IPL 2018: 3 overseas players who sold for high at the auction but failed to perform during the tournament

One of the hottest topics for discussion when it comes to the Indian Premier League is the amount of money which some players manage to sell for at the IPL auction. The top international stars can see themselves making far more than they would under their playing contracts for their national sides - which has been a key feature for what has made this tournament so attractive to so many international players.

The franchises don't seem to mind paying these large amounts of money in the hopes of securing the IPL title for the season. After all, a player is an investment and you need to spend money if you are going to get the best players.

The thing is, an investment does require a return and if a player is going to be paid obscene amounts of money then he would undoubtedly be expected to perform accordingly. This has indeed been the case for some franchises such as Royal Challengers Bangalore who have seen their investments in AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli paying off well for them. Both these stars have proven their worth to their franchise and put in performances to match the money paid for them.

However, there have been other players whose heavy paychecks have not translated into the performances in the field which their franchises might have been hoping for. In this article, we will take a look at three such players who haven't quite managed to justify their cost.

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#1 Glenn Maxwell

How much was paid for the player?

Glenn Maxwell went for a phenomenal Rs 9 crore at this year's IPL auction. Interest in the Australian all-rounder was high, with three other franchises showing some intent to secure him for their sides. In the end, it would be the Delhi Daredevils who would procure the Aussie for their side with a bid of Rs 9 crore - which would prove to be one of their costlier buys.

Why was so much paid for the player?

During the early stages of his international career, Glen Maxwell had made a name for himself as being a big-hitting batsman who could score off just about any delivery bowled to him. His brutal style saw him playing innovative shots which had bowling sides scratching their heads as to how to bowl to the man and, soon enough, Maxwell became synonymous with aggressive batting and scoring big runs very quickly.

Maxwell has had a decent IPL career so far especially during the 2014 season where he and David Miller dominated headlines with their batting performances. The paid eventually led the Kings XI Punjab to the final where they lost to the Kolkata Knight Riders, but the memory of Maxwell's exploits with the bat seem to have remained in the minds of everyone.

How has he performed this season?

With scores of 17, 13, 47, 4, 12, 27 and 6 with the bat, and four wickets at an economy rate of 7.22 with the ball, Glenn Maxwell hasn't delivered the performances which his franchise would have been banking on him for. This has also contributed to the Delhi Daredevil's poor season so far and could be one of the reasons that they are currently sitting at the bottom of the points table.

To blame this on Maxwell entirely would be harsh as well as unfair. However, the performances which he has put in have been unacceptable especially given the heavy cost at which he came.

#2 Kieron Pollard

How much was paid for the player?

Kieron Pollard was bought for Rs 5.40 crore by his franchise, the Mumbai Indians with one of their Right-to-Match cards.

Why was so much paid for the player?

Pollard is known for his big-hitting abilities - both in the IPL as well as when playing for the West Indies. He has been a member of the Mumbai Indians for a long time and has helped them win many matches during his time with them. This includes steering the franchise to the title during the 2017 IPL season.

How has he performed this season?

Scores of 28, 0, 5, 21*, 9 and 13 are shocking numbers when you think of the ability which he has shown with the bat over the years. It is even more shocking when he boasts a strike-rate of a mere 108.57 - which is well below what the Mumbai Indians would have been hoping for.

He hasn't done much with the ball either. Mumbai Indians seem to be using Pollard as a pure batsman and this is particularly surprising when you consider the fact that he is an all-rounder and the franchise should be looking to make use of him with both bat and ball. This is especially true when you consider the hefty amount which they paid to retain him.

#3 D'arcy Short

How much was paid for the player?

D'acry Short was picked up for a whopping Rs 4 crore by the Rajasthan Royals - a large amount of money for a player who has not yet established himself in international cricket.

Why was so much paid for the player?

Short was the leading run-scorer of the 2017-18 Big Bash League and this form saw him get selected to play for the Australian side. He has had a phenomenal 2018 which has seen him become the leading run-scorer in T20s for 2018 so far, with 784 runs from 18 matches at an incredible average of 49. This has also come at an impressive strike-rate of 141.26.

How has he performed this season?

Short seems to have hit the end of his purple patch during the IPL. Scores of 4, 6, 11 and 44 at a dismal strike-rate of 97.01 would have been the last thing that the Rajasthan Royals would have been expecting from a man who has made a name for himself for being a big-hitter. He appears to be struggling to find any sort of rhythm at the crease as well - which will be concerning especially given the huge investment which has been made in him by his franchise.