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The two-day Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction concluded last week in Bengaluru, with a number of players bagging handsome contracts. The young wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan was the most expensive of the lot, picked by the Mumbai Indians (MI) for an exorbitant ₹15.25 crore. Kishan was released by the same franchise ahead of the auction, but it was widely expected that the team would buy him back.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are not known for spending lavishly at auctions, but this time they went for pacer Deepak Chahar and shelled out ₹14 crore to buy him back. Apart from his ability to swing the ball, his significantly improved batting must also have played a role in his enhanced evaluation.
Shreyas Iyer (₹12.5 crore), Liam Livingstone (₹11.50 crore), Shardul Thakur, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, and Nicholas Pooran (all ₹10.75 crore) were the other big buys at the auction.
IPL 2022 Auction: Proven performers who should have been paid more
While quite a few players were bought for stunning sums, a handful of proven performers were also picked for impressive amounts. But one gets the feeling that, given their stellar record, they deserved more.
#1 Shikhar Dhawan
Veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan was the first player up for purchase at the mega auction as part of the marquee set. After some intense bidding, he was sold to Punjab Kings (PBKS) for ₹8.25 crore. Dhawan has been an underrated cricketer throughout his career, despite coming up with some fine performances for both India and the IPL franchises he has turned up for.
The southpaw has been consistently performed in the IPL. In the last three seasons in the T20 league, he has scored 521, 618 and 587 runs respectively. During the 2020 edition, he created history, becoming the first batter to smash consecutive hundreds in the IPL. Dhawan is second on the list of leading run-getters in the tournament, having amassed 5784 runs in 192 matches. He also holds the record for having slammed the most fours in the T20 league - 654.
The veteran cricketer may be 36, but his performances have only improved in the IPL over the last couple of seasons. He looks fit too and, if all goes well, can even play till the age of 40. It is not a big deal for cricketers to keep on playing till that age considering the short duration of the T20 format. Analyzing all the factors, one feels he deserved to touch at least the ₹10 crore mark.
#2 Yuzvendra Chahal
Like Dhawan, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has also been a standout performer in the IPL for many years. He was an inseparable part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise and a key player in their success, before parting ways with the team ahead of the mega auction. The 31-year-old was roped in by the Rajasthan Royals (RR) for ₹6.50 crore.
The leggie, who made his IPL debut back in 2013, has featured in 114 matches in the T20 league, claiming 139 wickets at an average of 22.28 and an economy rate of 7.59. Even though he has been in and out of the Indian side in recent years, he hasn’t let that affect his IPL performance. In the last three seasons, he has claimed 18, 21 and 18 wickets respectively.
Going beyond the numbers, Chahal has been a strike force for RCB. He was the go-to man for Virat Kohli in the middle overs and rarely disappointed, turning games with key scalps at crucial junctures. Considering his wealth of experience and the manner in which he has delivered year after year, it was surprising that Chahal was sold for ₹6.50 crore.
#3 David Warner
Dangerous Aussie batter David Warner was instrumental in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) rise in the IPL. He led the franchise from the front and transformed them into a consistent, match-winning unit. Unfortunately, his association with SRH came to a sour end as he was first sacked as skipper midway through the 2021 edition and then dropped from the playing XI as well. True, Warner was having a poor run but the treatment meted out to him was questionable.
The 35-year-old has as good a record as anyone in the tournament. In 150 matches, the left-hander has smashed 5449 runs at an average of 41.59 and a strike rate of 139.96. He is at No.5 in the all-time leading run-getters in the T20 league and is at the top of the list among overseas batters with the most runs in the IPL. He has notched up some amazing numbers over the years, including 848 runs in the 2016 edition, when SRH lifted the title.
There were question marks over Warner’s future following a poor IPL 2021 campaign. But he answered critics in style, winning the Player of the Tournament award in the subsequent T20 World Cup. The southpaw scored 289 runs in seven matches, which included a quickfire half-century in the final. Considering what Warner brings to the table, DC purchasing him for ₹6.25 crore was a steal.
