IPL Auction 2022: 5 star players who might fail to attract big bids

#3 Steve Smith

Steve Smith did not feature in the playing XI consistently for Delhi Capitals during IPL 2021. Pic: IPLT20.COM

Former Australian captain Steve Smith represented the Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2021. He did not have an impressive season, scoring 152 runs in eight matches at a poor strike rate of 112.59. Smith had a mixed time in IPL 2020 as well. Leading the Rajasthan Royals (RR), he scored 311 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 131.22.

While Smith is one of the finest batters going around in international cricket, he has his limitations in the T20 format. He is not an out-and-out big-hitter, an aspect of his game which was on display during the T20 World Cup 2021 as well. He registered scores of 35 (off 34), 28* (off 26), 1 and 5 in Australia’s title-winning campaign.

Despite his obvious talent and the expertise he brings along with him, Smith might not bag a hefty IPL contract for the upcoming season. He hasn’t done enough to win the confidence of the franchises.

---

#4 Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane was benched by DC for most of IPL 2021. Pic: IPLT20.COM

There was a time when Team India’s Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane was a big hit in the IPL. He amassed 560 runs in IPL 2012, 540 in IPL 2015 and just a shade under 500 runs during the 2013 and 2016 seasons. Even as he was in and out of the limited-overs side for India, he was a match-winner in the IPL.

Those days now seem ages ago. Presently, even Rahane’s Test career is in doldrums, with his average in the format having fallen below the 40 mark. Rahane hasn’t done a lot in the IPL over the last two seasons.

Having been traded from the Rajasthan Royals (RR) to the Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of IPL 2020, he scored only 113 runs in nine matches in the season at a strike rate of 105.60. Of those runs, 60 came in one innings.

In IPL 2021, he only featured in a couple of matches, scoring a total of eight runs. Rahane’s stock has fallen steadily in the T20 league over the years and the batter has not done much to change it in the limited opportunities that he has got.

---

#5 Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh did not play a single game for KKR in the second half of IPL 2021. Pic: IPLT20.COM

Veteran Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was a surprise pick by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the IPL 2021 season. He played three matches in the first half of the T20 tournament that was held in India but failed to make an impression. In fact, he went wicketless in all the games and had an economy rate of 9.

Harbhajan was benched for all the other matches played by KKR in IPL 2021 as Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine proved highly impressive. The 41-year-old has an excellent record in the IPL and is one of the leading wicket-takers in the tournament, having claimed 150 wickets from 163 matches at an economy rate of 7.07.

Like Gayle, Harbhajan is also past his prime. Although he hasn’t retired from international cricket, the Turbanator did not play any competitive cricket between IPL 2019 and IPL 2021 (he skipped the 2020 edition due to personal reasons). He will be lucky to get a contract in the upcoming season.