IPL 2022: Country-wise one big name who may go unsold in the mega auction

Well, India’s biggest T20 carnival, the IPL, is now all set to undergo a titanic restoration. The eight franchises, who used to reign the tournament, will enjoy the company of two new additional teams. It is also speculated that the mega auction for the 2022 edition could be the last ever massive auction pool that IPL might witness.

However for a few bunches of players, already there seems to be the end of the road when it comes to the IPL’s 15th season. Since all the 10 franchises will construct their squads almost from the scratch, only the eager beavers and the whizz-kids are expected to bag righteous deals. In fact, some of the past legendary top dogs of the competition are expected to completely go unsold in the coming mega auction.

In the article, let’s checkout county-wise one big name that might go unsold in IPL 2022

1. India- Cheteshwar Pujara

For Cheteshwar Pujara, the IPL has never been his cup of tea. Team India’s prolific red-ball batter has always found the cash-rich league a bit topsy-turvy especially in terms of his overall demand. The cricketer so far has only played five seasons of the tournament and was making a comeback in 2021 after a hiatus of six years.

In fact with regards to his selection in IPL 2021, many predicted that the 33-year old was selected by CSK merely because of his ability to bat better in the sluggish spin-friendly conditions. However on that note, neither did the yellow army required his services nor Pujara could showcase his latest T20 skills in the last season.

Moreover, in the upcoming mega auction, India’s well-equipped red-ball batter may barely find a buyer for himself. Though now there will be a few more teams to fetch places, the mega pool of local and overseas openers might completely dissolve his presence in the auction.

Even if teams like CSK or Ahmedabad might look to purchase batters who play spin well, there will be a plethora available to pick and choose. Hence, unfortunately, one can say that Cheteshwar Pujara may already have played his last IPL game.

2. Australia- Dan Christian

Well, for Dan Christian, T20 cricket has been his lifeblood. The all-rounder, who is playing the shortest format since 2006, has won plenty around the world. In fact even now at an age of 38, Christian was part of Australia’s winning 2021 World T20 squad as a reserve. But when it comes to the IPL, his ride has endured many ebbs and flows.

So far by playing the cash-rich league since 2011, Christian has represented four different IPL franchises. In fact, in IPL 2021, the veteran made a comeback in the competition after a hiatus of two years. But sadly for RCB, the all-rounder exhibited a very severe malfunction in the 2021 season. Whether it was performing with the bat or ball, the Australian only scored a total of nine runs and picked up four wickets from his nine games.

Hence such inferiority in the last season might badly affect his appearance in the 2022 mega auction. Even teams, who will be heavily looking to stack themselves with all-rounders, may immensely hesitate to take Christian on board. Therefore the mega IPL 2022 auction might give Dan Christian closure when it comes to his IPL career.

3. West Indies- Chris Gayle

There’s absolutely no doubt that the legendary name Chris Gayle and T20 cricket are very synonymous with each other. Our beloved Universal Boss, who has been embodying the format since its inception, is also now its highest ever run-scorer. In the realm of all the global T20 leagues, there’s barely any tournament that the Jamaican batter has ever missed or not played.

In the IPL, Gayle not only has the best highest individual score in an innings (175*) but also top the charts when it comes to amassing most centuries (6). In fact, even recently for the Punjab franchise, the ageing southpaw was averaging around 40 till the 2021 IPL season.

However unfortunately in the ongoing year, the Universal Boss has immensely struggled to stay afloat in terms of his career-long enriched T20 format. Not only in IPL 2021, the veteran had a bleak walk but also in the CPL and in the 2021 World T20.

In fact with Gayle now even crossing the age of 42, already the franchises are finding him flabby for a longer horizon. Overall with all 10 teams now starting afresh, the IPL cycle might definitely hesitate to buy such an old top dog in the mega auction.

4. England- Alex Hales

For Alex Hales, white-ball cricket has been its ultimate love affair. The cricketer for England has made many records both in the T20Is and in the ODIs. In fact, despite missing from England’s dressing room since 2019, Hales is still their third-highest T20I run-scorer. In terms of his overall T20 record, the 32-year old has played a total of 316 games scoring 8743 runs at an average of 30.35 and a strike rate of 145.81.

