The mega auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bangalore. A number of players will go under the hammer in the two-day affair, and the franchises are busy formulating their tactics to be employed on the big days.
As many as 48 cricketers have registered themselves at a base price of INR 2 crores. Even as some of them are expected to fetch the big bucks, a few may struggle to find a buyer. Some of the players may have to return from the mega auction empty-handed.
Here are 5 players who may not find a buyer in the IPL 2022 mega auction
1. Nathan Coulter-Nile
Australia paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile knows the tricks of the trade as far as fast bowling is concerned. The 34-year-old also has a fair amount of experience in the T20 format, having played 170 games and picking up 170 wickets with four four-wicket hauls to show for his efforts.
The pacer has also plied his trade in the IPL after making his debut in 2013. In 38 games, he has 48 wickets to his name. But he’s had his fair share of tussles with injuries and he wasn’t a regular member of the Mumbai Indians (MI) lineup last season. Team may not shell out INR 2 crores for him.
2. Mark Wood
Mark Wood is someone, who can crank up serious speeds on a pretty regular basis. During the Ashes, the pacer showed that he can crack a few bones with his sheer pace and vicious bouncers. But in T20 cricket, the fast bowler has shown signs of inconsistency.
Even as he has picked 26 wickets from 19 T20Is, an economy rate of 8.76 is well and truly on the higher side. Back in 2018, Wood made his IPL debut for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and played only one game. But since then, the franchises haven’t picked him in auctions.
3. James Vince
James Vince is a dependable batter in the top order, but when it comes to the IPL, luck hasn’t quite favoured the right-hander. Being one of the most experienced batters in the England domestic circuit, the 30-year-old is yet to ply his trade in the cash-rich T20 league.
He hasn’t been a regular member of the national T20I team as well. After his debut in 2015, Vince has played only 17 games where he has scored 463 runs at an average of 27.24. It’s hard to imagine Vince going for INR 2 crore in the mega auction.
4. Ashton Agar
Ashton Agar is an effective all-rounder, and he’s proved the same time and again across formats. Apart from weaving magic with his left-arm spin, Agar has done well in with the bat in hand as well. Agar has 665 runs in international cricket to go with 66 wickets.
Agar, recently, was a part of the Perth Scorchers team in the 2021-22 edition of the Big Bash League (BBL). On the back of his performances, they won the title. Agar is yet to make his IPL debut and amidst some quality all-rounders, it will be tough for him to find a buyer.
5. Craig Overton
Craig Overton has played loads of first-class and List A cricket in his career, having plied his trade in 177 matches. But when it comes to T20 cricket, he hasn’t played a whole lot despite a plethora of tournaments coming up around the world over the last few years.
In 63 T20s, Overton has picked up 58 wickets at an economy of 8.90. Moreover, with 322 runs under his belt, he hasn’t done a whole lot with the bat as well. Barring a miraculous circumstance, Overton is most likely to go unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction.
