72 Australian players on list for Indian Premier League auction

SYDNEY - Fast bowlers Doug Bollinger, Shaun Tait, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and Stuart Clark are among the 72 Australian players whose nominations for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction have been accepted.

The auction for the fourth season of the tournament would be held in Bangalore on January 8 and 9.

It will be the most significant auction since the inaugural tournament in 2008 because only 12 players have been retained across the 10 IPL teams.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, batsman Callum Ferguson and spin bowlers Xavier Doherty and Jason Krejza could also be playing for the first time should they be selected at the auction, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee and Shaun Marsh are the only Australian players in the highest pay bracket, with a minimum price of 400,000 dollars per season.

Tait and all-rounder Andrew Symonds are in the 300,000 dollar price band, Bollinger and Michael Hussey are in the 200,000 dollar price band, while Hilfenhaus would be worth 100,000 dollars.

Most of the other 64 Australians are in the two lowest pay brackets, 50,000 dollars and 20,000 dollars, as a means of encouraging teams to bid for them.

Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Glenn McGrath and Mathew Hayden are the few star players missing from the list. (ANI)