Three balls that could be worth a fortune

It could prove to be the most lucrative three balls Jason Behrendorff has ever bowled.

As the left-armer sliced through India's top order in Guwahati on Wednesday morning (AEST) with a match-winning four-wicket haul, his asking price ahead of next year's IPL 'mega auction' soared to levels that could financially change his life.

The left-arm quick is the only member of Australia's squad to have never played in the world's most lucrative T20 league, but he'll surely be in high demand next year after he destroyed India's star-studded batting line-up at the Barsapara Stadium.

Most tellingly of all was the fact that the two batsmen he dismissed in the space of three balls in his opening over, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, captain their respective IPL franchises and would have influence when it comes to player selection.

So when Behrendorff, assuming fitness and form don't desert him over the next six months, comes up for sale next year, the owners of Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore will only have to ask their skippers about just how destructive a player he can be.

Next year's auction will reportedly be the most lucrative yet, with unconfirmed reports that all players may be available for purchase and an increased salary cap in place.

And for a player like Behrendorff, a star at domestic level but not centrally contracted by Cricket Australia, an IPL pay day could be life changing.

The left-armer has shown this kind of form before for Perth Scorchers in the BBL, but starring in Indian conditions, in front of a sell-out crowd and against some of the best batsmen in the world will enhance his IPL reputation where it counts - in India.

“He bowled really well,” said Indian swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

“He made full use of the wicket. It was a perfect kind of wicket for the line and length he bowled. He swings the ball and he’s got pace.”

Given he has battled multiple injury setbacks during his career, Behrendorff unsurprisingly refused to get ahead of himself when asked if his performance in Guwahati would help his cause at the auction.

"It might do, but that's something that's down the track," he said.

"I've got a fair bit of cricket to play yet.

"First I'm focused on winning the next game in Hyderabad and I've got a summer of cricket to play. But that (an IPL contract) would be very nice."

For now, the 27-year-old is still coming to terms with finally making his international debut, and winning a match-of-the-match award to boot.

Having grown up in Canberra before moving west to Perth to pursue further opportunities, Behrendorff said telling his loved ones of his initial call-up to the squad in August was a "special moment".

"Telling my wife first off was amazing," he recalled.

"She was away at the time so we had to do it over the phone and she was very excited.

"And the next best one was my Dad. He's never speechless, he's an outgoing guy, but he was speechless on the phone for about 10 seconds. And that's probably the first time ever that he's never had anything to say. So it was very, very exciting."

Australia's Qantas Tour of India

Australia squad: David Warner (c), Jason Behrendorff, Dan Christian, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Glenn Maxwell, Tim Paine, Kane Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.

India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Axar Patel.

T20 Fixtures

October 7: JSCA International Stadium, Ranchi

October 10: Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati

October 13: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad