IPL Auction 2015 Preview: Predicting Players, Prospects, Fees, and Key Points

The IPL Auction 2015 is set to take place on Monday in Bangalore with some key big-name players having been released by their franchises and thus available for purchase.    

Unlike last year's event, 2015 will see just one day of auctions rather than the two-day extravaganza of 2014, in which 514 players were available.

Teams will have an extra Rs 30 million to spend in addition to whatever funds have been freed up from last year's Rs 600 million after releasing players. 

With the likes of Delhi Daredevils having released numerous players after a disastrous 2014 campaign, Monday's auction will be absolutely vital for various sides as they look to bag a marquee signing.

Read on for a look at the likely high-profile moves and predictions for those players who will demand the most money.

KP and Yuvraj Both Available

Gareth Copley/Getty Images

England exile Kevin Pietersen has been released by Delhi after captaining them to a bottom-placed finish in last year's IPL, with the Daredevils also releasing 12 other players.

The Delhi outfit have clearly decided that they need a complete squad overhaul and will be one of the most active franchises in Monday's auction.

Similarly, Royal Challengers Bangalore have released their prize asset, Yuvraj Singh, who was the most expensive player in IPL 7's auction, going for Rs 140 million.

Here are the remaining budgets of each team ahead of the auction:

Team	Budget (Rs)
Delhi Daredevils	400 million
Royal Challengers Bangalore	210 million
Sunrisers Hyderabad	208.5 million
Kolkata Knight Riders	130 million
Rajasthan Royals	130 million
Kings XI Punjab	118 million
Mumbai Indians	100 million
Chennai Super Kings	50 million

Pietersen, Yuvraj, Dinesh Karthik and Hashim Amla have all reportedly attracted the highest base price of Rs 20 million, per ESPNcricinfo. 

Expect Yuvraj to fetch a similar price to last year. Although he has been released by Bangalore, he is still a hugely valuable player and was the Royal Challengers' second-highest run-scorer in IPL 7.

Pietersen, on the other hand, may go for less than his Rs 90 million price tag from last year, after he failed to set the tournament alight. Although, his recent forays in the Australian Big Bash League will have done him little harm—he was the second-highest run-scorer.

However, the former England international's lack of regular cricket in the last 12 months may count against him on auction day.

Australia's Aaron Finch is also reportedly set to be available in this year's auction, per cricket writer Freddie Wilde, and could fetch a decent sum considering his recent form with his national team:

Another man whose exploits on the international one-day scene could see him fetch a high price is England captain Eoin Morgan, who has confirmed that he will be taking part in the IPL despite previous ambitions to reclaim a spot in the Test side, per The Telegraph's Jonathan Liew:

It is clear from their remaining budgets and number of released players that Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad are set to be the big movers in Monday's auction, which is unsurprising as they were the bottom three teams in IPL 7.

The other side to miss out on the playoffs last year were Rajasthan Royals, but only by a whisker.

Kings XI Punjab topped the league by a distance but were beaten by Kolkata Knight Riders in the final.

It would not be surprising to see Kings XI go in for a huge name such as Pietersen to give them the extra impetus to take the crown this year.

Whatever happens, the auction will throw up surprises and excitement and set the stage for what should be another tremendous IPL in 2015.