IPL 2022 Auction: 3 unsold Indian all-rounders who could return as replacements
In the IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru, 204 players received contracts from the ten franchises. Indian all-rounders were in demand at the auction, as the likes of Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar and Vijay Shankar earned decent deals.
However, not every Indian all-rounder earned contracts at the mega auction. It was a little surprising to see teams ignoring a few talented Indian all-rounders because they belong to a rare category. That's because having multiple Indian all-rounders often results in a better team balance and combination.
Although a few talented Indian all-rounders remained unsold at the mega auction, that does not mean all of them cannot play IPL 2022. They can always come back to the league as replacement signings. Here are the three Indian all-rounders who could return by that route:
#1 Pawan Negi
Pawan Negi was once one of the most expensive players in the IPL auction, but this year, he did not receive even a single bid. Negi was one of the few capped Indian all-rounders to go unsold at the IPL 2022 mega auction.
Negi has played for Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals in the IPL. Last year, he was with Kolkata Knight Riders, but he did not play a single game for the Kolkata-based franchise.
For the record, Negi has played 119 T20s in his career, scalping 96 wickets and scoring over 800 runs. He is known for his big-hitting in the slog overs, and economical overs of left-arm spin in the middle. As he has a decent amount of IPL experience, Negi could return to the tournament as a replacement signing.
#2 Ninad Rathva
Ninad Rathva was a net bowler for Punjab Kings in the last IPL season. He is a left-arm spinner from Gujarat who can also smack some big shots with the willow. Rathva has played 25 T20 matches in his career, picking up 24 wickets at an economy rate of 6.75.
Rathva impressed with his performances for Baroda in the 2021-22 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. As there was an IPL team representing Gujarat at the IPL 2022 mega auction, many fans thought Gujarat Titans would sign Rathva. However, the all-rounder went unsold.
It will be interesting to see if any of the ten teams sign him as a replacement player later in the season.
#3 Roosh Kalaria
Roosh Kalaria went unsold at the IPL 2021 mini-auction, but Mumbai Indians later signed him as a replacement for Mohsin Khan. The Gujarat-based pace-bowling all-rounder went unsold at the IPL 2022 mega auction as well. It will be interesting to see if he comes back as a replacement again.
Kalaria is a left-arm pacer who has played for India 'A'. He has 44 wickets to his name from 36 T20 games. His best figures are 3-15, and he has also scored 91 runs, smashing five sixes, in his T20 career. Kalaria could be a valuable addition to any squad.