Top Eng players to be hot properties in IPL auction: report

Top England cricketers are in line for million-dollar deals in the next auction of the Indian Premier League after their side's dominating performance against India in the recent series, according to a report.

Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann, Eoin Morgan, James Anderson and Stuart Broad are primary targets after the profile of England players skyrocketed after their side wrested the world Test number one spot from India in August, according to Sunday Mirror.

That will make them among the hottest properties in the auction for the cash-rich Twenty20 league, likely to be held in December.

IPL Commissioner Rajiv Shukla said he would do his best to ensure that England players feature in the next edition.

"I'll try my level best to get them. There is no doubt the England team are doing very well. They have improved a lot, and possess a number of outstanding players. Of course, we would like that talent to be in the IPL," Shukla was quoted as saying by the tabloid.

The IPL's fifth season runs from April 4 to May 27 next year and the final stages clash with the start of England's home international summer. The first Test against West Indies begins on May 17 and England players may have problems to play IPL for the full tournament.

"The main thing for franchises is the availability of these players. If they are available, up to what time are they available? This is the issue that will need to be sorted out. The fixture list is always a problem when it comes to signing the best players from England. We will have to see how we can deal with that," Shukla said.

Swann, who heads the ICC ODI bowling rankings, and Anderson -- the world's leading wicket-taker in Test cricket over the past 18 months -- were among those unsold in the last IPL auction after setting base prices of USD 400,000.

Neither 32-year-old Swann, nor Anderson, 29, have featured in the IPL to date, but both have expressed a desire to do so.