IPL 2018: 5 unsold bowlers who would have performed better than the replacements

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has slowly turned into the Injured Players League. Some of the highly anticipated players have pulled out of the cash-rich league due to injuries. It has also led the team to alter their line-up and find suitable replacements.

However, the replaced players have found it hard to adjust to the conditions in a short span of time and haven't been effective. Teams too regret roping in some player as replacements as they have performed very poorly. Here we look at some unsold players who could have been more effective in the T20 tournament.

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#5 Varun Aaron

Varun Aaron has been riddled with injuries

The Jharkhand pacer was considered as one of the bright spots in the Indian bowling department. He made his ODI debut against England in 2011. However, his career has been riddled with injuries. He went unsold in the 2018 IPL auction after having been priced at INR 50 lakhs.

In the IPL, he is more of a death-over specialist. He can also take important wickets at timely intervals. Though, he has played for various franchises, he has never been able to establish himself as a consistent bowler due to injuries. He is in-form right now but the teams haven't considered him.

His yorkers can rip apart the stumps, which only the best bowlers can do and is a threat to any batsman. He will not take up a foreign slot as well and hence the teams made a huge blunder of not roping him as a replacement.

#4 Matt Henry

Matt Henry is vastly under-rated

The New Zealand pacer is one of the most under-rated bowlers in the world of cricket. He has great abilities to swing the ball late and also move the ball in both directions. He would definitely be an asset to the team.

In the IPL, he has played a total of 2 games. Though he is an injury-prone bowler, he has undergone massive transformation in his bowling action and can prove to be a game-changer when in form.

The Kiwi pacer might be the ideal replacement for any medium pacer.

#3 Thisara Perara

Thisara Perara

The Sri Lankan cricketer has been one of the best bowling all-rounders in the world. He is also an aggressive batsman who can clear the ropes easily. He also holds the record for taking a hat-trick in both ODIs and T20s.

He has been with various IPL franchises over the years. He has played a total of 37 games in the IPL, where he has scored 422 runs and has also taken 31 wickets. His last IPL franchise was the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016. He can definitely turn the tables for any franchise through his valuable contributions with the bat and the ball.

The power-hitter could have been roped in as replacement even for a batsman, but no teams were interested in getting the all-rounder.

#2 Ben Wheeler

Ben Wheeler

Ben Wheeler is one of the unsung and unknown heroes of New Zealand cricket. The pacer has been under-used over the years. He was selected in the New Zealand squad after the World Cup in 2015. He was also recalled for the T20 series against Pakistan in early 2018.

He has played 12 games for his country where he has taken 15 wickets and also scored 95 runs. Although he may not be an economical bowler, he can slow down the momentum of the opposition and can get a wicket or two. Ben Wheeler at a price tag of INR 50 lakhs could have been worth every penny if he was roped in as a replacement.

#1 Junior Dala

Junior Dala hasb been impressive

Junior Dala, the Proteas pacer has been highly acknowledged by cricketers for his impressive bowling. The 28-year-old made his debut against India in the recently concluded T20 series. He can be very effective with the ball in the death overs and his in-swingers are a treat to watch.

He is also one of the best finds for South African cricket. He played all the three matches in the T20 series against India and took 7 wickets. His accuracy and power add up to his bowling skills. Junior Dala at the price of INR 20 lakhs might just be the best replacement for any fast bowler.