The Indian cricket fans are already very excited for the IPL 2022 as two new teams are getting added in the tournament and the existing teams will also need to build their teams from almost scratch as they are allowed to retain maximum four players only. While all the franchises have been through with their retention and release process, the talk of the town is that some stalwarts may see an end to their IPL career this season as they may go unsold in the mega auction which is slated to take place in the beginning of January 2022.
Here is the list of the players who may go unsold in this mega auction:
1. Suresh Raina:
For the majority part of his IPL career, Suresh Raina has played for MS Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings but he could not play in the IPL 2020 due to some personal reasons and in the IPL 2021, he was not able to put up a good show. There is no denying the fact that Suresh Raina is among the highest run-getters in the league but his age, form and the fact that he has retired from the international cricket further increase his chances of going unsold in the auction.
2. Dinesh Karthik:
The wicketkeeper-batsman used to lead Kolkata Knight Riders but on account of his poor performances, he was removed from the captaincy and now he has been released by the franchise too. He may not have taken retirement from the international cricket but he is not a part of the Indian national team and this will further abstain the franchises from bidding for him.
3. Harbhajan Singh:
Though Harbhajan Singh found a place in the squad of KKR in the IPL 2021 yet after the emergence of young spinners who are performing well both at the domestic and international levels, it will certainly be difficult for Bhajji to find a buyer. Harbhajan Singh’s age and his absence from the international cricket will also make him a less attractive option for the franchises.
4. Ambati Rayudu:
The Tamil Nadu cricketer has been released by CSK owing to his poor form in the IPL 2021 plus his age and fitness are also a matter of concern when it comes to getting a buyer in the auction.
5. Ajinkya Rahane:
India’s test vice-captain has been in the poor form for a long time now and presently he is out of the team because of the injury. Ajinkya Rahane was associated with Delhi Capitals in the past two seasons and he has been released by the franchise now. Well, it won’t be wrong to say that he didn’t get many chances in the IPL but whatever chances he got, he was not able to make an impact in those innings. As Jinx is known as more of a test player, finding a place in any IPL team will be very difficult for him.
Is there any other big player which you think will go unsold in this mega auction for the IPL 2022? Do share with us.