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Day 1 of the much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction proved to be an exhilarating affair with all ten franchises contesting high-voltage bidding wars.
As many as 97 players went under the hammer, with Shikhar Dhawan and Sandeep Lamichhane being the first and the last ones, respectively.
Ishan Kishan topped the charts and became the second-most expensive Indian buy ever when Mumbai Indians roped him in for a colossal ₹15.25 Cr. Chennai Super Kings (CSKalsooo bought back seamer Deepak Chahar ₹14 crores before Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clinched their potential skipper in Shreyas Iyer for ₹12.25 Cr.
Many stars remain unsold at the mega auction
While there were many players who got picked by franchises, a few failed to gather interest from any side and went unsold. Among the 97 players who went under the hammer today, 74 of those got purchased while 23 players didn't find any suitors.
As far as the future of these unsold players are concerned, franchises have the option of recalling these players at the end of the day or at auction or during the accelerated round. Hence, all has not ended for the unsold players for now.
On that note, let's look at the top five players who might be recalled and bought back by IPL franchises on Day 2 of the mega auction
#5. Mujeeb Ur Rehman
Young Afghan tweaker Mujeeb Ur Rehman remained unsold during Day 1 of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Listing himself at the maximum base price of ₹2 Cr, Mujeeb entered the auction at number two of the capped spinners set. However, no franchise exhibited interest in the 20-year-old.
Regarded as one of the most talented spinners in world cricket, Mujeeb has played one Test, 43 ODIs and 22 T20Is and has an excellent record in white-ball cricket.
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) acquired the spinner at the 2018 IPL Auction, and he was one of the league's youngest debutants. Mujeeb had an outstanding maiden season, taking 14 wickets in 11 games at an average of 20.64 and a stunning economy rate of 6.99.
He was then, however, released by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2021 season, where Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) picked up the off-spinner for ₹1.5 Cr. However, with Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi also part of the squad, Mujeeb only got to play a single game for them.
A skilful spinner with a number of variations in his repertoire, Mujeeb has gained a lot of experience playing in various T20 leagues around the globe. Considering that he can be a long-term prospect, various franchises can include Mujeeb in their scheme of things.
#4. Steve Smith
Regarded as one of the world's greatest batters, Steve Smith found no buyers on Saturday. The right-hander was listed at the highest base amount of ₹2 Cr.
Smith's getting unsold during Day 1 of the mega auction came as a bit of a surprise as the 32-year-old has had success in the marquee tournament before
By no means is Steve Smith the quintessential T20 match-winner. However, his expertise, as well as the fact that he's a complete batter against both pace and spin, make him a quality player in all formats.
Steve Smith was released by the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in 2021 despite being the team's skipper for IPL 2020. Delhi Capitals purchased Smith for INR 2.2 crore at the IPL 2021 auction. Playing as an anchor under Ricky Ponting, Smith filled in for Shreyas Iyer, who was away from the team for quite a while due to a shoulder injury.
Keeping in mind his solidity with the bat and wealth of experience, IPL franchises can bring back the former Aussie skipper on Sunday.
#3. David Miller
David Miller is currently considered one of the most destructive finishers in the world. However, he remained unsold on Day 1. He set his base price at ₹1 Cr.
Having been part of ten IPL editions, Miller was expected to get a bid in the ongoing IPL mega auction. The southpaw has played 355 T20s, scoring 7675 runs at a strike rate of 137.86, including 36 half-centuries and three centuries.
He burst onto the scene for Punjab back in 2013 when he scored 418 runs at an average of 59.71 and at a stunning strike rate of 164.56. The following season he bettered his previous tally by making 446 runs and helped the Punjab team to the finals of the IPL.
During the IPL 2020 Auction, Miller was bought by Rajasthan Royals for ₹75 lacs. Despite appearing in just a single game in IPL in 2020, he was retained by the franchise in 2021 because of his ability to single-handedly change the course of a match. However, he wasn't able to perform according to his potential with the Royals.
With a lack of experienced finishers up for grabs, one cannot rule out the various franchises eyeing Miller in the accelerated process.
#2. Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina became the second player to go unsold (after South Africa's David Miller) in the IPL 2022 Mega Auction on Saturday. There were no buyers in the first bid for Raina, who had set his base price at ₹2 crore. Dubbed as 'Mr. IPL', it was a bit staggering to see Raina failing to earn an IPL contract.
Raina had been a vital member of the Chennai Super Kings since the tournament's inception (barring the 2016 and 2017 editions, when the franchise was banned). Before returning to the Chennai franchise, the left-handed batter captained the now-defunct Gujarat Lions for two seasons.
After the 2021 edition, he was released by CSK, and he also lost his spot in the XI during the last months of the season owing to inconsistent performances. He has played 205 IPL matches, scoring 5,528 runs at a strike rate of 136.76.
At the mega auction, CSK bought back a few of their stars. They signed Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, and KM Asif, who were all part of the CSK camp during IPL 2021 and were roped in by the Chennai-based franchise in the ongoing IPL 2022 auction. Hence, there might be a chance of CSK adding Raina later to the list. The 35-year-old may also find a new home, given his eminent IPL record.
#1. Adam Zampa
Perhaps the most surprising player to go unsold in the mega auction was Australia's ace white-ball spinner Adam Zampa.
Adam Zampa has developed into one of the most dangerous leg-spinners in the world courtesy of his fearless character and the old-school technique of tossing the ball up.
Skipper Aaron Finch praised the 29-year-old after Australia's historic triumph in the T20 World Cup in 2021. Zampa deserved to be crowned Player of the Tournament, according to Finch. Zampa finished the competition with 13 scalps in seven matches at an average of 12.08 and an exceptional economy of six.
The ability of Zampa to keep things simple exemplifies his mental process. The NSW-born spinner is dangerous because of his mastery of the craft.
Teams like CSK, Delhi Capitals (DC) and Mumbai Indians (MI) still have room to have a seasoned right-arm leg-spinner. Therefore, the possibility of Zampa being bought back by any IPL franchise is still high.
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