Cricket: IPL picks no guide to Tri-Series

Ross Taylor s ability to score quickly enough in T20s has been questioned. Photo / Photosport

Some food for thought as New Zealand's T20 squad crosses the Tasman today for the start of the Tri-Series this Saturday in Sydney.

Six of Australia's squad to prepare for the game at the Sydney Cricket Ground have been snapped up for more than $1 million in the Indian Premier League.

The Kiwis won't be quaking at the prospect, though, as they know these players and their capabilities from the Big Bash League and past experience.

They also know the fickle world that is the IPL and the unusual events that occur at auction time.

New Zealand will be represented in the April-May jamboree too, if not to the extent they might have hoped. One of those who will be there, Colin Munro, is back in the New Zealand squad after sitting out the decider against Pakistan on Sunday night to rest a minor hamstring twinge.

His thunderous hitting has been a real asset in the short form games this summer and his return will allow captain Kane Williamson to return to his regular No3 spot, after sitting in for Munro at Mount Maunganui, a move which didn't work out.

Ross Taylor is off to Sydney too. Putting the words Taylor and T20 in the same sentence has tended to provoke strong reactions.

There's a feeling, on one hand, that the New Zealand veteran has been poorly treated by the national selectors when it comes to T20 selection. The counter argument has been that his runs haven't come fast enough.

Taylor got 22 off 13 balls in the game one win at Wellington over Pakistan, and a flying 25 off 11 at the Mount, as if to prove a point. Just when it looked as if he might be a chance to rip the game - and series - away from Pakistan, he was contentiously caught behind, after a DRS referral.

Taylor looked unconvinced but there was no stopping the Pakistanis, who ended their tour, much of which they had whimpered their way through, with a roar and moved to No1 ranking, dislodging New Zealand.

Taylor's days in the IPL seem to be over and, as a player who knows his way around the nooks and crannies of the cricket world, he had some interesting thoughts yesterday on the IPL yesterday.

"The more you think about it the more it confuses you," he said of the auction process.

"[But] people are talking about it, so it's good for the competition.

"It's a strange thing. Some players go for gazillions who haven't done a lot.

''A lot of the IPL is who you know, relationships with coaches, the captains, the owners ... they also like the younger players."

Of the seven New Zealanders bought, top whack went to former captain Brendon McCullum, $780,000 to the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Money was also forked out for Williamson, Colin de Grandhomme, Trent Boult, Munro, Tim Southee and Mitchell Santner, all of whom are off to Sydney.

That's nothing near the $2.6m the Rajasthan Royals paid for Australian captain Steve Smith, or Sunrisers Hyderabad did for David Warner, who leads Australia in the Tri-Series.

Big-hitting Chris Lynn, allrounder Glenn Maxwell, fast bowler Andrew Tye, opener Aaron Finch and dangerous Marcus Stoinis all got gigs worth at least $1.3m.

"Australia is basically the Big Bash all-stars team really, with a couple of others," New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said yesterday.

"It's up to us to start well in Sydney and hopefully bring some momentum back to New Zealand.

"The challenge is to make sure we play with freedom."

Australia have won two and lost three of their T20s since the start of last year.

Bound for Sydney

The New Zealand squad to play Australia in the opening tri-series T20 in Sydney on Saturday: Kane Williamson (c), Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Tom Bruce, Anaru Kitchen, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tom Blundell, Ish Sodhi, Ben Wheeler, Tim Southee, Seth Rance, Trent Boult.

To get the day's top sports stories in your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here