IPL Auction 2021: RCB reveals the reason behind not going for Steve Smith after placing the opening bid

Many viewers were left surprised when Delhi Capitals (DC) managed to acquire the services of arguably one of the best batsmen of modern era, Steve Smith at a mere price of INR 2.2 crores during the IPL auction 2021 hosted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on February 18 in Chennai. What had made the fans more confused was the fact that Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had started the bid for Smith at his base price of INR 2 crores but backed out after just one bid.

The Bangalore outfit finally decided to reveal the mystery behind not bidding for Steve Smith further as they posted a video on their official Twitter handle where they explained the thought behind the same. RCB’s main motive behind placing the opening bid for Smith was to increase the price of the Australian batsmen and empty the purse of one of the franchises in the first round of auction.

Although the decision seemed perplexing then, RCB’s latest video has solved the curious case of Steve Smith. In the clip, shot before the auction, how an opening bid for Steve Smith would help drive the Australian’s price. He talks about how a bid for Steve Smith will help them go for Glenn Maxwell instead, as other teams would have already spent some of their purse on Steve Smith.

“Best thing we can do is make a bid early for Steve Smith, and get out. So if we can get somebody to buy somebody in that first round, it is a big win for us. I feel if we bid for him straight away, no one is going to let us get him for Rs 2 crore,” RCB’s Director of Cricket Operations Mike Hesson explained in the video.

‘Smith doesn’t bowl’ – RCB explains the reason behind not picking Steve Smith

Further in the clip, the team-management explained the reason behind not going for Smith. They reckoned that RCB needed an able all-rounder after AB de Villiers who could finish the games for them with the bat along with chipping in a few overs with the ball. Smith clearly doesn’t fit in this criteria, thus RCB picked Glenn Maxwell in the auction for a whopping amount of INR 14.25 crore.

“Smith doesn’t bowl. Very clear. Whoever bats there (after Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers) has to be able to bowl. All the stats we’re doing are around batting, but they have to be a bowling option,” the video stated.

Bold Diaries: The curious case of Steve Smith bid

Why did the RCB management withdraw after the first bid? Here’s the video of the planning that went behind the Steve Smith bid this #IPLAuction2021.#PlayBold pic.twitter.com/Nl60YrnoIB

— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) February 23, 2021