IPL 2022 Auction: 5 unsold Indian bowlers who could return as replacements
The IPL 2022 Auction took place last month in Bengaluru, and it was a big payday for the cricket stars. The likes of Ishan Kishan, Deepak Chahar, Nicholas Pooran and Shreyas Iyer earned big contracts from the franchises. A total of 204 players were sold over the two days.
Bowlers were in high demand at the IPL 2022 Auction as quite a few of them earned bids of more than INR 5 crore. However, not all bowlers managed to return with a contract from the IPL 2022 Auction.
Some big names surprisingly went unsold at the mega auction, but fans should note that the unsold players can return to the IPL as replacements. The following five unsold Indian bowlers are likely to return to IPL 2022 as replacement signings.
#1 Amit Mishra
Veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra could have broken Lasith Malinga's record for the most wickets in the IPL this year. However, the Indian player went unsold at the IPL 2022 Auction.
Mishra was a match-winner for the Delhi Capitals last year. He bowled a fantastic spell against the Mumbai Indians, where he scalped four wickets.
Surprisingly though, none of the franchises bid for Mishra this year. He is likely to return as a replacement if a franchise needs an Indian spinner.
#2 Ishant Sharma
Another bowler who played for the Delhi Capitals last year but went unsold at the IPL 2022 Auction was Ishant Sharma. The right-arm pacer did a decent job during his stint with DC, but the franchises probably did not bid for him because of his fitness issues.
Still, Ishant could earn an IPL contract because of his experience. For the record, he has 72 IPL wickets to his name.
#3 Piyush Chawla
Piyush Chawla is another experienced Indian leg-spinner who has achieved a lot of success in T20 cricket but did not fetch any bids at the mega auction. Chawla turned up for the Mumbai Indians last year.
The 33-year-old is one of the few bowlers to have scalped more than 150 wickets in the IPL, making him a decent option for a replacement signing.
#4 Sandeep Warrier
Sandeep Warrier made his international debut for India last July, but none of the IPL teams showed interest in his services at the mega auction. Warrier has been a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the past.
Speaking of his record in T20 cricket, Warrier has scalped 59 wickets in 63 matches at an economy rate of close to seven. The IPL teams may look to rope him in as a replacement if needed because of his impressive domestic record for Tamil Nadu.
#5 Dhawal Kulkarni
Dhawal Kulkarni has a ton of experience playing cricket in Mumbai. With Mumbai set to host a majority of the IPL matches this year, adding Kulkarni to the squad as a replacement will not be a bad decision at all.
The Indian fast bowler played for the Mumbai Indians last season. He is a decent powerplay bowler who can pick up some crucial wickets for the team. It will be interesting to see if Kulkarni gets a chance to play in IPL 2022.