IPL player auction to air live on Max next month

Rebecca Hawkes ©RapidTVNews | 26-01-2012

SET Max will broadcast the player auction for this year's high octane Indian Premier League (IPL) twenty20 cricket fest live from Bangalore on 4 February.

Starting at 11am, 183 players from across the cricketing world will be auctioned to IPL franchise holders with the action captured by the tournament's official broadcaster Sony Entertainment Television (SET).

England off spinner Graeme Swann is commanding the highest reserve price of US$400,000. England pace bowler James Anderson and Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson have each been given a reserve status of $300,000.

Bradd Hogg and Stuart MacGill are among other Australian players available for this IPL season, along with Pakistan all rounder Azhar Mahmood. Twenty-five cricketers from Zimbabwe will also be in the auction.

"Fans of the sport, based in India and elsewhere, will be following the happenings with a lot of interest. The auction sets the stage for what promises to be an absorbing fifth season of the tournament," said Rajeev Shukla, chairman, IPL.

"The developments during the first trading window have given us an idea of the varied approaches that the teams have adopted for the forthcoming season. The auction will give us a deeper insight into the same," he added.

The IPL 2012 opens on 4 April with a match in Chennai.