IPL 2021: Best unplayed XI of the tournament
The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) had to be suspended indefinitely, as a spate of COVID-19 cases emerged in the bio-bubble. A total of 29 matches were held in IPL 2021 before the BCCI was forced to temporarily bring the shutters down on the tournament.
During the first half of IPL 2021, Delhi Capitals (DC) were the most impressive franchise, with six wins from eight matches. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) also did well; the duo registered five victories in seven games apiece.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) underwhelmed massively and might be pleased with the suspension of IPL 2021. While KKR won two of their seven games, SRH only registered one triumph in seven matches.
Eleven players who didn't play a single game in IPL 2021
While a number of players from across franchises impressed in IPL 2021, there were many others who did not get a chance to prove their worth. On that note, let's have a look at a combined unplayed XI of players who did not appear in a single game.
Openers
Jason Roy, Robin Uthappa
Dashing England opener Jason Roy was signed up by SRH after Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh pulled out of IPL 2021.
However, Roy, who had a good limited-overs series in India prior to the T20 tournament, could not get a look in. David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson and Rashid Khan were more or less the fixed overseas players for SRH. When any of them was unavailable or dropped, SRH preferred Mohammad Nabi.
Meanwhile, Robin Uthappa was traded from Rajasthan Royals (RR) to CSK ahead of IPL 2021.
In his IPL career, Uthappa has demonstrated versatility, batting either in the top or the middle order. But with the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali and Ambati Rayudu displaying fine form, Uthappa had to warm the bench.
Middle and Lower order
Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Tim Seifert, Aditya Tare (wk), Mahipal Lomror
Cheteshwar Pujara returned to the IPL fold after a seven-year gap after he was picked up by CSK in the IPL 2021 auction. He displayed aggressive intent in the nets, and a video of his T20 avatar also went viral. However, like Uthappa, he had to watch from the dugout as CSKโs top and middle order raised the bar.
Meanwhile, Kerala batsman Mohammed Azharuddeen would have harboured hopes of making his IPL 2021 debut when he was picked up by RCB at the auction.
Azharuddeen came into focus after he slammed an unbeaten 137 not out off 54 balls against Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. However, with Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers in the XI, Azharuddeen did not get a look in. The franchise could have given Azharuddeen a chance instead of Rajat Patidar but backed the latter and even gave him the crucial no. 3 slot.
New Zealandโs dashing wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Seifert is among the most dangerous hitters in the T20 format. He has over 2000 T20 runs to his name in 116 games at a strike rate of over 130. KKR, though, preferred their out-of-form captain Eoin Morgan, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and Pat Cummins as their four overseas players.
Aditya Tare went into IPL 2021 on a high. The wicketkeeper-batsman registered his maiden List A hundred as Mumbai beat Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final. However, the Mumbai Indians (MI) have a largely fixed line-up, and they do not make changes until something unexpected happens. For the record, Tare hasnโt played an IPL game since 2017.
Meanwhile, rising all-rounder Mahipal Lomror scored 59 runs in three games in IPL 2020, which included a fighting 47 against RCB. He was in great form going into IPL 2021, registering three consecutive fifties for Rajasthan in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. RR, though, did not utilise his services.
Bowlers
Piyush Chawla, Lockie Ferguson, Anrich Nortje, Basil Thampi
Veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who had earlier played for KKR and CSK, was, rather intriguingly, picked by MI in the IPL 2021 auction. With established spinners like Rahul Chahar, Jayant Yadav and Krunal Pandya already in their ranks, it wasnโt a surprise that Chawla did not get a look in.
Meanwhile, New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson stood out with his pace and variations for KKR against SRH in a thrilling match in Abu Dhabi last season. After claiming 3 for 15 with the ball, he got two wickets in the Super Over of the tied match. KKRโs fortunes in IPL 2021 could have been different had they tried out Ferguson.
Anrich Nortje was one of the most successful DC pacers last season. He even bowled the fastest delivery in the history of the IPL.
He had to miss the first match of IPL 2021 owing to quarantine rules, having arrived from South Africa. Then, there was utter confusion over his COVID-19 test and, by the time things were resolved, Avesh Khan had done so well, he could not be replaced. That was a case of pure bad luck for Nortje.
Meanwhile, with T Natarajan out of IPL 2021 after two games and Bhuvneshwar Kumar also battling fitness issues, SRH went with Khaleel Ahmed and Sandeep Sharma for most matches.
Despite the disappointing returns, they did not give Basil Thampi a chance, whose name only popped up in SRH's predicted XIs. Thampi claimed 11 wickets in 12 games during his IPL debut for Gujarat Lions in 2017. He was purchased by SRH in 2018 but only featured in eight matches for the franchise in the next three seasons.