The IPL auction 2022 saw some heated bidding as teams attempted to construct their separate squads as effectively they could. Many of the greatest names were auctioned off, with inevitable surprises thrown in for good measure. Ishan Kishan was perhaps the highest purchase in the IPL 2022 auction, with the Mumbai Indians selecting a record Rs 15.25 crore for the wicketkeeper-batter. The ten teams sold nearly 204 players and spent Rs 551.70 crore. However, a few famous names did not find buyers at the IPL auction.
Let us look at big names that went unsold during the IPL auction 2022:
- Suresh Raina (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
Suresh Raina is ranked fourth all-time in the IPL’s run-scoring chart. He has appeared in 205 games and scored 5,528 runs at a strike rate of 32.51. Raina is only below Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shikhar Dhawan on the run-getters chart, and he has a higher average over Rohit Sharma and a higher strike rate than the three players above him.
At 35 years old, Raina appears to be in fine shape, but his introductory price of Rs 2 crore may have frightened some of the clubs. Raina again struggled mightily in the 2021 tournament, scoring only 160 runs in 12 innings at a low 17.77 average.
- Steve Smith (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
Unexpectedly, the Australian run-machine got no bidders in the IPL auction 2022. So in 2021, he competed in a mixed competition with the Delhi Capitals. Smith hit 152 runs in eight games, averaging 25.33 and a strikeout of 112.59. His fundamental skills may have been beneficial to some clubs, but no one chose to take a chance on him.
- Adil Rashid (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
The England player has demonstrated remarkable accuracy over the seasons and is presently one of the finest bowlers in the tournament’s shortest form. Adil Rashid ranks third in the ICC’s T20I player rankings, but the teams unnoticed that information and chose to avoid him.
- Imran Tahir (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
The renowned South African bowler is now 42 years old, and his starting bid of Rs 2 crore may have been the purpose he failed to find a buyer at the auction. Last year too, Tahir was only allowed to play one game for the Chennai Super Kings, wherein he grabbed two wickets at an average rating of 4.0.
- Shakib Hasan (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
The explosive Bangladesh player leads the ICC’s ODI all-rounder leaderboard and is number two in the ICC’s T20I standings. Considering his bat and ball skills, no franchise bid for Shakib. His performance during IPL 2021 may have weighed against him. Shakib scored only 47 runs in eight games for KKR and took only four wickets.
- Chris Lynn (Base price: Rs 1.5 crore)
Among Australia’s most lethal batters, Lynn has struggled to recreate his BBL heroics in the IPL. He was signed by the Mumbai Indians for a base price of Rs 2 crore beginning of the IPL 2021 season, although he only played one match.
He did, however, stand out in that regard, hitting 49 runs with a strike rate of 140. Undoubtedly, one of the clubs might have taken a gamble and acquired an aggressive top-order hitter.
- Eoin Morgan (Base price: Rs 1.5 crore)
The England white-ball captain helped the Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2021 finals, where the Chennai Super Kings defeated them. Morgan struggled with the bat following KKR’s excellent path to the final. In 17 games, the left-hander hit 133 runs at an average of 11.08. However, given his evident leadership abilities, his problems in 2021 undoubtedly played a significant role in clubs opting not to buy him.
- Aaron Finch (Base price: Rs 1.5 crore)
The Australian white-ball skipper has shown signs of skill in the IPL but has yet to perform effectively regularly. Finch had performed well for RCB in 2020, hitting 268 runs in 12 matches, but he was planned to release ahead of the IPL 2021 auction when he remained unsold.
- Dawid Malan (Base price: Rs 1.5 crore)
According to the ICC statistics, the Englishman was the leading hitter in T20Is but has slowly dropped down the rank recently. He is now ranked fifth in the ICC’s T20I standings and recently fell short of his lofty expectations. He entered Punjab Kings the previous season amid considerable excitement but only got to play one game, scoring 26 runs.
- Tabraiz Shamsi (Base price: Rs 1 crore)
In the one-day internationals against India, the South African bowler proved his abilities. Shamsi is the second-ranked spinner in the T20I league, but clubs have shown astonishingly little interest in him, given his qualifications. Shamsi would’ve been a deal at one crore.
