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The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a highly-anticipated tournament for fans across the globe. The addition of two new teams - Ahmedabad and Lucknow - in this edition has made the competition even more interesting.
The 2022 edition of the IPL is expected to commence in April with the mega-auction scheduled to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. Over 1200 players have registered for the auction, but some notable overseas players have decided to opt-out of the cash-rich league this year.
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In this article, we take a look at six prominent names in international cricket who have decided not to participate in the tournament this year.
#6 Chris Gayle
The T20 great has decided to opt out of the 2022 auction. This will be the first time since its inception that the 'Universe Boss' will not be a part of the tournament. Gayle has played for three teams - KKR, RCB and Punjab Kings - in his IPL career across 14 seasons.
He had hinted that he would continue to play in the IPL. However, it's still not clear why Gayle decided to skip the auction this year.
The left-handed giant, who played a major role in the success of the IPL in its initial years, has scored 4965 runs at a strike rate of 148.96. Gayle has hit six centuries and 31 half-centuries with an individual highest score of 175.
#5 Chris Woakes
After pulling out of the tournament ahead of the second phase of the 2021 edition of the IPL, Chris Woakes has not registered for the auction this year. The reason behind this decision is unclear but the England team's poor run in Test cricket may be one of the reasons behind Woakes' withdrawal.
The Three Lions lost a record nine tests in the last year, including a 4-0 hammering in the Ashes Down Under. This has invited criticism from ex-cricketers about players prioritizing franchise cricket over Test cricket. Woakes might be giving this year's IPL a miss to focus on red-ball cricket.
#4 Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes is another player affected by the Ashes debacle. According to reports, the star all-rounder has made the decision to remain mentally fresh and manage his workload for England's next home season.
Stokes made a comeback to the game after a long break in the recently-concluded Ashes but delivered an underwhelming performance. He managed to score 236 runs and scalp just four wickets in the series against Australia.
Stokes will now play in the English County Championship to improve his red-ball game.
#3 Sam Curran
Young all-rounder Sam Curran started his run in the tournament with the Punjab Kings, impressing everyone with his skills. He was later bought by the Chennai Super Kings in the 2020 season and became a valuable player for the team.
Curran was used as a floater in CSK's line-up and has also been used as an opener. He was capable of bowling with the new ball to provide the balance required by the team.
The 23-year old decided to opt-out of this edition to focus on his rehabilitation and will be starting his season with Surrey.
#2 Jofra Archer
Former Rajasthan Royals speedster Jofra Archer will also miss the auction this year. The English pacer is still working hard on regaining 100 percent fitness and needs time to be fully fit to play cricket.
Archer has been on the sidelines for almost ten months due to elbow problems. He s still not available to bowl as he underwent a second operation on his right elbow last month.
The Englishman was roped in by the Rajasthan Royals in the 2018 season and played three campaigns for them. In 35 matches, Archer has taken 46 wickets.
#1 Mitchell Starc
A few days back, Australian pace bowler Mitchell Starc hinted at returning to the richest cricket league after seven long years. However, Starc, who played his last IPL game in 2015, has made himself unavailable once again.
Starc will miss the tournament due to injury concerns and wanting to keep himself fresh for the national team's assignments this year.
Starc has played two seasons in the IPL, both for the RCB. He picked up 34 wickets in 27 games at an impressive economy rate of 7.17.
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