IPL 2022 Auction: 3 reasons why S. Sreesanth may find a franchise and 2 reasons why he won’t
Former Indian speedster S. Sreesanth has been named on the IPL 2022 Auction list. The "Kerala Express" has priced himself in the ₹50 lakh bracket for the mega event which is set to be held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.
It has been quite the journey for the tearaway quick, having made his India debut back in 2005. Having represented Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Kochi Tuskers Kerala and then Rajasthan Royals (RR), his last IPL appearance dates back to 2013.
Sreesanth found himself embroiled in a spot-fixing and betting scandal that rocked the IPL and was handed a life ban by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The ban was reduced to seven years in 2019 after the honorable Supreme Court asked the BCCI to reconsider the length of the ban.
Love u all..can’t thank u all enough..lots of gratitude ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️Thnks a lot..#grateful and alwys will be grateful to each and every try one of u..plss do keep me in ur prayers for final auction too..”om Nama Shivaya..” https://t.co/XAyBGx9IVU
Sreesanth made his comeback in the 2020-21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and registered for the IPL 2021 Auction. However, his name wasn't present in the final list of players that went under the hammer.
3 reasons why Sreesanth may get a franchise at the IPL 2022 Auction
The IPL released the final list of players set to go under the hammer on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. As many as 590 players are part of the list, including 370 Indians and 220 overseas players.
Now that he is back in the reckoning and part of the IPL 2022 Auction, Sreesanth stands a chance of making his comeback to the league. We dissect three reasons as to why he may get a bid:
#1 His experience
Sreesanth comes into the IPL 2022 Auction with an abundance of experience under his belt which will stand him in good stead when it boils down to handling pressure.
Experienced players are always worth their weight in gold, especially in the bowling department. With this in mind, franchises could hinge towards Sreesanth, given the lack of experienced Indian seamers in the player list.
Don't be surprised if Sreesanth fetches a bid at the auction and ends up playing for one of the 10 teams in the 2022 season.
#2 A Powerplay exponent
Fast-bowlers who can extract movement with the new ball are always in demand in the T20 format. To that end, Sreesanth can be considered a Powerplay exponent by the IPL franchises.
Take, for instance, his comeback game in the 2020-21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Representing Kerala against Pondicherry, the seamer turned back the clock with a ripping outswinger to dismiss Fabid Ahmed in the fourth over.
That and a five-fer in the following Vijay Hazare Trophy 2020-21 showcased the fact that he still has a lot of fuel left in the tank. If used as a Powerplay exponent, he could be a valuable option for teams to consider at the IPL 2022 Auction.
#3 The fire in his belly
It has been a long wait for Sreesanth, who has vocally expressed his desire to return to the Indian setup as well. While age might go against him in that regard, one thing that hasn't diminished is the fire in his belly.
Needless to say, he will be itching to prove a point and show the world that he still has it in him. And what better a platform than the IPL to aid his cause!
The attitude that he could bring to a team might egg the franchises in looking towards him. Hence, there is every chance that he could end up fetching a bid or two at the IPL 2022 Auction.
2 reasons why he may not get a bid at the IPL 2022 Auction
While there are factors in favor of him fetching a bid at the IPL 2022 Auction, it could go either way for Sreesanth when his name comes up for bidding. We a take a look at two reasons why he may not fetch a bid:
#1 The age factor
While he comes in with a lot of experience, Sreesanth does have the age factor weighing against him. The Kerala speedster will turn 39 on February 6 and franchises will be skeptical about that heading into the auction.
With the upcoming player auction rumored to be the last of the mega auctions, franchises could well hinge towards younger players for the long run. As a result, a lot of the priority could be in favor of those players who are on the right side of the age of 30.
Thus, it may be difficult for him to bag a deal at the IPL 2022 Auction should franchises factor this into their strategies.
#2 Lack of competitive cricket
This factor doesn't just date back to Sreesanth's seven-year absence from the game, but recent times as well vindicate the same. He last featured in a competitive game close to a year ago on March 8 against Karnataka in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2020-21.
Having not played in this season's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy or Vijay Hazare Trophy, it doesn't augur well for his chances at the IPL 2022 Auction.
Sreesanth and Amit Mishra are the oldest Indian players to be part of the IPL mega auction 2022.
It remains to be seen if he will be picked in Kerala's Ranji Trophy squad with the tournament set to commence on February 10. Should that not happen though, Sreesanth's lack of match practice could well result in no bids at the IPL 2022 Auction.