But in the IPL, Hales has barely played a full season to exhibit his overall impact. In IPL 2015 and 2018, the batter was part of MI and SRH squads but has collectively only appeared in six IPL games. In fact, even in the BBL season 10, the T20 freelancer topped the charts by amassing a total of 543 runs from 15 games at an average of 38.79. However sadly in the past IPL auction, Hales has failed to fetch any IPL ticket.

Perhaps even for the upcoming 2022 mega auction, one can expect a similar pattern when it comes to Hales’ selection. Because now there will be a big pool of proven overseas top-order batters available to grab, the franchises will mainly target the established ones. Overall even if again Hales ends up having a prolific BBL 11, still the veteran may find it difficult to bag a decent IPL contract.

5. New Zealand- Colin Munro

Well, for Colin Munro, T20 cricket has always been his best source of popularity. Whether it was about prominently playing for NZ or appearing all around the globe, T20 cricket has always kept the batter’s career afloat. In fact, when the southpaw was constantly attaining three-digit scores for NZ, some even compared him to their past legend Brendon McCullum.

Overall in terms of his entire T20 career record, Munro has played a total of 312 games scoring 7678 runs at an average of just under 30. But sadly whenever it has been about performing in the IPL, the cricketer has considerably defaulted. Though the 34-year old has never played a full IPL season, his overall run tally is quite awful.

But all in all, when it comes to getting picked in IPL 2022, the southpaw has a very dull chance. In a general sense, this top-order batter will be up against some of the very big outstanding names like Shikhar Dhawan, Faf Du Plessis, Quinton De Kock, Devon Conway etc. Hence it will be unlikely to see even this T20 freelancer resuming his IPL career.

6. South Africa- Heinrich Klaasen

In recent times, Heinrich Klaasen has constantly been part of the SA squad in white-ball cricket. Not much long ago, the cricketer was not only considered as a deputy of Quinton De Kock but also a frontline middle-order batter. In the T20Is, Klaasen also possesses a healthy strike rate of 142.08.

However, when it comes to performing in the IPL, the SA batter has barely got his bat talking. Since IPL 2018, the 30-year old has played two consecutive seasons each with RR and RCB. But from his fairly limited set of opportunities, Klaasen has barely produced any traction that enforces franchises to bag him.

Perhaps in the 2022 mega auction, the wicket-keeper batter will be miles behind wherein he would even vaguely rub his shoulders with over other overseas middle-order batters. Also, precisely the likes of Sam Billings and Matthew Wade, who both are currently much more eminent names, might be seen ahead of him in the pecking order. Hence this SA gloveman might get aborted in the mega auction table.

7. Bangladesh- Mushfiqur Rahim

Well, for Mushfiqur Rahim, the IPL has so far been an unachievable dream. The Bangladeshi legend has been trying to be part of the tournament for very long years now. His ability to play spin well has often made him a strong proposition for those teams that play on slow-turning pitches. But overall, predominantly it’s the strike rate of the batter that frequently raises question marks on his ability.

In fact currently even for Bangladesh now, Mushfiqur’s batting has taken a big hit. His strike rate of 115.35 in the middle-order is now considered to be too slow and feeble in today’s day and age. Though some analysts have argued about the 34-year old becoming a top-order T20I batter, unfortunately, the batter seems to be on his final lap when it comes to the shortest format.

Overall Mushfiqur Rahim also has amassed a total of 4738 runs in his T20 career but his IPL ticket still seems to be at a distant height. In fact, now the mega auction possessing a vast sea of overseas wicket-keepers might sadly again ruin his further IPL chances.

8. Sri Lanka- Kusal Perera

There’s absolutely no doubt that in the last 4-5 years, the Sri Lankans and the IPL have not shared any formidable relationship. Much like the likes of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga, the current Sri Lankan crop hasn’t tasted any IPL success yet. In fact, barring the IPL 2021 where Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera received an honourable admission, the tournament has rejected most of the latest Lankan players.

However, for Kusal Perera, the IPL auctions have been much more atrocious than for anyone else. Despite being now a prominent name in Sri Lanka’s multi-format cricket, the southpaw hasn’t signed any IPL contract since 2013. Possibly for the last 5-6 IPL auctions, the cricketer hasn’t got any green signal from the franchises.

But with regards to chance in IPL 2022, the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper batter might again endure a similar pattern. As the teams will have a plenitude to choose, Perera might get dissolved amongst the eminent players. Perhaps if the cricketer gets himself on the radar of any IPL scouting team then chances are he might bag his second IPL ticket.