'Ben Stokes, he structures out any side tremendously well because he can bat in the top four, he can bat in the top six, and you can almost bank on him to bowl four overs as well.'
Australia's T20 captain Aaron Finch was not surprised by the big bucks attracted Sam Curran, Ben Stokes and Cameron Green in the IPL players' auction on Friday, saying all three are world-class rounders who can add value to their respective sides.
England all-rounder Curran became the most expensive player in the history of IPL auction after fetching a whopping Rs 18.5 crore bid from Punjab Kings. Australia all-rounder Green was the second-highest earner, as he was sold to Mumbai Indians for Rs 17.5 crore.
England Test skipper Stokes was the third-highest gainer, as he was bought by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 16.25 crore.
"Oh, absolutely, I think Chennai have a history of going after experienced players, knowing what they want. And when you complement that with the rest of the squad, it is so balanced when you throw that world class all-rounder in there," Finch said on Star Sports show Cricket Live -- Auction Special.
"I think the only separation between Sam Curran, Ben Stokes and Cameron Green is Sam Curran's ability to bowl in the last five overs. His record has been unbelievable. So, that probably gives him the nod if you're going down the road of a bowling all-rounder.
"But Ben Stokes, he structures out any side tremendously well because he can bat in the top four, he can bat in the top six, and you can almost bank on him to bowl four overs as well. So, that's a huge asset and I'm not surprised that all three of those guys have been paid what they have been paid there," he added.
Besides, England batter Harry Brook earned a Rs 13.25 crore from Sunrisers Hyderabad.
West Indies great Brian Lara, who is the head coach of SRH, said they went for Brook keeping in mind finisher's role, a place left vacant by Nicholas Pooran in the side.
"With the absence of Pooran, we were looking at someone who could finish the game for us. He is a very good batter. Harry Brook's exploits around the world has shown that he has the capability of doing it. It will be his first IPL. It will take time for him to get into the groove but the expectation is pretty high and I believe that's he's a great choice," he said.
Brook recently struck three hundreds in as many games and set new record for most runs by an England batter in a Test series in Pakistan.
"First of all, he's played in Asian conditions. He just played Tests in Paksitan, he played in the Pakistan Super League. Those kind of experiences will serve him well in a place like India. I think he has that advantage," Lara said.
"He also comes from a very strong and confident environment, playing Test cricket under Brendon McCullum and winning the World Cup (T20). We have somebody who is growing accustomed to winning and that's also a big asset."
