5 Players who could go unsold in the IPL auctions due to their high base price

The IPL season has come a bit early this year. This is due to the fact that the ICC Cricket World Cup takes place next year. This also brings about a new set of problems for franchise owners as a few players will be leaving the tournament mid-way to prepare for the World Cup.

This means that teams will have to be more careful about how they spend their money. They will more careful when looking at a player’s base price, his current and past form, and his age. Therefore, players with a high base may be considered too expensive and will most likely go unsold when their name goes under the hammer.

Here, we’re looking at five players who might go unsold in the IPL auctions due to their high base price.

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5. Dale Steyn (2 crores)

Dale Steyn has been one of the most destructive players in international cricket for the past few years. His fiery pace and swing at the start of an innings have torn through many batting lineups. At the peak of his career, Steyn dominated the number one spot in the ICC Test Rankings for a record 263 weeks from 2008 to 2014.

His international record is impeccable. However, the South African pacer hasn’t had much of an impact in his IPL career, especially in his last three seasons. Steyn’s base price and his age will not help him in the auctions this year as IPL teams will be looking for younger players who can be bought for a bargain. Given his vast experience, will it be worth it to pay a minimum 2 crores for a bowler like Steyn when it would make more sense to purchase two more players in the same price range?

All these factors will have to be taken into consideration heading into IPL auctions.

4. Shaun Marsh (2 crores)

Shaun Marsh has always been an underrated player for his franchise. His records are really impressive for Kings XI Punjab, but he hasn’t been a mainstay in their playing XI since 2009. He has been in and out of the playing XI despite his match-winning performances.

In fact, he was unsold in the 2018 IPL auctions. His current form with the bat and incredibly high base price means that teams would most likely pass up the opportunity to purchase the Australian batsman. Most teams would prefer a stable top order who can get them off to great starts especially in the power play and Marsh’s current form indicates anything but stability.

It would definitely be an expensive gamble for franchises to purchase him simply based on his previous performances in the cash-rich league. It would be wise for teams to let him pass when he goes under the hammer.

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3. Lasith Malinga (2 crores)

Fans may remember Lasith Malinga for his toe-crushing yorkers. He possesses the uncanny ability to deliver these yorkers with pinpoint accuracy. However, over the years he has lost the consistency that has caused him to leak a lot of runs in the death overs. Despite being the all-time leading wicket-taker in the IPL, his lack of fitness, consistency and a heavy base price of 2 crores threatens his existence in the IPL next year.

In fact, his last season for Mumbai Indians didn’t go very well. He was surprisingly expensive with the ball and struggled to take many wickets.

This may very well hamper his chance of getting selected this year. One more big challenge faced by every team this year is the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup and the fact that many players are expected to leave mid-way through the tournament to prepare for the World Cup.

This also means that teams have a limited budget and have to be more careful with their player selection. Hence, it’s most likely that franchises will look the other way when Malinga’s name goes under the hammer.

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2. Jaydev Uunadkat (1.5 crores)

Jaydev Unadkat was sold for 11.5 crores to the Rajasthan Royals in last year’s auctions. However, he had a horrible season with the Royals picking up just 11 wickets in 15 matches. This year, he has set his base price at 1.5 crores which is a bit high given his poor form last year.

It’s more likely that franchises will prefer local young bowlers who come at a bargain price which means that Unadkat could find himself without a franchise this year. The Saurashtra based cricketer might as well sit back and prepare to watch the IPL from his home.

1. Wriddhiman Saha (1 crore)

Wriddhiman Saha has set his base price at 1 crore. However, his recent performances in the IPL just doesn’t justify having a such a huge price tag, to begin with. He may be a gifted keeper behind the stumps, but he isn’t reliable in the middle order. His inconsistency to see his team through in stressful situations and his inability to score runs aggressively will definitely come under scrutiny when franchise look at their best possible combinations.

The only thing that may help him is the fact that he is a wicketkeeper. He has also failed to retain his place in the national side this year.

This also means that when teams are talking about building a strong core, Saha’s name certainly won’t be mentioned and teams will look the other way in complete silence when his name is called.

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