Player auction

A player auction is the process by which franchise T20 clubs build their squads, bidding against each other from a fixed purse for players who have registered with a base price.

The model is the IPL's. Players are grouped into sets, with a marquee set of the biggest names first, then batters, all-rounders, wicketkeepers, fast bowlers and spinners in turn, capped internationals before uncapped domestic players. An auctioneer opens each lot at its base price and clubs raise paddles in fixed increments until one is left. Unsold players can be brought back in accelerated rounds later in the day. Squads must land within size limits, with a cap on overseas players, and the money not spent is simply gone.

Before the auction, clubs retain a handful of their existing players, which reduces both their purse and the pool. Some auctions give clubs a right to match the winning bid for a player they released. A mega auction resets the whole league every few seasons; a mini auction between them fills the gaps.

Strategy is about role budgeting: knowing what each slot in your XI should cost, not overpaying for the first marquee name, and keeping enough purse to fill the last five places with players who can actually play. A club that spends half its money on two stars and fields a weak tail has usually lost the season in the auction room.

In Masterstroke: ten purses in one room, and the other nine belong to managers who budget by role, know what a player is worth and will not let you have him cheaply.