IPL 2021 Auction: Who were the notable snubs?
What's the story
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 Auction came was held on Thursday in Chennai. 57 slots were filled out of the 61 available for the eight franchises. Chris Morris scripted history by becoming the most expensive player in IPL history. Kyle Jamieson, Glenn Maxwell, and Jhye Richardson also got mega deals. However, there were several high-profile players that were snubbed. Here's more.
Alex Hales
Alex Hales deserved a shout after a fantastic BBL campaign
England's Alex Hales is regarded as one of the best T20 batsmen. Hales was the highest run-scorer in the Big Bash League 2020-21 season. Playing for Sydney Thunder, Hales smashed 543 runs at 38.78. He struck one century and three fifties. He also has 1,644 runs in T20Is for England at 31.01. With a base price of Rs. 1.50 crore, Hales deserved more.
Adil Rashid
Rashid could have been a major signing for Punjab Kings
Adil Rashid's exploits in T20Is cannot be ignored. He is one of the leading spinners for England, having claimed 51 wickets in 52 games. The senior spinner had set a base price of Rs. 1.50 crore. Many teams are well stocked in the spin department. However, Rashid could be a valuable addition for Punjab Kings, who still lack the bite in spin.
Labuschagne
Marnus Labuschagne would have been an able lift for teams
When you look at Marnus Labuschagne, he had a superb Test series against India. He took that form into the BBL 2020-21 campaign and performed well with both bat and ball. He played six matches for Brisbane Heat and scored 178 runs, besides also claiming 10 scalps. Notably, he also got scores of 46 and 54 in India during the ODIs in 2020.
Dwarshuis
Left-arm pacer Ben Dwarshuis was ignored despite promising numbers
26-year-old Ben Dwarshuis was a notable name ignored by the franchises. There were teams that needed a left-arm pacer and Dwarshuis could have been an option. He finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the BBL 2020-21 campaign (24). Notably, he boasts of a promising T20 career, having taken 85 wickets at 22.98. At just Rs. 30 lakh, he would have been a steal.
Conway
Devon Conway's superb run of form not enough
New Zealand's Devon Conway was another batsman ignored by teams in the mini-auction. Conway has been superb in recent times. The top-order batsman has an average of 58 in T20Is. Recently, he helped his side Wellington win the Super Smash T20 tournament. Conway got scores of 50, 69*, 91*, and 93* in the final four matches. But that wasn't enough for the IPL teams.