The mega-auctions ahead of the upcoming IPL 2022 promise a whole bunch of riches for all the exciting prospects who are lined up for the event. Some of these said prospects, in fact, have gone in with the highest possible base price of INR 2 crores to further jack up their chances of breaking the bank in the auctions.
But at the core of its concept, the mega-auction happens to be just another cold-hearted business proposition, with little to no regards for a player’s sentiments. Which is to say that, many of these bright-eyed boys might end up disappointed by the end of the auctions. And in this article, we’ll be looking at five such players at the bracket of INR 2 crores who might go unsold in the IPL auction.
1. Dinesh Karthik
36-year-old ‘keeper bat Dinesh Karthik arrives into the auction as one of the most experienced campaigners going around in the tourney. With 213 IPL caps to his name, DK is certain to bring a huge wealth of experience into any IPL franchise that decides to rope him in.
However, it is his consistently diminishing returns with the bat that cast serious doubts on his playability in the IPL 2022. His past two seasons with KKR were painfully mediocre in terms of batting average (14.08 and 22.30). While there is some merit to include DK as a back-up glovesman or a member of the think-tank; expending 2 crores on a player with such marginalized roles does seem a bit excessive.
For all we know, DK could end up featuring in the IPL as a commentator with his witty and candid insights. And considering how well he performed that role in England last year, fans (and franchises) might just want to see him in a non-playing capacity this time around.
2. Suresh Raina
Once a legend of the IPL, Suresh Raina’s stocks have plummeted by a fair margin in the past 2 editions of the tournament. He was absent from the 2020 season of CSK’s forgettable campaign altogether; while the 2021 edition saw him register just a single fifty across 12 matches.
There is a slight chance that teams like CSK, or the newbie Lucknow Super Giants might add Raina into their roster as an icon player. But that likelihood is predicated purely on fan service and nostalgia; ergo, it’s almost certain to not happen in real life. Especially when you factor the hefty 2-crore price tag that comes attached with that prospect.
3. Umesh Yadav
Umesh Yadav has had a bit of resurgence in the last few test matches that he has featured in. But his prowess in the shortest format of the game has been somewhat stagnant for quite some time now. His economy rate reads an uninspiring 8.51 runs per over.
Umesh’s last IPL appearance dates back to the 2020 season for RCB. He did participate in the 2021 edition of the tournament, but the Delhi Capitals didn’t play him in any of their 16 matches. The fact that Umesh tries to contain batsmen with his pace rather than pick wickets doesn’t really work in his favor anymore, and could be a reason behind his omission from the upcoming edition of the IPL.
4. Ambati Rayudu
Rayudu has had a knack of consistently punching above his weight in the IPL. The last IPL season wasn’t also that much different in that regard, and saw the mercurial Andhra batter score a couple of important half-centuries across the tournament.
This year, however, things could be different for Rayudu gadu, so much so that he might not get a chance to play in the tournament in the first place. While impressive, Rayudu’s skillsets as an Indian wicket-keeper have strong competition in younger and more promising names like Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Azharuddin, and KS Bharat- among several others. Factoring the circumstances as such, franchises might not be interested to spend 2 crores on acquiring him.
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5. Krunal Pandya
It might be a stretch to include a 3-time IPL winner like Krunal in an unceremonious list such as this one. But the fact remains that Krunal hasn’t really been able to live up to his high-potential reputation.
In IPLs 2020 and 2021 combined, Krunal managed to pick up a total of just 11 wickets. His strike rates (119 and 116), especially as a lower-order finisher, haven’t been particularly outstanding either. While the elder Pandya brother does offer a very interesting range of skillsets to franchises, quality-wise, there are better players available at lower prices. So it could lead to some problems for him in the mega auctions.