The Indian Premier League (IPL) has always been a platform for budding cricketers to showcase their talent and make a name for themselves. However, with the 2023 edition of the tournament ending, some players have yet to be as lucky as others in securing contracts with teams.
These players are now considered “unsold.” Fans who bet on live cricket scores will watch these unsold players. Some may still find a team to replace injured or underperforming players, while others may wait until next year’s auction. Here’s a list of some notable unsold players from the 2023 IPL.
- Dawid Malan
One of the most surprising omissions from this year’s auction was England’s, Dawid Malan. The left-handed batsman had a phenomenal run in the T20 format leading up to the tournament.
Malan has consistently performed for England in T20s and holds the highest ranking per ICC rankings. His omission from any franchise comes as a shock. Despite his impressive performances, Malan failed to attract bids from IPL teams this year. Considering his consistency in recent years and ability to anchor an inning or play explosive shots when needed, this is a shock. With several teams struggling with their middle-order batting during the tournament, it is surprising that none of them saw potential in Malan’s abilities.
His absence from any franchise meant either team was uninterested or needed more funds to purchase him. Malan will likely focus on continuing his exploits in England’s domestic circuit and hope for better luck next year regarding IPL auctions.
- Sandeep Sharma
Among the top players who went unsold is Indian pacer Sandeep Sharma. Known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, Sharma had a base price of Rs. Fifty lakhs but failed to attract any bids from the eight franchises. In previous seasons, he has represented Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Sharma was one of the top bowlers in the IPL, having taken 109 wickets in 93 matches at an average of 24.39. He also had an impressive economy rate of 7.79 runs per over. Despite his success on the field, Sharma could not secure a spot on any team during this year’s auction. Sharma has gone unsold at an IPL auction before. In 2021, he was also left on the sidelines before being picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad as a replacement player later in the tournament.
- Paul Stirling
Another player who failed to find a team was Paul Stirling, the Irish opener known for his explosive batting. Stirling’s failure to secure an IPL contract came as a surprise to many fans and experts alike. The 31-year-old has been in superb form recently, having scored heavily in T20 leagues worldwide. He also played a crucial role in Ireland’s historic win over England last year.
Despite his impressive credentials, Stirling remained unsold at the IPL auction.
Several factors may have contributed to this outcome, including his high base price and intense competition among top-notch batsmen vying for spots on various teams’ rosters.
- Baba Indrajith
Baba Indrajith was among the unsold players who failed to find a team. Baba Indrajith is an Indian wicketkeeper-batsman who has been a consistent performer for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket and was touted as one of the potential wicketkeeping options for teams.
Despite his impressive credentials, Indrajith’s failure to attract attention from franchises is surprising. With only four wicketkeepers picked up by teams at the auction, there would be space for more such players. However, with MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant already occupying spots in their respective teams, other franchises may have overlooked the need for additional wicketkeepers.
- Chris Jordan
Another player who surprisingly went unsold at the auction was Chris Jordan. The English all-rounder has been a regular feature in T20 leagues around the world and has represented Kings XI Punjab in previous editions of the IPL. Jordan is known for his death bowling skills and can be handy with the bat lower down the order.
However, no team was willing to take a punt on him this time. This could be attributed to his lackluster performance in previous seasons, where he managed only a handful of wickets and contributed little with the bat.
- Alex Hales
Alex Hales, an explosive opening batsman from England, had impressed in previous editions of IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad with his ability to score quick runs at the top of the order. However, this time, he went unnoticed by all eight franchises despite having a base price of INR 1.5 crore.
Despite his impressive record in T20 cricket, Hales’ recent controversies may have played a role in his lack of interest from IPL teams. In 2019, he was banned from all cricket after failing a drug test and subsequently missed out on England’s World Cup-winning campaign.
