Back in the fray in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction after a year's gap, New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson is looking forward to being picked up in the upcoming auctions for the 2023 edition and hoping to ride on a great performance in India to make it back to the national team for the busy season next year.
Jamieson, who is returning from a back injury, was purchased in the 2021 auctions by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 15 crore -- the highest bid for a New Zealand player and the fourth-highest in IPL history.
However, the 27-year-old had struggled to meet the price tag when playing just nine of RCB's 15 games. The tall quick had opted out of the 2022 IPL to spend more time with his family and be fresh for New Zealand duties as 24 NZ cricketers had put themselves up for auction and top guns like Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson represented their respective IPL franchises.
But before the IPL, Jamieson wants to be fit enough to play for the Black Caps, says a report in stuff.com.nz. Jamieson won't be included in the New Zealand squad for the two Tests and three ODIs series against Pakistan starting later this month as he is yet to fully recover from a back injury.
Jamieson is also certain to miss the T20I series against India in January. New Zealand are also set to play a two-Test series against England but it is not sure whether Jamieson will be match-fit for that as the only games he will play in the meantime will be in the domestic T20 Super Smash competition.
Therefore, Sri Lanka's tour of New Zealand in March, for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is, seems the most likely and obvious target for him. Jamieson, who has played a couple of matches in the Canterbury County premier club competition in recent weeks, had taken 72 Test wickets in just 16 games before injuring his back during the second Test against England in Nottingham in June 2022 and has only now returned to the cricket field after lengthy rehabilitation.
The 27-year-old is among 10 New Zealand players who will come up for bidding in the IPL auction to be held on December 23 in Kochi. Jamieson will join Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Scott Kuggeleijn, Kane Williamson, Milne and Neesham in the auction pool.
Seven Black Caps players -- Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner, Devon Conway, Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips -- were retained by their respective franchises.