Auction Action: RCB may bid handsomely for Jason Holder

Jason Holder could well turn out to be one of the most expensive buys at this edition of Indian Premier League's mega-auction with Royal Challengers Bangalore expected to bid heavily for him. If sources privy to RCB's auction strategy are to be believed, the franchise that has Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj in its ranks as retained players, are likely to bid up till Rs 12 crore because of his multiple skill-sets, which is a rarity in this format. "Ben Stokes isn't available, Hardik Pandya and Marcus Stoinis are taken. Mitchell Marsh you never know whether he can survive a full IPL with his injury prone career, Holder has been phenomenal if one looks at his record. RCB will like to go the distance as some others will also pitch in," a source close to franchise told PTI on conditions of anonymity. It is understood that RCB, who have Rs 57 crore in their auction purse are interested about three players including Holder, former CSK batter Ambati Rayudu and young ex-Rajasthan Royals turk Riyan Parag.

"For Holder, they have reserved Rs 12 crore and another Rs 8 crore for Rayudu and Rs 7 crore for Parag. If they spend Rs 27 crore approximately on these players, they would have another Rs 28 crore left. "The core with Kohli, Maxwell, Siraj, Holder, Rayudu and Parag will be set. Let's hope they can get two out of preferred three," the source said. While the auction dynamic can't be predicted, Holder's emergence as a potent IPL auction star has happened, often the case with multi-skilled players where market determines the value. "Chris Morris was a good cricketer but was he worth Rs 16 crore plus when he got that? Perhaps no but paucity of all-rounders made some franchises desperate. "Same for Yuvraj Singh's 15