IPL Auction 2014: 5 most undervalued players
Day one of the madness is over. From Yuvraj Singh at Rs. 14 Crores to Matt Henry at Rs. 30 Lakhs, the IPL Auction witnessed some surprising, and some enthralling action on day one.
But, considering the amount splurged on the likes of Dinesh Karthik and Yuvraj, some players could feel hard done by with the amount that they were ultimately sold for.
Here’s a look at a few of them who definitely could have gone for a lot more money:
1. George Bailey – Rs. 3.25 crores (Kings XI Punjab)
Bailey is in the form of his life at the moment. What he brings to the table for the Kings XI Punjab, apart from his captaincy is his astute leadership.
Bailey is the perfect Limited Overs batsman. He has the ability to rotate the strike when needed, but when the situation demands, he can break loose with aplomb.
Maybe, a better pay day could have been in store for Bailey.
2. Shakib Al Hasan – Rs. 2.8 crores (Kolkata Knight Riders)
If he had been playing for any country other than Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan would have been acknowledged as much better than the fine cricketer that he already is.
Shakib is quite the T20 package. He compliments his dashing batting with useful left arm spin, and he is very reliable on the field as well.
Now that he has gone to the Kolkata Knight Riders, he will be hoping to have a good tournament, especially if the IPL is held in India, in which case KKR will play their home games on the generally slow pitches at Eden Gardens.
3. Corey Anderson – Rs. 4.5 crores (Mumbai Indians)
For someone who was touted as the player who could be the costliest player in the auction, this might have proved to be a damp squib for Anderson.
Anderson is an amazing player to have in your side. Given that we as Indians lack pace bowling all-rounders, that is a commodity that we always cherish, and the Mumbai Indians might just have got themselves a gem in Anderson.
Anderson has been in outstanding form, and could well play a huge role for Mumbai in the upcoming season.
4. Tim Southee – Rs. 1.2 crores (Rajasthan Royals)
Maybe the problem for Southee was that his name was drawn out of the bag at a stage when the franshises’ purses were drying up. Because otherwise, a player of Southee’s calibre would have been a top priority for a lot of franchises.
Southee in recent times, has shown excellent control with the new ball, and he has always had the ability to bowl yorkers, which makes him a potent option to use at the death.
One can only say that the Royals have got themselves a huge bargain.
5. Thisara Perera – Rs. 1.6 crores (Kings XI Punjab)
Perera is one that always slips under the radar, but always delivers crucial performances.
With the bat in hand, Perera can turn any situation on its head with his explosive hitting, and he is more than useful with his medium pace.
Perera’s biggest strength is his ability to bowl yorkers at will. There are times when it goes wrong, like in the CLT20 where he was hammered all over the park by MS Dhoni in one game at Ranchi, but when he does get it right, Perera is much more than a Rs. 1.6 crore player.