IPL Puts $1.3m Reserve On Pietersen

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen is on course to become the world’s highest valued cricketer after reports suggested his reserve price at next week’s IPL auction would be set at $1.3m.

The reserve valuation of Pietersen means that he will almost certainly break the record of $1.5m set in the auction for last year’s inaugural IPL Twenty20 tournament which the Chennai Super Kings paid for India captain MS Dhoni.

Of the other England players in next week’s auction, Andrew Flintoff is next in line in terms of pay packets and is thought to have been valued at $900,000.

Both Pietersen and Flintoff have been courted by almost all of the eight IPL franchises and competition for their signature will be fierce despite their limited availability this year.

Their reserve prices could still rocket judging by last year’s auction which saw Dhoni’s base price of $400,000 spiral to the record $1.5m.

England’s centrally contracted players will be available for only 21 days of the IPL and will be paid on a pro-rata basis. That could still represent a minimum of $86,000 per match for Pietersen who could cram six appearances into three weeks.

The England players will also benefit from the dollar’s current strength against the pound and their IPL salaries are likely to be buoyed by marketing and sponsorship opportunities in India.

The eight franchises will be able to spend $16m between them and the auction list is expected to contain 50 players.

The auction on 6th February clashes with England’s First Test against the West Indies and is likely to take the focus away from the on-field activities.