IPL 2019: Three superstars who might go unsold in next season's auction
As exciting as the Indian Premier League for cricket fans around the world, it is equally excruciating cruel for players. You only play the game until you can contribute successfully. As soon as they underperform, especially when age catches up, irrespective of their past record, they can be very easily overlooked by the same highly competitive franchises that paid a hefty price for them once upon a time.
After all, every franchise plays to win and want to ensure they have the best resources to lift the prestigious trophy.
Over the years, we have seen some highly talented players like the flamboyant Shikhar Dhawan, Universe Boss Chris Gayle, wily spinner Harbhajan Singh, the explosive Kevin Pietersen not been retained or purchased back by their respective franchise purely based on their poor performances last season.
Not only that, many highly renowned international players have even gone unsold in the history of IPL like Kiwi opener Brendon McCullum, Australian spinner Adam Zampa, Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga, South African opener Hashim Amla, and the list just goes on.
In the highly competitive franchise-based T20 tournament, there is just no space for reputations and emotions, it purely down to business – as long as you deliver the goods – you are a star and the day you don’t – things become difficult.
Just like every year, this season of IPL, we have seen some very high-quality cricket by some gifted players but at the same time, have witnessed series of disappointing performances by very few well known international superstars.
Without a doubt, majority of them will be retained back by their respective franchise or bought by another franchise but there are few that just like other years may go unsold and end up not playing IPL 2020.
Here are three players that may not be retained and go unsold for the next year’s IPL.
#1 Shane Watson (CSK)
Shane Watson has been part of IPL since it’s very inception and has played 130 games and amassed 3428 runs over the years with 4 centuries and 17 fifties at a very respectable average of 30.88 and has also clinched 92 wickets.
The 37-old-player started his IPL journey playing for Rajasthan Royals, however the infamous ban on the franchise forced him to go in the auction, to be purchased by Royal Challengers Bangalore, only to be released two years later after his poor batting form.
The member of two World Cup winning squads was strategically bought by the MS Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings on their return in 2018 and to everyone surprise, he played incredibly well, scoring over 500 runs and ensuring a CSK third IPL trophy
However, this very season, apart from a 96* against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the explosive batsman has not been himself. Though he always looked in touch but just could not convert them into something substantial. In 13 innings so far, he has only managed to score mere 251 runs – way below expectation.
By his own confession, the Aussie stated, "I would have been dropped by in most teams I have played for," and until and unless, the veteran does not play few back-to-back meaningful innings in the upcoming all-important games, even CSK may just let him go next season.
Eventually, he just may go unsold in next year's auction.