IPL 2019 Auction: What will happen to the players who go unsold?
The IPL 2019 auctions have begun at the Pink City with the new auctioneer Hugh Edmeades taking over the proceedings. As of now, eight players have been sold as Indian youngster Hanuma Vihari became the first player to be sold, going to the Delhi Capitals for Rs. 2 crores. Meanwhile, West Indies sensation Shimron Hetmyer went to the Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 4.20 crores and Windies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite going to the Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping Rs 5 crores. Axar Patel has been the most expensive Indian so far, going to the Delhi Capitals for Rs. 5 crores.
However, there have already been a few big names who have gone unsold in the auction so far. The biggest name who has gone unsold so far is India's Yuvraj Singh. Apart from him, Manoj Tiwary and Cheteshwar Pujara too went unsold. Along with them, England's Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, and Chris Woakes, New Zealand's Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill, went unsold.
However, going unsold at this point in time does not necessarily mean that these players would not find a buyer. In fact, the unsold players will then go back into the pot and can be bought later on in the day as well.
This will take place after all the other players are sold. In fact, Windies star Chris Gayle was bought at his base price right at the very end of the auction last year after going unsold not once but twice. He went on to play quite well last year, scoring a century and three half-centuries as well.
Similarly, a lot of players have been bought right at the very end and have gone on to perform exceptionally well. In fact, even if they are not bought in the auction at all, they can be bought later on in case somebody gets injured in the team.
The Chennai Super Kings did hint at buying Yuvraj Singh at the auctions, hence we could expect them to bid for the southpaw at the end of the day.