Over the years we have seen many great players in the biggest T20 league – the Indian Premier League. But at some point in time, all great players start to fade away and with the IPL being the toughest league, these great players don’t get picked. The new season of the Indian Premier League is arriving and before the main season, the IPL Auction took place on 12th and 13th February.
As two new teams have been added to the competition it was a Mega Auction where teams had to build their squads from scratch and this is where they think about the future. While looking at the future, some of the great players remain behind, and similarly, in this IPL Auction, many great Indian players were unsold. Considering their age and fitness, these Indian players who went unsold might have played their last IPL game. So let us have a look at five unsold Indian players who might have played their last IPL match.
5. Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma who is only the second Indian fast bowler to play 100 Test matches is part of the unsold Indian players who might have played their last IPL game. The tall Indian fast bowler was part of the Delhi Capitals’ squad since 2019. He was brilliant in the 2019 IPL season as he picked up 13 wickets in 13 matches at an economy rate of 7.58.
Overall, he has played 93 IPL matches and has taken 72 wickets, with his best being five for 12 against Kochi Tuskers Kerala. He could have been a good powerplay bowling option for many teams, but none of them were interested in Ishant Sharma.
4. Saurabh Tiwary
Saurabh Tiwary came into the limelight in the initial seasons of the IPL when he was playing for the Mumbai Indians. Tiwary who has played 3 ODIs for India has been part of four franchises – MI, RCB RPSG, and DC. He has played 93 matches and scored, 1494 runs at an average of 28.73 and a strike rate of 120.1
He was part of the Mumbai Indians franchise over the last couple of years and had played a few good knocks whenever he got an opportunity. The left-hander from Jharkhand is just 32 years old but with many youngsters coming up he might have played his last game in the IPL.
3. Piyush Chawla
Another player who was part of the MI franchise in the last season is part of the list of the unsold Indian players who might have played their last IPL game. Chawla didn’t have a great international career but he had a fantastic IPL career.
In 165 matches, the leg-spinner picked up 157 wickets at an economy rate of 7.88. He was part of four IPL teams. The 33-year-old leg-spinner hasn’t played many games over the last couple of seasons, and so he might have played his last IPL game.
2. Amit Mishra
Amit Mishra is the most underrated bowler in the history of the IPL. Mishra is the second-highest wicket-taker in the history of the IPL as he has picked up 166 wickets in 154 matches at an economy rate of 7.35. He has been absolutely brilliant over the years.
Even in the last season, he picked up four wickets against a star-studded Mumbai Indians batting line-up for Delhi Capitals. The 39-year-old leg-spinner went unsold in the Auction and didn’t take part in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Considering his age and fitness, he might not be part of the IPL as a player.
1. Suresh Raina
Mr. IPL won’t be part of the IPL as he went unsold in this year’s auction. Suresh Raina who has been part of the CSK franchise over the years (Gujarat Lions for a couple of seasons) didn’t get a bid even from the CSK franchise. Raina has played over 200 games with 5528 runs at an average of 32.52 and a strike rate of 136.73.
But the fact can’t be hidden that he struggled in the last season and wasn’t at his fittest. CSK fans might be hoping that he somehow joins the squad but that dream might be too far as he might have played his last IPL game.
