With the IPL auctions all set to kick off in less than 24 hours in Chennai, there were a lot of controversies that got sparked after the final list of cricketers who made the dash for the auction was divulged.
Many fans were outraged at the fact that experienced cricketers were forced to return while inexperienced campaigners who would actually go on to make very little or no impact at all were preferred. A question was raised on the franchises’ cricketing ken and a few fans also decided to bring out the list of previous years which showed that players unpicked for the auctions later went on to create tides in the IPL canon.
One of the most burning examples of the aforementioned citation was Chris Gayle who went unsold in the last year’s auction and yet when Punjab introduced him to the fray, there was no one more vicious than the Universe Boss.
In this story, we will be looking at five experienced cricketers who couldn’t make the cut for the big day in India’s domestic extravaganza.
S. Sreesanth
One of the most unfortunate men to miss out on this year’s IPL was Sreesanth. At 38 years of age, after completing his suspension from the game last September, he appeared in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to prove a point. With figures of 2 for 46 being his best in the recently concluded domestic T20 fiesta, he couldn’t really leave a significant mark at all. Franchises were doubtful of the fact that how much can a man who has already reached the twilight of his cricketing career impact the game anymore. Consequently, an emotional Sreesanth was axed from the list.
Lendl Simmons
Despite leaving behind a trail of carnage in the recently organized Abu Dhabi T-10, where he went on to smash unbeaten scores of 46, 37 and 41 which was followed by a rippling showdown for Trinidad and Tobago where he went onto smash a blistering century, the Indian franchises weren’t really intrigued at the prospect of this 36-year-old batsman being picked by an IPL team. Simmons is known for his blazing display of power with the bat and his strike rate of 123.08 in T20 internationals is a charming ode to his brilliance. Despite ticking all the boxes that one can, he couldn’t really pique the interest of the franchises.
Colin Ingram
Though he couldn’t really make a name for himself in the longer format of the sport and also in the international colours, his figures in franchise cricket are nothing short of marvelous. From 275 T20’s, he has managed to garner 6916 runs at a decent average of 29.93 and a blistering strike rate of 139.54. Despite being a wicket-keeping batsman, Ingram is also known to bowl leg-breaks which have notched him up 38 wickets in the shortest format of the game. This would have not been his first rodeo in IPL as he has previously donned on the jerseys of Delhi Daredevils and Delhi Capitals. It is most likely his base price of Rs 2 crores that acted against his interest.
James Vince
James Vince is a significant name in the English echelons when it comes to Test or ODI cricket. However, he couldn’t really impress when it came to the shorter format of the game until recently in the KFC Big Bash, he left a trail of carnage that rollicked the Australian fans more than ever. After an unbeaten 45 against the Adelaide Strikers, he lost his track in the next few games before finally picking himself up against the Perth Scorchers. That half-century against Scorchers was very much the tocsin for the daring English batsman as he went on to stitch together scores of 38, 46, an unbeaten 98 and 95 in the remaining matches. Such impressive performances are quite obvious to rivet the fanfare and with the surfaces in the subcontinent playing a massive aid to the batters, this must have been enough for him to make an appearance in the IPL. Unfortunately, he was not someone who could stimulate the likes of the franchises and the rest is known.
Liton Das
Only five cricketers from Bangladesh could make it to the first list of auctions which quoted 1097 cricketers. They were Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin and Mahmudullah. When the final list came out, Liton Das couldn’t find himself some love from the franchises and he would only be a spectator when the Hammerfall begins in Chennai.
