WPL Auction: Smriti Mandhana will be most expensive - Aakash Chopra predicts ahead of historic auction

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Former India opener Aakash Chopra has predicted that India Women opener Smriti Mandhana will be the most expensive but in the first-ever Women's Premier League (WPL) auction which is set to be held at the Jio Convention Centre on Monday.

Further, the cricketer-turned-commentator has predicted that India Women captain Harmanpreet Kaur could be the second most expensive, followed by Deepti Sharma and Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry. He also reckoned that the five franchises will have the tough task of picking a captain for their teams with not much money in the purse. Notably, the five franchises will have an available purse of Rs 12 crore each. They can buy a maximum of 18 players including seven foreigners (one from an associate nation).

"It is going to be an interesting auction because it is happening for the first time. They have to find five captains as well. So when you go to buy a captain, you will spend a lot of money and that much money is not there. There is no doubt that Indian players will be the most expensive."

"In my opinion, Smriti Mandhana will be the most expensive, Harmanpreet Kaur at No. 2 and Deepti Sharma at No. 3. I am seeing Ellyse Perry becoming a captain for one of the sides. The fifth could be Ashleigh Gardner, Meg Lanning, Nat Sciver, Amelia Kerr, Hayley Matthews or Marizanne Kapp - there is just too much quality."

WPL Auction: Australian players set to break the bank

Praising the quality of Australian players, the former Delhi batter has also reckoned that they would be hot properties to grab and would fetch good amounts.

"After the Indian players, the most money will go in Australian dollars. All Australian players who are registered here will get good money, whether it is Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy, Ashleigh Gardner or Tahlia McGrath - they are all absolutely outstanding," he said.

Talking about the all-rounders, the 45-year-old has opined that unlike men's IPL there is an abundance of all-rounders in WPL and that would be the same reason the money will get divided between them.

"Generally all-rounders get a lot of money. But here there are so many all-rounders, it is possible they might get slightly less money. It is not like the Men's IPL where there are very few all-rounders and we end up giving 50 crores to three all-rounders."

WPL Auction: Rodrigues, Shafali captaincy contenders

While Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur look set to captain a WPL franchise, stakes are also high for Jemimah Rodrigeus and Shafali Verma for the role. The former helped India chase a record total against Pakistan in their Women's T20 World Cup-opener on Sunday. Shafali recently guided India to inaugural U-19 Women's T20 World Cup title win.

A total of 409 players (246 Indian and 163 overseas) are set to go under the hammer. 24 players are listed at the highest base price of ₹50 lakh. The auction will kick off from 2:30 PM IST on Sports 18 Network channels.