The IPL extravaganza continues to roll on as the tournament is set for its 15th season after the conclusion of the IPL 2022 mega-auction. At the mega-auction, a total of 204 players were bought, with Ishan Kishan being the most expensive pick – by Mumbai Indians for 15.25 crore.
However, many players went unsold. The biggest name of them was Suresh Raina, also known as Mr IPL, who has played in every single IPL season barring 2020. There was huge sadness amongst fans after Raina didn’t find any buyers, and not even CSK bid for their stalwart.
There are 4 premier players who have been part of every IPL season – from 2008 to 2021 – but will not be seen playing in the IPL 2022.
AB de Villiers
One of the greatest batter to have graced the IPL, AB de Villiers won’t be seen in the RCB jersey from this season as he announced his retirement last year. De Villiers spent his first three IPL seasons at Delhi before RCB bought him. It has been history since.
He amassed 5162 runs at an average of 39.71, with a strike rate of 151.69, and slammed 3 IPL tons. The 38-year-old was still continuing his best form in the IPL 2021 when he scored 313 runs at an average of 31.30 while striking at 148.34, and on multiple occasions bailing RCB out of trouble.
Amit Mishra
With 166 wickets, Amit Mishra is the third-highest wicket-taker in the history of the IPL – only behind Dwayne Bravo with 167 wickets and Lasith Malinga who leads the charts with 170 wickets to his name.
Mishra had been at Delhi Capitals (earlier Daredevils) from 2015 till last season. However, because of injuries, fitness issues, and younger options he got to play in only 7 matches over the last two seasons. In IPL 2021, he featured in 4 games and took 6 wickets with a best of 4/24.
The 39-year-old also didn’t play any domestic cricket this year and hence, although a bit surprising, him not getting any buyers at the mega-auction is explicable. Mishra remains to be the only player in the tournament to have claimed three hat-tricks. Before Delhi, he played for the now-defunct Deccan Chargers and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Dhawal Kulkarni
A senior medium-pacer from Mumbai, Dhawal Kulkarni has played at least one game in all the IPL seasons – plying his trade for Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, and the now-defunct Gujarat Lions.
He has taken 86 wickets in 92 matches at an average of 28 while conceding 8.31 runs per over. Known for his new-ball bowling, Kulkarni featured in just a couple of games in the last two seasons, going wicketless in both. It didn’t surprise anyone when Kulkarni went unsold in the mega-auction.
Piyush Chawla
Piyush Chawla hit the winning runs in the IPL 2014 final for KKR. The 33-year-old Chawla is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 157 scalps from 165 games.
The leg-spinner was with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) from 2008 to 2013 before moving to KKR and remained one of their key players till 2019. His numbers however took a nosedive in 2020 with CSK and in 2021 with Mumbai Indians. He played only in 1 game for MI last year and went unsold in the mega-auction.
