Finch, Watson headline Aussies in IPL auction

A host of Australia's best Twenty20 cricketers will be hoping for a sizeable payday when the IPL9 auction takes place this Saturday in Bengaluru, India.

The auction will consist of 351 players, with a maximum of 116 to be chosen for the tournament which takes place from April 9 to May 29. 

Headlining a strong Australian contingent are marquee players Shane Watson and Aaron Finch. Watson's Rajasthan Royals have been banned from competing for two years in the fallout to a corruption scandal, while Finch only played three games for Mumbai Indians last time around owing to a hamstring injury and has been released.

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Last Friday night, Finch again damaged his hamstring and while the result of scans are yet to be made public, the Australia T20 captain could well be in doubt for the World T20, potentially also affecting his price in Wednesday's auction. 

Watch: Finch injured in MCG defeat

The form of Usman Khawaja, who is yet to appear in the IPL, will doubtless have been closely followed by many prospective buyers, with the left-hander looming as a prize purchase for the seven-week tournament. 

Watch: Khawaja's classy ton

Indian pair Ishant Sharma and Yuvraj Singh, Englishman Kevin Pietersen, Proteas quick Dale Steyn, Black Caps opener Martin Guptill and West Indian Dwayne Smith are the other six marquee men alongside Watson and Finch.

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Watson's former Royals teammates Steve Smith (Pune) and James Faulkner (Rajkot) have already been snapped up, while veteran brothers Mike and David Hussey have both put their hands up for another season and will go under the hammer on Wednesday.

"The VIVO IPL 2016 Player Auction will kick-start the countdown to the ninth season of one of the most popular sporting events in the world," said IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla. 

"The franchises have returned to the drawing board, reworked plans and devised new strategies over the last few months.

"They will have the opportunity to bid for some of the biggest names in the game."

2016 IPL Auction

Australians currently contracted

Nathan Coulter-Nile (Delhi Daredevils)

Chris Lynn, Brad Hogg (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Steve Smith (Rising Pune Supergiants)

James Faulkner (Team Rajkot)

Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Johnson (Kings XI Punjab)

Mitchell Starc (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

David Warner, Moises Henriques (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Australians on auction list (base price in brackets)

Marquee players: Shane Watson (AUD417,000), Aaron Finch (AUD208,000)

Batsmen: Michael Hussey (AUD417,000), Cameron White (AUD313,000), David Hussey (AUD208,000), Usman Khawaja (AUD208,000), Adam Voges (AUD208,000), Joe Burns (AUD208,000), George Bailey (AUD208,000), Nic Maddinson (AUD104,000), Brad Hodge (AUD104,000), Michael Klinger (AUD63,000), Aiden Blizzard (AUD63,000), Travis Head (AUD63,000), Alex Ross (AUD42,000)

Bowlers: Kane Richardson (AUD417,000), James Pattinson (AUD313,000), Nathan Lyon (AUD208,000), Shaun Tait (AUD208,000), John Hastings (AUD208,000), Scott Boland (AUD104,000), Jackson Bird (AUD104,000), Cameron Boyce (AUD104,000), Joel Paris (AUD63,000), Ben Laughlin (AUD63,000), Michael Beer (AUD63,000), Adam Zampa (AUD63,000)

Wicketkeepers: Brad Haddin (AUD313,000), Peter Handscomb (AUD63,000), Ben Dunk (AUD63,000), Tim Ludeman (AUD63,000), Cameron Bancroft (AUD21,000)

Allrounders: Mitchell Marsh (AUD417,000), Ashton Agar (AUD104,000), Ben Cutting (AUD104,000), Sean Abbott (AUD104,000), Marcus Stoinis (AUD63,000), Andrew Tye (AUD63,000)