IPL 2020: 5 foreign players who might go unsold in auction due to high base price

These five players might not find a buyer in the December 19 IPL auction.

The IPL 2020 player registration saw 971 players (713 Indian and 258 overseas players) signing up for the upcoming auction on December 19, 2019. The franchises will now be given time until Monday, 9th December, at 5:00 PM IST to submit the shortlist of players to the IPL in order to make up the final auction.

Many big names went missing from the auction, with Mitchell Starc opting out due to the crunch schedule of international cricket and joining him as England captain Joe Root, who had gone unsold in the auction the last time.

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However, there are some players who have entered the auction pool and kept their base prices at the highest level of INR 2 cr and INR 1.5 cr bracket. But there are possibilities of them going unsold because of their base price and other reasons and Team COC has shortlisted five such names.

Here are 5 foreign players who might go unsold in auction due to high base price

SHAUN MARSH

Shaun Marsh had light up the first-ever IPL in 2008 playing just 11 games but making over 600 runs. He was the first-ever holder of Orange Cap for most runs and took Kings XI Punjab into the playoffs. In 71 matches, he has 2477 with one century and 20 half-centuries during his IPL tenure for KXIP.

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Marsh, however, has since focused on his Australia career, often finding himself out of the IPL or KXIP team due to his dwindling form in the shortest format. He last played a T20I for Australia in 2016 and is no longer in their plans for the upcoming T20 World Cup at home as well.

At the age of 36-years-old, Shaun Marsh is not getting any younger and given that he has put himself into the INR 1.5 cr category, he might not find a buyer given his current form.

JOSH HAZLEWOOD

Josh Hazlewood has taken his rightful place in the Australia team replacing Glenn McGrath as the line and length bowler. He has 194 wickets in 50 Tests, 72 wickets in 44 ODIs and 8 wickets in 7 T20I matches. He is not entirely in the plans for the Australian T20 set up and in 30 T20s, he has taken 37 wickets.

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He was once picked in IPL by Mumbai Indians but didn’t play a single match. Hazlewood’s short-form game form is very well documented and despite him putting his name in the auction pool, finding buyers for himself at the base price of INR 2 cr will be extremely difficult, given that he doesn’t have proven credentials for the T20 format.

MITCHELL MARSH

The younger Marsh brother, Mitchell has played IPL for Pune Warriors India, Deccan Chargers, and Rising Pune Supergiant to name a few, but his involvement has remained limited either due to international commitments or injuries.

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Meanwhile, he had taken his name out of auction pool in IPL 2018 in order to put the country before the lucrative T20 deal. But injury and form have led to his international limited-overs' career coming to a halt, having played his last ODI and T20I in 2018.

In 74 T20 matches, he has 1487 runs with seven fifties and best of 77* at a strike rate of 120.60. He also has 43 wickets with the best bowling of 4/6. Marsh has kept his name in the INR 2 cr base price slab, but given his tendency to get injured may put off franchises from investing such a huge sum of money in the all-rounder.   

DAVID WILLEY

David Willey has had a stellar career in T20s for Yorkshire and Perth Scorchers in the Vitality T20 Blast and Big Bash League respectively. He got to play in IPL 2018 for Chennai Super Kings but could play just 3 games, picking two wickets at an average of 47.50 and an economy of 9.50.

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In 185 T20 matches, Willey has 175 wickets and 2695 runs with two centuries and the best score of 118, while his best bowling figures are 4/7. However, his bowling didn’t suit the Indian conditions and given that one team may only field 4 foreign players, CSK couldn’t find a place for him in the XI and then he missed the 2019 season due to family reasons. He was released by the franchise ahead of the auction.

With his base price being INR 1.5 cr, he will find it difficult to find buyers keeping his fitness, form and other factors in mind, as he is not seen as a starter in all the games.  

ANGELO MATHEWS

Angelo Mathews has played 49 IPL games scoring 724 runs and picking 27 wickets for teams like Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors India and Kolkata Knight Riders. However, despite his immense talent, he has not been able to make an impact as he should, thanks to his poor fitness.

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His hamstrings have a poor reputation of tearing with slightest of extra pressure and couple that with his high base price of INR 2 cr; Mathews has been putting his name into the auction for a few seasons now, but the 32-year-old struggled to find buyers because of these two factors.

This time as well, it might be the same story for the former Sri Lanka captain, who has struggled with form as well in recent times. Mathews’ time in the IPL has not been worth remembering especially that his performance was not worthy of his price.