Top 5 unsold players at the IPL 2022 mega auction who may be bought back by the franchises
Day 1 of the much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction proved to be an exhilarating affair with all ten franchises contesting high-voltage bidding wars.
As many as 97 players went under the hammer, with Shikhar Dhawan and Sandeep Lamichhane being the first and the last ones, respectively.
Ishan Kishan topped the charts and became the second-most expensive Indian buy ever when Mumbai Indians roped him in for a colossal ₹15.25 Cr. Chennai Super Kings (CSKalsooo bought back seamer Deepak Chahar ₹14 crores before Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clinched their potential skipper in Shreyas Iyer for ₹12.25 Cr.
Many stars remain unsold at the mega auction
While there were many players who got picked by franchises, a few failed to gather interest from any side and went unsold. Among the 97 players who went under the hammer today, 74 of those got purchased while 23 players didn't find any suitors.
As far as the future of these unsold players are concerned, franchises have the option of recalling these players at the end of the day or at auction or during the accelerated round. Hence, all has not ended for the unsold players for now.
On that note, let's look at the top five players who might be recalled and bought back by IPL franchises on Day 2 of the mega auction
#5. Mujeeb Ur Rehman
Young Afghan tweaker Mujeeb Ur Rehman remained unsold during Day 1 of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Listing himself at the maximum base price of ₹2 Cr, Mujeeb entered the auction at number two of the capped spinners set. However, no franchise exhibited interest in the 20-year-old.
Regarded as one of the most talented spinners in world cricket, Mujeeb has played one Test, 43 ODIs and 22 T20Is and has an excellent record in white-ball cricket.
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) acquired the spinner at the 2018 IPL Auction, and he was one of the league's youngest debutants. Mujeeb had an outstanding maiden season, taking 14 wickets in 11 games at an average of 20.64 and a stunning economy rate of 6.99.
He was then, however, released by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2021 season, where Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) picked up the off-spinner for ₹1.5 Cr. However, with Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi also part of the squad, Mujeeb only got to play a single game for them.
A skilful spinner with a number of variations in his repertoire, Mujeeb has gained a lot of experience playing in various T20 leagues around the globe. Considering that he can be a long-term prospect, various franchises can include Mujeeb in their scheme of things.
#4. Steve Smith
Regarded as one of the world's greatest batters, Steve Smith found no buyers on Saturday. The right-hander was listed at the highest base amount of ₹2 Cr.
Smith's getting unsold during Day 1 of the mega auction came as a bit of a surprise as the 32-year-old has had success in the marquee tournament before
Steve Smith goes unsold! 🇦🇺
#IPLAuction #TATAIPLAuction #IPL2022 https://t.co/sDvceZxB7G
By no means is Steve Smith the quintessential T20 match-winner. However, his expertise, as well as the fact that he's a complete batter against both pace and spin, make him a quality player in all formats.
Steve Smith was released by the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in 2021 despite being the team's skipper for IPL 2020. Delhi Capitals purchased Smith for INR 2.2 crore at the IPL 2021 auction. Playing as an anchor under Ricky Ponting, Smith filled in for Shreyas Iyer, who was away from the team for quite a while due to a shoulder injury.
Keeping in mind his solidity with the bat and wealth of experience, IPL franchises can bring back the former Aussie skipper on Sunday.