IPL 2018: 5 unsold batsmen who we might still see in this season's IPL
This season's Indian Premier League (IPL) kicked off on Saturday 07 April 2018 and there have already been a lot of unexpected events over the past few weeks. From injuries to key players to players being banned, this IPL 2018 has certainly had a lot of excitement and intrigue.
The IPL auction itself had a few surprises with some huge players not being picked up by any of the franchises. Some of these players have still made it into the IPL as injury replacements and it is likely that there will still be a few more.
We've already seen injury replacements for two fast bowlers - Mitchell Starc and Kagiso Rabada. However it is important to remember that batsmen get injured too, and in the event of this happening, we could see the following 5 batsmen make their way into this year's tournament.
#1 Hashim Amla
In perhaps what was one of the biggest surprises at this year's IPL auction, Hashim Amla went unsold.
Having been brought in as a replacement for the injured Shaun Marsh, Amla announced his arrival at the Kings XI Punjab with two massive centuries, two half-centuries, amassing 420 runs in just 10 matches and an impressive strike-rate of 141.76 to put an end to any doubters out there who believe that Amla can only play Test and ODI cricket.
His calming influence at the crease also helps other players bat around him and play their natural game - something which each franchise will want to consider. He performed well for the Kings XI Punjab last year and would fit well again with them this year. Another team which could benefit a lot from his calm nature is Royal Challengers Bangalore - a team who is known for having big-hitters.