The Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament is one of the richest cricket leagues in the world. It is also one of the most popular sporting events in India, with millions of fans tuning in to watch each year.
While the IPL is known for its extravagance and high-paying contracts, it is also home to some of the biggest failures in cricket history. In this article, we will take a look at the top 7 biggest failures of all time in the IPL. These are the most expensive players who failed to deliver on their lofty price tags.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the 7 biggest flops in IPL history!
1. IPL 2012: Ravindra Jadeja
At the 2012 IPL auction, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was the most expensive player, with the Chennai Super Kings purchasing him for 2 million US dollars. However, his performance that season did not live up to his high price tag. Despite finishing as runners-up in the tournament, Jadeja scored 191 runs and took 12 wickets in 19 matches.
2. IPL 2014: Kevin Pietersen
At the 2014 IPL auction, England cricketer Kevin Pietersen became the third most expensive player, with the Delhi Daredevils purchasing him for 9 crore rupees. His performance in that season, however, was not strong enough to justify his price tag. In 11 matches, he scored 294 runs at an average of 29.40 with a strike rate of 126.18. He only performed well towards the end of the league stage, scoring one half-century and two 30s in the tournament.
3. IPL 2015: Yuvraj Singh
Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was the most expensive player in the 2015 IPL, with the Delhi Daredevils purchasing him for 16 crore rupees in the auction. It was a disappointing season for him and his team as he scored only 248 runs with the bat and took one wicket with the ball in 14 matches. While he hit two half-centuries, his overall performance wasn’t very successful that season.
4. IPL 2018: Ben Stokes
After finishing as runners-up in the 2017 IPL and with their star all-rounder Ben Stokes winning the Most Valuable Player of the year award, it was no surprise that Stokes became the most expensive player in the auction. The comeback team, Rajasthan Royals, purchased him for 12.50 crore rupees. However, he was disappointed with his performance, scoring 196 runs and taking 8 wickets in 13 matches during the season.
5. IPL 2019: Jaydev Unadkat
Despite his struggles in the 2018 IPL, the Rajasthan Royals put in a strong bid for Indian left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat in the 2019 auction, where he ultimately became the joint most expensive player. The Rajasthan Royals secured Unadkat in the auction with a winning bid of 8.4 crore rupees. However, he once again failed to impress, taking only 10 wickets in 11 matches in the 2019 season.
6. IPL 2020: Pat Cummins
Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins was the most expensive player at the 2020 IPL auction, with the Kolkata Knight Riders purchasing him for 15.5 crore rupees. While he improved his performance later in the tournament, he only took 12 wickets in 14 matches during the 2020 season. He also scored one half-century, totaling 146 runs in 14 matches at an average of 20.85 with a strike rate of 128.07, but it was not enough to justify his hefty price tag.
7. IPL 2015: Dinesh Karthik
After releasing expensive player Yuvraj Singh, the Royal Challengers used the funds they received to purchase wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik. Karthik had a mediocre season while playing for the Delhi Daredevils in 2014 and was released by the franchise before the 2015 IPL auction. The Bangalore team surprised everyone by purchasing Karthik for 10.5 crore rupees. Despite his proficiency as a wicketkeeper, he struggled with the bat in the season, only scoring 141 runs in 16 matches with an average of 12.81.