IPL Auction 2023: 3 teams that will be disappointed 

The auction for the 16th edition of the cash-rich Indian Premier League was a spectacle. It was filled with surprises, as has always been the case in mini-auctions. Three of the four most expensive buys in the history of the league were made on December 23, with both Sam Curran (₹18.5 crores) and Cameron Green (₹17.5 crores) overtaking former record-holder Chris Morris, with Ben Stokes (₹16.5 crores) tying with the South African.

Even bigger surprises were that Nicholas Pooran (₹16 crores) and Harry Brook (₹13.25 crores) went for such huge amounts, given that there weren't a lot of teams particularly keen on keepers or batsmen ahead of the auction. On the other end of the spectrum, experienced campaigners like Kane Williamson, Ajinkya Rahane and Joe Root could only receive base price bids.

In total, 80 players were bought for a whopping ₹167 crores, with the Sunrisers Hyderabad being the biggest spenders. All in all, most teams would've walked out of the auction room satisfied with their performance except for a few franchises, and we'll focus on three of them.

#1 Mumbai Indians

MI splashed the cash on Australian all-rounder Cameron Green

The Mumbai Indians had some fantastic individuals in their ranks going into the auction. All they needed to do was plug a couple of gaps to build a formidable outfit. While their top six picks themselves, they had a few issues to address in the all-round and bowling departments.

However, they couldn't quite manage to do so. They desperately needed a bowling allrounder at #7 to lend balance to their side but ended up with a batting allrounder in Cameron Green. While he is undoubtedly one of the most talented players in the modern game, it will be a challenge to try and find the right balance.

They already have a settled top 6 in Rohit, Ishan, SKY, Tilak, Stubbs/Brevis, and David, leaving #7 as the highest available spot for him. If they make changes to accommodate him higher, it will push others out of position. This is far from ideal for their balance.

They could've perhaps picked up Ishant Sharma or Jaydev Unadkat as powerplay specialists and then subbed them out using the Impact Player rule. This would've helped support Bumrah and Archer and bolster a seriously inexperienced attack. Green, Hrithik Shokeen and Kumar Kartikeya have only bowled in a combined 34 T20s.

Their only other experienced options are Jhye Richardson and Jason Behrendorff, but it is unlikely that they will play unless they decide to bench Stubbs/Brevis, which would mean sacrificing their batting quality.

MI also had a poor spin attack last season and didn't do much to rectify that at the auction. They bought an inexperienced spinner in the form of Shams Mulani and a declining Piyush Chawla. The Rohit Sharma-led franchise didn't even try to land an overseas spinner.

Overall, the main issues they had before the auction remain unresolved, and how they tackle those problems will be interesting to watch.

#2 Delhi Capitals

Rilee Rossouw went for good money in the accelerated round

The Delhi Capitals had a settled playing XI going into the auction and their main requirements were to find a top-order backup, another Indian seamer, and most importantly, an additional power hitter at #6. While they fulfilled the first two requirements, they failed to do anything for the final one.

They bought three top-order players in Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw, and Phil Salt, when two would've been enough. DC have now used up half their eight overseas slots on batsmen who prefer batting in the top 3. They don't have a single alternative to Rovman Powell at #6, and they could be in massive trouble if he loses form or gets injured.

They should've gone after someone like Donovan Ferreira, Heinrich Klaasen, or even Dasun Shanaka and James Neesham from the unsold list. They didn't even attempt to sign Indian alternatives like Sanvir Singh, which was quite surprising.

Another concern for them is the lack of an Indian-keeping option apart from Rishabh Pant after they let go of KS Bharat. Thus, in the event of an injury to Pant, they'll have to make two changes because their only other option is Salt.

Mukesh Kumar and Ishant Sharma were decent pickups in the local pace market. But it was a majorly bleak auction for the Capitals, and they have barely improved their squad from the previous season.

#3 Chennai Super Kings

Ben Stokes was CSK's marquee purchase

The Chennai Super Kings had a pretty sizeable budget of over ₹20 crores to improve their squad, which finished 9th last season. Despite the poor finish, it was a pretty decent squad and one that would be very difficult to beat at home. It wasn't as bad an auction as the aforementioned teams, but it was still mediocre compared to the rest.

They needed a bowling all-rounder to fill Dwayne Bravo's void and did target Sam Curran, but he was always going to be out of their budget. The fact that they didn't go harder for Jason Holder made little sense because he fits their playing XI perfectly, and his bowling suits Chepauk's slow surfaces as well.

Ben Stokes' arrival means they will now need to bench Devon Conway for no fault of his own and play Dwaine Pretorius as their first-choice death bowler, which can go either way in away games.

The Super Kings also needed a pacer who could bowl at speeds exceeding 140 kmph while hitting the deck hard but only managed to sign Kyle Jamieson. The Kiwi has some value with the new ball, but they weren't lacking in new-ball specialists before his arrival.

Reece Topley and Jhye Richardson went for less than ₹2 crores, and it was surprising that they didn't try to buy one of them. The unsold pool also featured the likes of Blessing Muzarabani and Riley Meredith.

But to their credit, they did make some smart buys in Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, and Nishant Sindhu. It wasn't the worst auction by any means, but it wasn't ideal either. However, with MS Dhoni at the helm, one can never predict the team's fortunes, regardless of the squad's strength.