IPL 2018: 5 auction blunders that are costing teams dearly

The Indian Premier League is well underway with almost every franchise having played 5-6 matches. The beginning of the tournament brought with it immense hopes and aspirations for each one of the eight participating teams. While some sides have been able to deliver on their hopes, others not quite so!

The IPL 2018 auctions saw some surprising buys and even more astonishing omissions. In the past few matches, the ghosts of these omissions have come back to haunt some of the franchises and how! Quite a few batsmen and bowlers who were let go from their IPL 2017 franchises owing to poor form in the previous year have bamboozled one and all with their blazing performances for their new teams, leaving their old sides gaping in disbelief.

Take a look at 5 such team decisions at the auctions that are costing the various IPL teams now:

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#5 KL Rahul

Lokesh Rahul was introduced into the foray of the IPL back in the year 2013 by the Royal Challengers Bangalore. He flitted back and forth between the RCB and the Sunrisers Hyderabad for a few years, before he was bought back by the RCB in the year 2016. The initial years for him in the IPL can be called scratchy at best, with Rahul playing only 5,11 and 9 matches in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 seasons respectively.

It was in the 2016 season that KL Rahul proved his mettle when he scored 397 runs in 14 matches for the RCB at a strike rate of 146.49 and the highest score of 68*. He also proved himself to be of value by taking on wicket-keeping duties for the side. However, the twist in the tale came in 2017, when Rahul was ruled out of the entire course of the tournament owing to a shoulder injury. This left RCB with a gaping hole in the top-order and needless to mention, the Virat Kohli-led team didn't fare too well.

Come 2018, RCB decided to not opt for Rahul's services in the 2018 auctions and in stepped Kings XI Punjab. The Preity-Zinta owned franchise couldn't have possibly imagined back then the gold mine that they are unearthing. The 26 year-old batsman-wicketkeeper has already slammed 213 runs for KXIP in just 5 matches, including a 27-ball 60 run-innings against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

#4 Nitish Rana

Nitish Rana, who used to play for the Mumbai Indians, is a part of the Kolkata team in IPL 2018

Young Nitish Rana had become a familiar face for the IPL watching crowd since 2016, clad in the blue Mumbai Indians jersey. However, the 2018 IPL auctions saw a drama unfold when Rana's name was called for bids. Initially, it was the Rajasthan Royals and the Kolkata Knight Riders who indulged in a bidding war for the 24 year-old cricketer.

Although MI came in later to put in a few bids, it was the KKR who stole Rana away and the ways things have been unfolding in the past couple of weeks, MI will be cursing themselves for not having bid harder for Nitish Rana. The youngster had put on quite a stellar show for the Mumbai side in 2017 when he had amassed 333 runs in 13 matches, including a highest score of 62*.

This time around, Rana has been in top form and is being viewed as one of the most impactful players in the tournament, more so for KKR. He's already scored 165 runs in 6 matches for the KKR and his ability to make quick runs in the face of pressure is supported by his strike rate of 135.24. Rana has also performed satisfactorily as a part-time off-break bowler, with 4 wickets in the season already.

#3 Shane Watson

RCB's Shane Watson has been roped in by Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2018

Shane Watson is no stranger to the IPL for he's been a part of it since the very inception of the tournament back in 2008. The 36-year-old has been a part of heavyweight IPL sides such as the Rajasthan Royals and the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the past. This time around, however, Watson is taking the field clad in the canary yellow jersey of the Chennai Super Kings.

Watson had an abysmal run in the 2017 IPL for the RCB, where he scored just 71 runs in 8 matches and bagged a mere tally of 5 scalps. As a result, RCB chose to drop the all-rounder from their ranks come 2018 and didn't make any effort to bid for him in the auctions. There was quite the tussle for Watson amongst the Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings, and Rajasthan Royals, which resulted in Watson's bid being raised from his base price of INR 1 crore to INR 4 crores by the CSK.

RCB must be regretting their decision to not go after Watson now that he's come into the tournament all guns blazing. He's already racked up 184 runs in 5 matches. His dazzling innings worth 106 runs off 57 balls against his former franchise RR has not only mesmerized fans and made him the highest scorer of IPL 2018 till now, but has also proved how much talent Watson is still harboring.

#2 Umesh Yadav

Pacer Umesh Yadav is proving to be an asset for the Royal Challengers Bangalore

Hailed as one of the fastest pacers in Indian Cricket, Umesh Yadav made his debut in the IPL back in 2010 for the Delhi Daredevils. He was later hauled in by the Kolkata Knight Riders, where his contribution was nothing short of exemplary in the period between 2014-17. IPL 2017 saw him grab 17 wickets in 14 matches and rank 8th in the list of leading wicket-takers for the season.

It came as a surprise, thus, when KKR chose to not raise the baton even once during the 2018 auctions of the league. After a long-drawn bidding tug-of-war between Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils, and Kings XI Punjab, it was the Royal Challengers Bangalore who stole the cherry at the very last minute. Yadav, who had a base price of INR 1 crore, was bought by the RCB for 4.2 times the price.

The 30-year-old speedster has not disappointed the RCB for entrusting him with the responsibility to spearhead the pace department of their side. He's already at the 5th position of the leading wicket-takers for IPL 2018 and his lethal combination of pace and swing seems to be stronger than ever. He's scalped 8 wickets in 5 matches, with his best bowling figures of 4-0-23-3 coming against the KXIP.

#1 Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle was not retained by the RCB side in IPL 2018

The mighty 'Universe Boss' is bound to be featured on any list made on the great performers of the IPL. Imagine the shock RCB must have got when they chose to let his bid slide and Gayle only came back to haunt them and all the remaining teams in the KXIP jersey. Gayle was previously associated with the KKR for 2008-10 and then played for the RCB for 7 extensive seasons between 2011-17.

In a major upset, Gayle went unsold in the first day of the 2018 auctions for the IPL, with all teams skeptical of the amount cricketing ability left in the 38-year-old. It was only on the second day of the bids that Preity Zinta-owned KXIP chose to pick him up at his base price of INR 2 crores and they possibly couldn't have imagined the outcome of the prudent investment they were making at that time.

Currently, the Jamaican superstar has smashed 229 runs in 3 matches at a strike rate of 170.90. With two quickfire 60+ scores and a 63-ball innings worth 104 runs against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Armed with the ability to hit monstrous sixers without moving an inch from his crease and diminishing the opposition's bowling into dust, Gayle has turned out to be a big threat for KXIP's competitors and RCB will be biting their fingernails in regret for not having retained the Gayle-Storm!