IPL 2022 Auction: 3 West Indies players who may go unsold

The IPL 2022 auction is nearly upon us, and with 10 teams in the fray, it is set to be an exciting affair. The auction is set to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru, and a total of 1,214 players have registered for the IPL 2022 auction.

Out of those, 41 players are from the West Indies. The West Indies, who have won a record two T20 World Cup titles, have provided the IPL with some of its biggest icons like Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine.

This, of course, will be the first season of the IPL without Gayle, who holds the record for the most sixes in the tournament. Apart from established stars, there are several young talents from the Windies as well who have shone in the IPL.

The likes of Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer have put in some sparkling performances over the last few years, while players like Jason Holder and Evin Lewis have also done well.

However, there are some players who, despite representing the Windies in T20 Internationals (T20Is), have not gotten the approval from IPL scouts or, upon being picked by IPL teams before, failed to impress.

Here are three Windies players who could go unsold in the IPL 2022 auction

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#1 Shai Hope

Shai Hope has a great ODI record, but hasn't quite set the world on fire in T20s.

Shai Hope is currently one of the biggest batting talents in the West Indies, especially when it comes to ODIs.

He has also managed to get into the T20I side and played 18 matches in the shortest format, and is involved in their current series against England.

However, Hope is an anchor at best, with a T20I strike rate of 119.83 and a T20 strike rate that's even lower at 116.84.

There are several Indian players who are capable of opening the batting and playing an anchor's role, and it is unlikely that any team would use up one of their overseas slots on him.

The 28-year-old has never been picked in the league before and hasn't done anything to change that going into the IPL 2022 auction.

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#2 Sheldon Cottrell

Sheldon Cottrell only played in the IPL in the 2020 season for Punjab Kings.

If not for injuries, Sheldon Cottrell was on his way to be among the West Indies' most devastating pacers. He was quick and the fact that he bowled left-handed gave him an added edge.

However, injuries saw him lose a bit of his pace, and since then, while he has been innovative, he hasn't quite been as dangerous.

The 32-year-old played only one season in the IPL -- in 2020 for Punjab Kings (then called Kings XI Punjab) -- and was dropped from the team midway through.

His six appearances saw him concede 176 runs, picking just six wickets. His stint included the defeat against Rajasthan Royals, when Rahul Tewatia hit him for five sixes in an over.

He subsequently didn't get picked up in IPL 2021 and is unlikely to attract a bid in the IPL 2022 auction either.

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#3 Darren Bravo

Darren Bravo has played just one match in the IPL.

While his half-brother Dwayne is one of the biggest T20 superstars worldwide, Darren Bravo hasn't quite set the stage on fire in the shortest format of the game.

He has been a part of the IPL before, playing for the erstwhile Deccan Chargers in 2012 and Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017.

However, he played just one match -- for KKR -- scoring six runs.

While he is part of the Windies T20I squad, often playing as a floater, with a T20I strike rate of 108.35 and a T20 strike rate of 117.07, he is not likely to find a suitor in the IPL 2022 auction.