IPL 2019: 5 players who have set too high a base price for themselves at the auction

The cricketing circles in India are abuzz at the moment in anticipation of the IPL auctions. The mega event is scheduled to be held on 18th December in Jaipur.

A total of 1003 players had registered for the auctions at the start. However, only 346 players, including 226 Indians, are left in the fray after the franchises submitted a trimmed down list of players that they want at the auctions.

Most of the teams do not have a large amount of cash left in their purse. Kings XI Punjab have the highest amount available (36.20 crore), as they opted to release a large number of players before the auctions. Delhi Capitals (25.50 crore) and Rajasthan Royals (20.95 crore) are second and third respectively on the list.

Players like Angelo Mathews, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran and D'Arcy Short have placed themselves in the highest bracket of 2 crore. Meanwhile, Jaydev Unadkat is the highest priced Indian at the base price of 1.5 crore.

Let us take a look at 5 players who have kept their base prices way too high for the auctions.

5. Colin Ingram (Base price – 2 crore)

Colin Ingram has played a lot of T20s around the various leagues in the world. The 33-year old left-handed batsman from South Africa had fallen out of favour with the national selectors and currently plies his trade for Glamorgan, with whom he signed a Kolpak deal in 2015.

Ingram may be one of the crispest hitters of the cricket ball but he hasn’t achieved a lot of success with the different IPL franchises in the past. He was signed by the Delhi Capitals (erstwhile Daredevils) in 2011 but he failed to impress, scoring just 21 runs from three outings.

He went unsold at the IPL auction in the following years.

Ingram has kept his base price at 2 cr INR this year, which seems way too much for a cricketer who hasn’t been in demand in the IPL. Apart from Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab, the rest of the IPL franchises do not have too much money left in their purse and are unlikely to engage in a bidding war for Ingram.

4. Wriddhiman Saha (Base price - 1 crore)

Wriddhiman Sahs

Apart from that wonderful century in the final of IPL 2014, Wriddhiman Saha has struggled to impress in the IPL.

The diminutive wicket-keeper batsman may have the best hands behind the wickets in the country, but struggles to get the ball away in the middle and death overs of the innings and must be accommodated in the top order. Hence, he becomes a bit of of a liability for the team.

Saha did not have a great IPL for the Sunrisers Hyderabad last year and was subsequently released by them. He scored just 122 runs from 10 innings for the Sunrisers.

Saha has been out from the game for a long time now because of shoulder and finger injuries. With age not on his side and most of the teams having good wicket keeping options, it remains to be seen if any franchise would dare to bid a starting price of one crore for the 34-year-old.

3. Shaun Marsh (Base price - 2 crore)

Shaun Marsh

Shaun Marsh is a veteran of sorts in the IPL; he has been a part of the league since 2008. But the stylish left-handed batsman from Australia went unsold last year as none of the franchises wanted to acquire his services. The major reason behind that was his dip of form in recent times.

Marsh has played some memorable innings for the Kings XI Punjab over the years in the IPL but the talented batsman has found the going tough during the last few years. His hitting prowess has weakened over the years due to the various injuries that he has suffered.

The IPL franchises have shown a trend lately of not over-investing in a one-dimension player. Martin Guptill is a prime example of that; despite being one of the best hitters in the game, he went unsold last year as teams opted to invest more in all-rounders like Chris Morris.

Therefore, it remains highly unlikely that teams would splurge a cash of 2 cr on Shaun Marsh in the auctions.

2. Lasith Malinga (Base price - 2 crore)

Lasith Malinga

‘Slinga’ Malinga has been the standout bowler in the history of the IPL. The fiery paceman from Sri Lanka has made a name for himself by bowling some crucial spells for the three-time champions, Mumbai Indians. His toe-crushing yorkers as well as well-disguised slower balls have caused havoc over the years.

Malinga has 154 wickets to his name in the IPL at an economy rate of less than 7 from 111 matches. These stats suggest that he would be a hot property at the auctions. However, Malinga’s bowling has lost its zip over the last two years.

Chronic knee injuries have taken a toll on his body, and he is no longer the force he once was. Consequently, he wasn’t picked by any of the teams at IPL 2018 auctions and went unsold.

This time as well he has opted for a base price of 2 crore which is unlikely to garner interest from the teams.

1. Corey Anderson (Base price - 2 crore)

Corey Anderson

Corey Anderson was supposed to take the cricket world by storm after his fastest hundred (at that time) in ODI cricket. Unfortunately though, the Kiwi all-rounder has failed to do justice to his talent.

His career has been plagued with multiple back injuries. In the IPL as well, apart from that blistering knock for the Mumbai Indians in a must-win game against the Rajasthan Royals, Anderson hasn’t done anything of note.

Anderson has represented the Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals and most recently the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, but has failed to take the opportunities on offer. He was picked up by RCB last year but had a torrid time with both bat and ball.

Anderson took just 3 wickets and scored a paltry 17 runs from 4 matches for the RCB.

Opting for a base price of 2 crore after that horrendous season for the Royal Challengers Bangalore is surely not a wise decision from the Kiwi.