IPL 2018: 5 unsold players who could make an impact as replacements

This year, in the IPL auction, several great players went unsold. Over the years, unsold players have come in as replacements mid-season and made a splash. One of the most memorable examples of this is Chris Gayle in IPL 2011.

Just a refresher on the rules for all the readers (feel free to skip ahead if you already know this) - a player can only be brought in as a replacement if a player, a part of the original squad, withdraws due to injury or some other reason. Replacements can be brought in before or during the IPL season, but teams must still obey all other rules with regards to the composition of the playing XI.

Now, let us have a look at five unsold players who could make an impact as replacements in IPL 2018.

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#5 Thisara Perera

The Sri Lankan all-rounder has been in some good form in the ODI tri-series (with Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh as the participants) and in the T20I series against Bangladesh.

He finished as the highest wicket-taker in the Tri-series and provided some good finishes for Sri Lanka. Perera has a lot of experience in the IPL, as he has been a journeyman and was a part of the following teams: Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiants, Mumbai Indians, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, and Kings XI Punjab. Though his performances in the IPL have not been the best, his familiarity with the league is just an added advantage for any team that wishes to get him.

#4 Hashim Amla

Despite the South African opener's lacklustre form in the recent series against India, he is a proven player of quality and had an outstanding IPL 2017, where he made 420 runs at an average of 60 with a strike rate of 145. Not only is he a quality player of spin, he has proven himself in Indian conditions many times, and would be a great asset to any team which needs an opener.

#3 Mitchell McClenaghan

There were a few eyebrows raised when McClenaghan went unsold at the auction this year. Even though he did not have a great Big Bash League with the Sydney Thunder, he is a proven commodity in IPL, with numerous match-winning performances with the Mumbai Indians in past seasons. His ability to bowl cutters and change his pace, along with his lower order hitting (which has worked wonders on a few occasions), makes him a steal for any franchise.

#2 Joe Root

While the England test captain may not be a hot property in T20 cricket, he may turn out to be a good IPL player, in the Gautam Gambhir mould. Despite the uncertainty around the unavailability of English players, teams which struggle with their batting initially in the season could look at Root as a solid batsman that can hold the innings together and make the rest of the lineup bat around him. Joe Root can also contribute as a part time off-spinner and a gun fielder, skills which are very valuable in the T20 format.

#1 Unmukt Chand

This is a left field shout, but one which I think could turn out to be true. Unmukt Chand, who drew comparisons with Virat Kohli early in his year, may have had dreadful IPLs and middling domestic seasons in the past few years, but he could turn it around this year. He has been in good form. With a fifty in one of the two innings that he played in the domestic T20 tournament and a good Vijay Hazare Trophy so far, with 316 runs, teams may look at this cricketer. As unlikely as it may seem, he could come in and hit the ground running with his new found confidence thanks to his best domestic season in the past few years.