12 unexpected players who set the IPL auction on fire
The Indian Premier League is the undisputed king of T20 leagues and an integral part of the league is the player auction. It often rains money and there have been beneficiaries from across the world.
While you expect some stars to be part of a bidding war among teams, every once in a while an unexpected name does the same. For example, not many experts would have predicted Varun Chakaravarthy to be bought for ₹8.4 crore at the 2019 IPL auctions.
This list will take a look at 12 such players who surprisingly set the IPL auction on fire.
#12 Nathu Singh (2016)
A successful Ranji stint helped Nathu Singh fetch ₹3.2 crore at the auction in 2016. The amount was 32 times his base price of ₹10 lakh. The Rajasthan pacer was picked by Mumbai Indians. Singh, a factory worker’s son, made headlines for his huge pay, being pretty unknown to the cricket fans across the world.
The pacer burst on the scene, picking 7 for 87 on his Ranji Trophy debut against Delhi during the 2015-16 season. He certainly impressed with his pace, yet such big investment in a relatively new and inexperienced fast bowler was astonishing.
The pacer, however, did not get an opportunity to showcase his talent due to a shoulder injury. He did pick up a 6 wicket haul in a Duleep Trophy game with the pink ball later in the year, but his value depreciated to ₹80 Lakh in 2017. Things went more downhill as the player went unsold in the 2018 auction.
However, Delhi Capitals bought him for ₹20 lakh at the auction in 2019. But, it wasn't anything as compared to the bidding war for him in 2016.