Last Updated: December 20, 2022, 09:30 AM IST
(From left) Ajinkya Rahane, Kane Williamson and Ishant Sharma (Agencies)
A look at some of the high-profile players from across the world who may not be able to find a buyer at the IPL mini-auction in Kochi
Do Big names command big money? Not always. Especially when they are past their prime. And that’s exactly what might deter the teams from going after some of the high-profile names from the world of cricket at the IPL mini auction on December 23 in Kochi.
News18 CricketNext takes a look at a few names who may go unsold
Kane Williamson (Base Price: Rs 2 Crore)
After taking over as captain from David Warner midway through IPL 2021, Kane Williamson led them for a full season earlier this year. However, neither his nor the franchise’s fortunes have changed. As a result, SRH let go of the New Zealand maestro who continues to struggle in T20s even at the international level. He did finish as New Zealand’s second-highest run-getter from the event but his 178 runs came at a strike-rate of 116.33. While his captaincy remains sharp as ever, it’s the struggle to score at a quick rate which might deter teams from bidding when his name comes up at the auction.
Ajinkya Rahane (Base Price: Rs 50 Lakh)
Rahane was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders or Rs 1 crore at the mega auction this year after his former franchise Rajasthan Royals released him. He played in seven matches for them before being ruled out due to an injury. And he managed just 133 runs in them at a strike-rate of 103.9. And he was then released by KKR as well. His stocks have nosedived in recent times.
Shakib Al Hasan (Base Price: Rs 1.5 Crore)
Once an invaluable asset, the Bangladesh superstar was a prized possession for KKR with whom he won two IPL titles. The allrounder made impact with his left-arm spin bowling and was a busy batter as well who was capable of playing big hits when needed. At the 2022 T20 World Cup, he mustered 44 runs in five innings and took six wickets at an economy of 8.78. He went unsold at the mega auctions and might end up finding no takers this time as well.
Joe Root (Base Price: Rs 1 Crore)
For the first time after several seasons, Root has thrown his name in the hat. Why? Having stepped down as England Test captain, the star batter now wants to explore his white-ball game further having put it on the backseat as he began his journey to become, arguably, England’s greatest ever Test batter. While he has been playing shorter formats at the domestic level, Root’s last T20I was in 2019. And he has never been part of any IPL franchise thus far. He has a decent T20 record – 2083 runs from 88 matches at a strike-rate of 126.7. The question is: Will the franchisees break the bank to get him onboard? Unlikely.
Ishant Sharma (Base Price: Rs 50 Lakh)
While Ishant never became a force in white-ball cricket, he did establish himself as a workhorse in red-ball cricket and the result is he’s one of the two fast bowlers to have played 100 or more Tests for India. He went unsold at the IPL mega auctions and was also dropped from the Indian Test team as well. To make it worse, he picked up an injury earlier this month during Delhi’s first match of the Ranji Trophy. Will he find a team at the mini-auction though?
Jason Roy (Base Price: Rs 1.5 Crore)
Roy was bought by Gujarat Titans at the mega auction. However, the England star pulled out of the season citing bubble fatigue. Things then took a turn for worse as he suffered a major dip in form at the international level and it culminated in him missing out on a spot in England’s T20 world cup squad. As luck would have it, Titans went on to become champions in their debut season while England became the world champions. While on his day, Roy can be a lethal option at the top, his recent form could prove to be a major roadblock in landing an IPL deal.
Mohammad Nabi (Base Price: Rs 1 Crore)
In the twilight of his career, Nabi recently stepped down as Afghanistan’s captain after their winless run at the T20 world cup. He was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the mega auctions but found a new home with Kolkata Knight Riders for whom he didn’t get a single game throughout IPL 2022. He was then released by the two-time IPL winners. His advanced age means franchises would prefer investing in a long-term prospect.
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