IPL 2021: 5 Blunders by franchises in the auction

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been an integral part of the cricketing ecosystem since 2008. With eight franchises fighting it out in the field, the owners make sure that they have the right players in their arsenal. The players wait for their turn and it is a matter of a couple of hours that their lives change. Talking about the auction, the more you perform, the more you attract.

Since previous years, we have witnessed many players being sold at a hefty price. Be it Flintoff, Bond, or Jadhav, they have experienced the weight of a heavy price tag. But, unfortunately, this tag does not help them to perform naturally. Rather, they are forced to deal with the pressure of proving their worth. And, this means that they do fail to perform!

This year too, we witnessed a few blunders. Even after their poor performance, they were sold, and that too with a heavy price. What is more surprising is that there were better options available for the owners.

Let us have a look at the 5 blunders from the auction:

5. SRH going for Kedar Jadhav instead of Shahrukh Khan

Kedar Jadhav was the man of the moment during the first game of the 2018 IPL season. He fought with an injury and ensured that CSK was over the line against Mumbai Indians. However, he was unable to participate and during the subsequent seasons, he performed poorly. His performances during the thirteenth edition of the IPL ensured that CSK was well short of the required target. 

Not surprisingly, the management decided to release the Indian all-rounder ahead of the 2021 auction. Last year, he scored 62 runs off 66 balls with a poor strike rate of 93.93. Adding on, he had multiple fitness-related issues too! And during the 2021 auction, Jadhav was lucky enough to be picked by the Sunrisers Hyderabad. 

The Hyderabad-based franchise lacks consistent Indian players. And they had the chance to pick Shahrukh Khan, who is a much better batsman at the moment, in the auctions. However, they opted not to bid for him even after having a heavy purse. This is a big blunder on the part of the Hyderabad franchise.

4. Punjab Kings picking Jhye Richardson at 14 crores

The Punjab Kings had to fill multiple spots in their squad this auction. Well, they did manage to fill the slots, but there were a few blunders too. Firstly they opted to buy Malan even after they realize that they have a packed batting order. Secondly, they purchased Jhye Richardson for 14 crores! 

Richardson was in good form during the tenth season of the Big Bash League (BBL). However, with no more spots available for overseas players in the playing eleven, this looks like a blatant waste of money. This amount could have been invested in several unsold and uncapped players. It looks like the Punjab management was willing to do anything to buy Richardson!

Even though Richardson has picked 29 wickets during the last season, he was better off with a team that had a weak bowling lineup. For example, RCB could have benefited from the services of Richardson. Adding on, a heavy price tag might not help him to play with more freedom in the upcoming season!

3. RCB releasing Chris Morris at 10 crores & then picking Kyle Jamieson at 15 crores

Chris Morris is one of the most highly underrated all-rounders of the game. The South African all-rounder has a strike rate of 157.87 while batting. Adding on, the highest score of 82 is an example that this South African can destroy any bowling lineup on his day. Therefore, he is a good asset for any team!

Talking about his bowling, he has an economy rate of 7.81 in the IPL. The best bowling figures of 4/23 is excellent for a fast bowler in the shortest format of the game. Moreover, he has picked 80 wickets during his career and Morris can bowl during the powerplay too! However, he was released by the RCB management ahead of the 2021 auction.

This opened up a spot as RCB lacked a genuine all-rounder. To fill that slot, they decided to pick Kyle Jamieson. However, opting for an inexperienced player instead of a proven all-around is a huge blunder. Jamieson has just played in Tests at the international level and hasn’t played in India at all.

2. Kolkata Knight Riders opting for Harbhajan Singh at 2 crores

The Kolkata Knight Riders made a blunder when they picked an ever-aging Harbhajan Singh for INR 2 crores during the 2021 IPL auction. They decided not to pick talented young bowlers and opted for a player who is not a part of the domestic cricket environment! Surely, this is an unforced error!

Harbhajan was a vital member of the national side for over a decade. Talking about his IPL career, he has picked up 150 wickets since 2008. Although he has not played any competitive cricket since 2019, he was picked up by the Knight Riders. Now, the fans are hoping that Harbhajan will find his mojo back!

IPL is a tournament that enables people to make a comeback. However, Harbhajan is on the verge of retirement and his decision not to opt for the 2020 season raised serious questions about his future. Therefore, there was no point for KKR to opt for Harbhajan. Hence, KKR opting for Harbhajan makes it to this list of top 5 blunders from the IPL auction!

1. Chennai Super Kings picking Krishnappa Gowtham at 9.25 crores

The Chennai Super Kings had a forgettable IPL season last year. For the very first time, they failed to make it to the playoffs. This was mainly because the players lacked the intent. However, they bounced back during their last three league games and found some future stars. Well, there was some respite for the fans!

In this auction, they made a heck of a deal by picking Moeen Ali. It is expected that Ali will replace Watson in the playing eleven. This means that they have another spinner in their squad. Also, Moeen is a clean striker of the ball and hence, he might cement his place in the playing eleven. 

During the 2021 auction, Krishnappa Gowtham was sold to CSK for a whopping price of 9.25 crores! This was unnecessary as the team already has several talented spinners warming the bench. Even though Gowtham has a terrific strike rate of 168.09 and an economy rate of 8.26, it was not necessary to spend over 9 crores on Gowtham.