch with both bat and ball. However, there's little question when it comes to his ability across formats, which makes him such an important buy for franchises given his all-round abilities. That apart, his vast experience of playing in leagues and having been an integral part of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders in the past, any teams looking for a reliable all-rounder to bat in the middle order will have their eyes on Shakib.

Mustafizur Rahman(Base Price: INR 1 crore) He played a vital role in Sunrisers Hyderabad's winning campaign in 2016 with his astute variations foxing batsmen across franchises. A left-arm pacer with proclivity for bowling in the death adds significant heft to T20 sides. He missed out on the 2020 season despite being approached by Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders due to the non-issuance of an NOC from the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

Jhye Richardson(Base Price: INR 1.5 Crores) He's one of those T20 bowlers who not just strikes regularly, but also doesn't concede too many runs. He formed a great partnership with left-armer Jason Behrendorff (Base Price: INR 1 Crore) and finished as the top wicket-taker in the BBL this season with 29 wickets, averaging 16.31.

Lukman Meriwala(Base Price: INR 20 Lakhs) The left-arm pacer from Baroda pushed his case for an IPL contract after playing an integral role in his side's progress to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Baroda may have lost the final to Tamil Nadu, but Meriwala finished second on the bowling charts with 15 wickets in eight matches.

Mohammed Azharuddeen (Base Price: INR 20 Lakhs) A record-breaking 137 for Kerala propelled Mohammed Azharuddeen into the limelight. He became an overnight sensation as he destroyed Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy fixture with that outstanding century that was the highest T20 score by an Indian in a chase. He finished the tournament with 214 runs from five innings.

Shivam Dube(Base Price: INR 50 Lakhs) As seen with RCB last year, Dube brings more than just big-hitting to the side. He's a handy bowler who has the ability to land timely strikes. However, he had an ordinary season in terms of numbers which could've played a part in RCB deciding to let him go for the upcoming season despite the all-round skills he brings to the table.

Alex Hales(Base Price: INR 1.5 Crores) The top-run getter in this Big Bash League -- 543 runs at 161.6 SR -- is likely to have teams interested given his success in Australia. Hales scored a century and three half-centuries in the league, hitting as many as 30 sixes and 54 boundaries throughout the tournament, putting him back into the spotlight for an England recall.

Shahrukh Khan (Base Price: INR 20 Lakhs) A broad-shouldered domestic finisher - like Shahrukh Khan - should be high on the agenda for quite a few franchises. He's highly rated in the Tamil Nadu camp, and essayed the role of a finisher with aplomb over the last two seasons. Despite not getting to bat in a quality Tamil Nadu line-up, he gave a glimpse of his abilities in a crucial quarterfinal fixture against Himachal Pradesh