Cricket: Guptill set for action-packed afternoon

Martin Guptill is set to be hot property in the IPL auction. Photo / Getty

If New Zealand bat first in the second Chappell-Hadlee one-day international today, Martin Guptill's innings will be absorbed by more than just local fans.

At 4.30pm, the Indian Premier League auction opens in Bangalore.

Guptill is ranked as the seventh of eight marquee players with a base salary starting at 50 lakh ($110,000). The octet are expected to go under the hammer first. The 29-year-old opener has not played in the tournament, but his form over the past year suggests his services will be keenly sought.

Ishant Sharma, Shane Watson, Kevin Pietersen, Yuvraj Singh, Dale Steyn and Aaron Finch are the marquee players with a higher base rate. The Windies' Dwayne Smith is the other marquee player.

Guptill's potential income boost will be a talking point as New Zealand attempt to advance their record of 11 wins out of their past 13 completed ODIs at Westpac Stadium. Australia are trying to maintain a run of six unbeaten bilateral ODI series.

Corey Anderson sold for $866,000 to the IPL's Mumbai Indians following his then-world-record 36-ball one-day international century on New Year's Day 2014 against the West Indies.

"Whatever Gup goes for, he will deserve it, he has played outstandingly," Anderson said.
"I hadn't thought about it until a month beforehand, then I had a tinny innings and got over there. You do get nervous, but it is out of your hands, and obviously we'll be playing while it is happening."

Anderson was uncertain what reporting system would be used to get the information to the players. "I'm not sure who's looking after that. They might hold it back until after the game, but I'm sure in some way, shape or form the boys will find out."

A helpful member of the media pack suggested the scoreboard could be an option.

Brendon McCullum, Trent Boult, Kane Williamson, Adam Milne and Mitchell McClenaghan already have IPL contracts alongside Anderson.

Tim Southee, Grant Elliott, Nathan McCullum, Jimmy Neesham, Doug Bracewell and Central Districts pace bowler Seth Rance are listed in the auction.

Meanwhile, Australia have selected Usman Khawaja in their XI to replace Shaun Marsh.
Khawaja will make his first ODI appearance in three years.

His recent Big Bash League form steered the Sydney Thunder to the title. Two centuries and two fifties came from his last four tournament innings at a strike rate of 164.

"I'm not a big believer in form," Khawaja said. "Nothing I did previously has any effect on what I do tomorrow."

What about the "colourful" banter of NZ crowds? "It seems the go here," Khawaja said. "But that's part of the game. When we play domestically in Perth or Adelaide they can be pretty rowdy, too, but the accents here are kind of funny, so I enjoy it."

In the other change to the visitors' XI, leg spinner Adam Zampa will make his international debut following James Faulkner's hamstring injury.