The Indian Premier League is all set for a return in March 2024, with new teams and combinations finalized in the 2024 IPL auction, which took place on December 19 in Dubai.
Two Aussie speedsters got all the money, with the likes of Pat Cummins getting ₹20.5 crore from Sunrisers Hyderabad, while his good friend Mitchell Starc became the most expensive IPL player ever when the Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for ₹24.75 crore. But it was not all sunshine; a few familiar and in-form cricketers joined the IPL auction unsold players list.
What went wrong for these players at the IPL auction?
IPL Auction Unsold Players
Seeing your name on the IPL auction list of unsold players can be tough. And it is equally disappointing for someone like Steve Smith, who had loads of experience in the IPL, or someone like Phil Salt, who played the last season for Delhi Capitals but now sees his IPL dreams shattered.
Here’s a list of the top ten IPL players who failed to receive a bid at the 2024 IPL auction:
1. Phil Salt
Despite proving himself in the last IPL season and scoring back-to-back hundreds against West Indies in the T20I series, Phil Salt, at a base price of ₹1.5 crore, has failed to find suitors at the auction. The Englishman is undoubtedly among the most surprising names on the list of unsold players.
Salt had proved his IPL credentials with some fine knocks in IPL last season and was poised to receive a big bid at the auction. Franchises decided against snapping up Salt, to the surprise of cricket fans. The 27-year-old could be the first choice if franchises make any last-minute changes to their roster.
2. Jason Holder
Former West Indies skipper Jason Holder is one of the surprising names on the list of unsold IPL auction players. The all-rounder, who made his IPL debut in 2013 and has represented five franchises so far, has taken more than 50 wickets and holds a decent strike rate in IPL.
With the emergence of young and exciting all-rounders like Gerald Coetzee, Azmatullah Omarzai, etc., franchises would have decided against acquiring the West Indian, who was at a high base price of ₹1.5 crore and struggled to make an impact in the last IPL season.
3. Josh Hazlewood
Josh Hazlewood won the ODI World Cup trophy with Australia, but the 32-year-old went unsold in Dubai. Though the fast bowler has excellent IPL credentials, his lack of availability for the entire tournament might have forced teams to look elsewhere for quality fast bowlers.
Franchises also had in-form fast bowling options like Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, etc., to choose from. It would have contributed to the decision to overlook Hazlewood, who plied his trades with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the last two seasons.
4. Adil Rashid
ICC’s No. 1 ranked T20I bowler couldn’t land an IPL contract at the 2024 auction. Adil Rashid has produced many memorable performances in an England shirt and has consistently done well in the white-ball format. However, franchises decided against signing the spinner.
The problem with Rashid is that he is an orthodox spinner who gives the ball a lot of flight; plus, with the overseas quota being limited to four, teams don’t want a foreign spinner in the starting 11. Also, Rashid hasn’t had a breakout IPL season, as he has made just three appearances in two IPL seasons.
5. Steve Smith
Like the 2022 auction, Steve Smith had no takers at the auction despite playing more than 100 games in the premier T20 tournament. After Australia’s success in the World Cup, there was a feeling that the legendary Aussie batter might land himself a contract. However, this wasn’t the case in Dubai.
The franchises pushed for overseas fast bowlers or batters who could go after the bowling right from the word ‘go.’ Also, as Smith is in the dusk of his career, with a base price of ₹2 crore, it was more difficult.
Read More: Find the complete list of Unsold players in the 2024 IPL Auction
6. Dasun Shanaka
Gujarat Titans roped in Dasun Shanaka to replace the injured Kane Williamson in the 2023 IPL auction. The Lankan all-rounder’s captaincy skills played a huge part in earning an IPL deal. But a year later, Shanaka went unsold, while Wanindu Hasaranga, Dilshan Madhushanka, and Nuwan Thushara found a franchise at the auction.
The first-round exit in Australia during the 2022 T20 World Cup ensured his captaincy stocks had started to dip. Also, leaving the 2023 ODI World Cup squad with an injury meant Shanaka, whose base price was ₹50 lakhs, didn’t have an opportunity to impress the franchises.
7. Rassie van der Dussen
After a stellar show in the ODI World Cup, South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen was expected to be among overseas players who could grab the spotlight at the auction in Dubai. However, franchises showed no interest in a batter who amassed over 400 runs in the 50-over World Cup.
Dussen is a perfect ODI batter who takes his time before going for his shots. For this reason, franchise owners could have decided against taking a chance. Also, he entered the auction at a base price of ₹2 crore, which was too high given his record at the IPL.
8. James Neesham
James Neesham is one of the finest entertainers in modern-day white-ball cricket. He has scored close to 3500 runs and has over 200 wickets in T20 cricket. But Neesham failed to spark interest among franchises, and, as a result, no one raised the paddle when his name came up.
The Kiwi all-rounder, who had a base price of ₹1.5 crore, was never really an IPL favorite. He made his debut in 2014 for Delhi Daredevils and wouldn’t even feature in the tournament for six years when he appeared for Kings XI Punjab, where he played just five games. A year later, he was bought by the Mumbai Indians and featured in just three games.
9. Tabraiz Shamsi
One of the best modern-day spinners, Tabraiz Shamsi, evoked no response from franchises in Dubai. With plenty of experience under his belt and excellent performances in the ODI World Cup, it was a surprise that Shamsi, who had a base price of ₹50 Lakhs, went unsold.
Shamsi’s limited IPL appearances – four matches in two seasons – and availability of plenty of spin options might have prompted franchises to skip past the Proteas spinner, known to bowl flat and fast and deliver breakthroughs to his side.
10. Sarfraz Khan
One of the most talked-about Indian players, Sarfaraz Khan, was overlooked by franchises in the 2024 IPL auction. Though his domestic T20 form is patchy, it was expected that one of the franchises would consider his name based on his first-class cricket exploits. It wasn’t meant to be!
Sarfaraz failed to make the most opportunities with Delhi Capitals in the 2023 season, making just 53 runs in four innings. Also, he could not click in the last few IPL seasons, as the 26-year-old hasn’t registered a 100-run mark in a season since 2020.
Concluding Thoughts:
The IPL is not all sunshine for everyone. Players must evolve or will be left out in a tournament of this stature. It has happened to big names like Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, and today, it is happening to Steve Smith and Josh Hazlewood.
This is not to say that these players will feature in the IPL auction unsold players list again, as they can always come back in the future. Meanwhile, youngsters will keep entering the fray and might make it difficult for the well-established names to stay retained.
FAQs about IPL Auction Unsold Players
1.Has Steve Smith played in the 2023 IPL season?
Steve Smith didn’t play in the 2023 IPL season, as the former Australian opted out of the tournament.
2.When was the last time James Neesham played in the IPL?
It was in the 2021 season that James Neesham last played in the IPL.
3.Will Phil Salt play in 2024 IPL?
Phil Salt wasn’t bought by a franchise in the 2024 auction.
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