IPL 2022 Auction: 3 reasons why Ishant Sharma may go unsold
It has been a tough few months for Ishant Sharma. The 105-Test veteran hasn't quite fired at full throttle with questions lingering over his fitness.
There has been a definite drop in pace from the speeds at which Ishant generally operates. The 33-year-old didn't feature in a single game in the second leg of IPL 2021 either and was released by Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of the mega auction.
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Ishant Sharma found a new coming at DC ever since being picked up by the franchise in 2019. Operating as a powerplay specialist, the right-arm quick kept things tight while swinging the new ball, bringing out the odd knuckle ball variation that he had developed as well. However, with Avesh Khan having a brilliant IPL 2021 campaign, Ishant was no longer the first-choice Indian seamer for the Capitals.
It would be intriguing to see which teams would gun for Ishant Sharma at the IPL 2022 Auction. There are a few factors that might suggest that the franchises may not even raise the paddle for him at the auction.
#3 Ishant Sharma isn't the quintessential T20 bowler
Ishant Sharma has a stellar record in Tests and his longevity is a testament to how big a stalwart he has been in the format. However, the same can't quite be said about his numbers in white-ball cricket. While he remains capable of extracting movement with the new ball, Ishant isn't really a captain's foolproof option in the death overs.
Even when he was at Delhi Capitals, Ishant was used specifically as a new ball bowler. DC were able to use the Indian pacer for that specific role as they also had the services of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje. That said, one would expect franchises to gun for versatile bowlers who can deliver at any stage of the innings, especially in death overs.
The lack of flexibility could go against Ishant Sharma at the IPL 2022 Auction, resulting in him fetching no bids.
#2 Ishant Sharma's recent fitness issues
The last 18 months or so have been a tough period for Ishant Sharma in terms of his fitness. He played just one game in IPL 2020 before being ruled out due to an abdominal muscle tear. The injury kept him out of the Test tour of Australia towards the end of the year as well.
Thereafter, Ishant's pace had significantly dropped during the tour of England and was barely ambling into the popping crease. A niggle then kept him out of the fourth Test of the series at The Oval, with India going on to win the encounter. Ishant didn't feature in any of the games that the Delhi Capitals played in the second leg of IPL 2021.
Ishant Sharma then dislocated a finger which kept him out of the second Test against New Zealand earlier this month. And while he is part of India's Test squad in South Africa, he might not feature in the XI owing to the rise of Mohammed Siraj.
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So with this frequent spate of injuries in recent times, it could play on the minds of franchise owners at the IPL 2022 Auction table and Ishant could remain unsold.
#1 Teams might look at younger bowlers
Ishant Sharma has been a long-serving fast-bowler for Indian cricket. He was one of the most sought-after players at the inaugural IPL Auction in 2008 after he created ripples during the tour of Australia.
With Ishant hitting the wrong side of his thirties, the age factor could well go against him. The age factor seems to be telling on his dropping speeds and his fitness in recent times and that could prompt franchises to look elsewhere in the IPL 2022 Auction.
In recent times, the IPL has borne witness to a young crop of Indian fast bowlers who have made their mark. With the likes of Chetan Sakariya, Avesh Khan, Shivam Mavi and Kartik Tyagi up for grabs among many others, expect franchises to tilt towards them at the IPL 2022 Auction.
Franchises might overlook Ishant Sharma, and with the IPL 2022 Auction rumored to be the last mega auction as well, teams could sway towards a younger lot to build a core for the long run.