Rahul Dravid opens up on the unpredictability of IPL auctions
Former Indian skipper and Delhi Daredevils mentor Rahul Dravid has shared an insight on the thought process of franchises during IPL auctions. In a candid chat with SONY ESPN for the program ESPNCricinfo Talking Cricket, the 43-year old attributed the various left-field picks to improved knowledge about domestic talents.
With his experience in IPL encompassing all nine editions, ranging from captaincy to mentorship, he felt that every decision taken by the team management catered to the complications within the shortest format.
Dravid said, “Some of the conversations that happen around IPL teams, these conversations are not happening outside. They are not happening in television studios as I have been on television studios, I know it. The depth of conversation that's happening about the T20 game within a team and within that environment is not happening anywhere else, which is what makes the T20 game unique.”
The veteran added, “I wouldn't say there is no knowledge outside but there is not as much knowledge, I feel. And there are people who'll make comments like, 'Why is he doing this? Why is he doing that?' without actually understanding the dynamics of why it happens, what happens inside.”
‘A lot more research being done’
Prior to the 2016 auction, Delhi Daredevils released both Yuvraj Singh (bought for INR 16 crore in 2015) indicating that they would be going for younger players. As a result, the then uncapped spinner Pawan Negi fetched a whopping INR 8.5 crore, raising plenty of eyebrows.
The more interesting fact was that he only got to bowl a total of nine overs from his eight matches. A disgruntled Negi went on to claim that the Daredevils did not back his skills with either bat or ball.
Elaborating on the rationale behind such selections, Dravid revealed, “There is a lot more research being done. There is a lot more knowledge about young Indian domestic talent than there was say three or four years ago. Suddenly, everyone has access to a lot of these young Indian domestic talents and every team comes really well prepared to the auction. It's very rare to find young Indian talents that are unheard of and you can pick out of nowhere for really cheap.”
Confirming the recent shift from pursuing acclaimed international stars to promoting domestic talents, he asserted, “I think today most teams recognise that you need domestic talent, and all the talent is in the auction. A lot of times I have gone into auctions and said, “Okay, we'll get this player cheap because not many know him. All it requires is one other team to value that player and have money to spend and, you know, you could end up losing him because you can't match up in the auction.”
Citing the case of West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, Dravid noted, “Who would have thought that he (Brathwaite) would go for the price [INR 4.2 crore] he did, but obviously KKR who have a team in the CPL (Trinbago Knight Riders) knew about him as much as the people who are looking at the Delhi team knew about him. I think auctions are quite dynamic and they sort of vary all the time.”
The legendary batsman also affirmed that present-day players were starting to get used to the uniqueness of IPL auctions, particularly overseas professionals understanding the four-foreigner limit in the playing eleven.
He believed, “I think after some time, at least to the coaches and to the mentors, I don't think people bring up the money issue so much, at least that's my experience.”