IPL Auction 2018: 5 players who are likely to go unsold
The Auction ahead of the 11th edition of the IPL is less than a week away and 578 players will go under the hammer as the eight teams look to build a squad that will help them claim the title.
Considering the fact that the maximum squad size is just 25 and there are just eight teams, more than 2/3rd of the players who are on the auction list will be without a side for the IPL. some more than others are unlikely to be among the list of players that are picked as teams look to have the right combination that will get them over the finish line.
While there will be some surprise picks, some bargain buys and some unknown players making big money moves, many are likely to go home emptyhanded. With that in mind, let us take a look at some star players who are likely to go unsold for a variety of reasons.
Here are 5 players who are likely to go unsold at IPL Auction 2018:
#1 Dale Steyn
Despite his incredible record in not just T20s but also in the IPL and in international cricket, Dale Steyn is likely to miss out on an IPL contract due to his fitness concerns. While a fully-fit Steyn has shown that he can still be lethal, he injured himself during the first Test against India and is only likely to regain full fitness a few weeks before the 11th edition of the IPL.
With that being the case, it seems unlikely that any team would be interested in securing his signature, especially with a base price of 1 crore. Signing a pacer who is just coming back from injury and who might get injured again makes little sense especially when you are spending so much and have to build an entire squad with the purse you have left.
While the South African pacer has 92 wickets in 90 IPL matches at an economy rate of 6.7, the fact that he has a terrible injury record in the last few years and there are plenty of other alternatives, who are not only cheaper but also younger, makes his chances of being picked highly unlikely.