IPL 2022 Auction: 5 unsold Indian batters who could return as replacements
The IPL 2022 mega auction took place on February 12 and 13, where more than 204 players from across the world earned contracts from the ten IPL franchises. While some lesser-known players surprisingly received massive deals, quite a few popular stars went unsold.
Fans of the unsold players were disheartened after the IPL 2022 auction. However, the unsold names can still return as replacements to play in the 15th edition of the mega T20 event.
On that note, here's a look at five unsold Indian batters who could return to IPL 2022 as replacement signings:
#1 Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina was the biggest name to go unsold in the batters' category at the IPL 2022 mega auction. The former Indian batter entered the mega auction with a base price of Rs 2 crore, but found no buyers.
Raina has played 200 IPL innings, scoring 5,528 runs at an average of 32.52. As he has so much experience under his belt, it should not be a surprise if Raina is signed as a replacement player for IPL 2022.
#2 Saurabh Tiwary
Another seasoned campaigner to feature on the list is Saurabh Tiwary. The left-hander was a part of the Mumbai Indians squad in the last few seasons, and performed well whenever he got to play.
For the record, Tiwary has batted in 74 IPL innings, aggregating 1,494 runs and registering eight fifties. Like Raina, Tiwary also has a good chance of earning a contract despite going unsold at the IPL 2022 mega auction.
#3 Sachin Baby
Uncapped Indian batter Sachin Baby impressed with his performances for Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore. He has 144 runs and two wickets to his name in 19 IPL games.
It was a little shocking to see no bids for Baby even though his base price was Rs 20 lakh. As he has IPL experience, he could come back as a replacement later in the season.
#4 Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar came into the limelight in IPL 2021. The Madhya Pradesh batter donned the Royal Challengers Bangalore jersey, and performed decently for the side. However, KS Bharat took his place in the team during the competition's second half.
Patidar was soon released by RCB, and then went unsold at the IPL 2022 auction. The right-handed batter looked in good touch during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year, though. He played an impressive knock of 77 against Kerala. It will be interesting to see if Patidar gets another chance to play in the IPL.
#5 Rohan Kadam
The only batter on this list who has never played in the IPL before is Rohan Kadam. The Karnataka star has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket. However, he went unsold at the mega auction.
Kadam has scored 1,027 runs in 28 T20 innings at a fabulous average of 41.08. He has scored nine fifties, while he can also bowl leg-spin. So one of the ten IPL franchises could consider signing him as a replacement.