IPL 2018 auction: An XI of top players who went unsold

Pacers and spinners

Dale Steyn

The South African speedster is one of the best to have played the game in recent times, but injuries have played a huge role in Dale Steyn’s absence from the Indian Premier League.

Steyn has not been a regular in the last couple of seasons and was released by Rising Pune Supergiant before last year’s IPL season. With so many injury concerns, teams’ reluctance to pick him was quite understandable.

---

Lasith Malinga

The leading wicket-taker in IPL history, Lasith Malinga didn’t have any takers during this year’s player auctions. The Sri Lankan slinger has picked up 154 wickets from 110 matches, 20 wickets more than the second-placed Amit Mishra.

Since his surgery in December 2015, Malinga hasn’t been as menacing and as a result of poor form, he has been dropped from Sri Lanka side as well. Hence current form and his age (34) went against him.

---

Ishant Sharma

One of the key architects for Team India's victory in Johannesburg recently, Ishant Sharma’s exploits in white ball cricket have not been as impressive. Having gone unsold during the auctions last season, he was later picked up by Kings XI Punjab as a replacement for the injured Murali Vijay.

The tall right arm fast bowler once again did not have any takers in this year’s player auctions which didn’t come as surprise to many but Ishant would be hoping for something like last year just to be a part of this world class league.

---

Adam Zampa

The 24-year old Australian leg-spinner got the first taste of IPL in 2016 when he played under MS Dhoni for Rising Pune Supergiant. Zampa was quite handy and one of the very few success stories in an otherwise poor campaign for the Pune side.

Zampa would have expected to be a part of this year’s IPL as well because wrist spinners are currently the hottest properties in T20 leagues around the world but surprisingly, there were no takers for him.