Aussie cricket legend Kerry O’Keeffe has issued a warning to Cameron Green over the toll the IPL could take on him ahead of the lucrative auction.
Green is expected to attract big-money bids when the auction commences on Friday with Indian legend Ravi Shastri predicting he could fetch more than $1.8 million (AUD)
While relatively inexperienced in T20 cricket, the towering all-rounder’s potential could see IPL teams engage in a bidding war for his services.
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Appearing on Fox Cricket’s The Follow On Podcasty, O’Keeffe said Green could capture the attention of Indian cricket.
“I know Cameron Green’s on everybody’s lips,” he said.
“It’ll be interesting to see what they do there. He’s an unproven talent at T20, but he captivates India because he’s so tall and he bowls 140k and he can hit it.
“But really, he hasn’t got a strong pedigree in T20 cricket, so I’m very interested what they pay for him there – if he eventually goes to the auction.
O’Keeffe, however, said Australia’s packed schedule in 2023 could play a factor.
“But the thing is, it takes a lot out of you the T20 – and that’s why I think his management is key,” he said.
“It took a lot out of Josh Hazlewood, hence his injury concerns. Cameron Green has a tour of India, the IPL, an Ashes tour and then back to the domestic season.
“I think at his age maybe he’ll err on the side of caution, but he may be lured by the huge money that he’s likely to get.”
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O’Keeffe then named some lesser known Aussie stars who he believes could make a splash.
“They normally target fast bowlers, so if Lance Morris, ‘The Wild Thing’, puts himself into the auction, he could attract attention,” he said.
“But that guy I saw the other night and I was very impressed with Paddy Dooley – the left-arm wrist spin bowler – who is something different.
“Mystery spinners are always in demand and I’m very interested in what Paddy Dooley might do.
“This guy has got a terrific release point, he’s got a very good wrong’un and he looks temperamentally very sound in short-form four overs.
“So I wonder what Paddy Dooley will do in terms of entering the auction? We’ll find out.”
The IPL 2023 Auction will be held in Kochi on December 23, 2022, with the auction set to commence at 8pm (AEDT). It will be broadcast on Fox Sports channel 503.
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