Less than a fortnight remains for the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction, and the ten franchises are looking to formulate tactics to pick the apt players. Every season, a number of players fetch deals worth millions and it isn’t going to be any different even this time.
Quite a number of players may also go unsold in the auction as has been the case in all the seasons. Some of the cricketers have set themselves a base price of INR 1 crore and the teams may not find it suitable to shell out that much amount for them in the auction on February 12 and 13.
Here are five players with INR 1 crore base price who could go unsold in IPL 2022 mega auction
1. Marnus Labuschagne
Marnus Labuschagne has been a fulcrum of the Australian Test setup for the last two and half years. He’s also played quite a few knocks of substance in the one-day format. But when it comes to T20 cricket, Labuschagne doesn’t have a whole lot of experience.
The 27-year-old plays for the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League (BBL) and has chipped in with useful performances. But with only 25 games under his belt, he isn’t a regular T20 player just year. The IPL franchises may take the same into account and let him go.
2. Colin de Grandhomme
Colin de Grandhomme is a brute force with the bat and he isn’t the worst of pacers either. But his exploits in the IPL aren’t worth mentioning thus far. The New Zealand all-rounder made his debut back in 2017 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and has played only 25 matches.
But having scored 303 runs and with six wickets under his belt, de Grandhomme hasn’t quite lived up to his reputation. The 35-year-old has also found it tough to represent the Black Caps at the highest level. It’s highly unlikely that he’ll find a buyer in the upcoming mega auction.
3. Rilee Rossouw
Rilee Rossouw is a veteran when it comes to the T20 format. In 229 matches since his debut in 2008, the 32-year-old has scored over 5600 runs with three centuries and 32 half-centuries. The South African has been a stalwart for a number of teams he has played for over the years.
But in the IPL, Lady Luck hasn’t quite favoured the left-handed batter. Back in 2014, Rossouw made his debut for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), led by Virat Kohli and his career lasted two seasons. In five games, he scored 53 runs at an average of 10.60.
4. Roston Chase
Roston Chase made a name for himself as someone, who could bail his team out of precarious positions, both with bat and ball. But the 2021 edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) turned his fortunes around. Playing for Saint Lucia Zouks, Chase put in an all-round showing.
On the back of his performance, Chase broke into the West Indies squad for the T20 World Cup 2021. In three games, he only managed 23 runs and returned wicketless. While there’s little doubt on the skills he has, the 29-year-old need to show a bit more consistency in the shorter format.
5. James Faulkner
James Faulkner burst onto the scene in the IPL back in 2011 when he plied his trade for the 2008-champions Rajasthan Royals (RR). He bamboozled batters with his ability to variate his pace and was effective, especially in the death overs when the opposition is looking to score quick runs.
Not to forget that Faulkner was more than handy with the bat in hand. Having scored 527 runs and with 59 wickets from 60 games, Faulkner showed his prowess in the IPL. But since the 2017 edition, he hasn’t played a single game in the tournament and hence, is most likely to go unsold.
