IPL 2021: 5 released players who might not get a bid in 2021 IPL auction

The IPL 2021 auction is reportedly taking place on February 18.

All the eight franchises have announced their list of players which they have retained and released before the upcoming auction of IPL 2021. They had to let go of some players who had done well for them, and some who spent the IPL 2020 on the bench due to being surplus.

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With this being a mini-auction slated to take place in February, the franchises have a limited amount of money in their purse and hence many Indian and foreign players had to be let go, to increase that purse amount. Though many of the released players might find another home in the upcoming IPL 2021 auction, there are some players who might not be so lucky.

TEAM COC takes a look at five such players, who for various reasons, might not get any bid from any of the eight franchises in the upcoming auction and we look at some possible reasons as well.

Check out the 5 released players who might not get a bid in auction  

MITCHELL MCCLENAGHAN 

The New Zealand T20 freelancer Mitchell McClenaghan has been one of the best pacers in franchise cricket for some time now. He let go off a New Zealand contract to go his own way in T20 leagues and has forged a successful career as well.

He has played for Mumbai Indians since 2015 and has been part of their 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020 IPL winning squads. However, he didn’t get to play a single game in the IPL 2020 season. Overall he has picked 71 wickets in 56 IPL matches with a best of 4/21 an economy of 8.49.

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He was picked in IPL 2018 as a replacement for injured Jason Behrendorff and was retained for the next two seasons. In 2019, he played 5 matches and picked 3 wickets. Though a player who has given his everything to IPL, his economy and wayward bowling have been an issue for some time now, and hence he was released by Mumbai Indians before the 2021 auction.

In the auction, McClenaghan may not find any buyer given his current form and previous outings in the tournament as well, with other franchises already filling in their overseas slots and constrained purses.  

JIMMY NEESHAM

Jimmy Neesham has played just two seasons in IPL in 2014 and 2020 and managed 3 wickets and 22 runs across 9 matches overall. Though a brilliant performer for the New Zealand team, Neesham has failed to translate that into IPL for either Delhi Capitals or Kings XI Punjab.

Neesham’s medium-pace bowling proved to be ineffective in UAE and with IPL 2021 slated to be played at home in India, teams might want to look at local options thanks to many of them performing brilliantly in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

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The left-handed batsman didn’t impress much in the opportunities he got and hence was released before the 2021 IPL auctions. Given that this is a mini-auction, franchises may want to keep their buys to a minimum and the Kiwi all-rounder may not be on everyone’s buying list.

MURALI VIJAY

M Vijay was one of the best openers in the initial years of the IPL, helping Chennai Super Kings dominate the early editions of the tournament. He was part of the team’s 2010,2011 victories and made two centuries as well. He was released by CSK in 2014 and moved to Delhi Capitals next and then to Kings XI Punjab in 2016.

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He captained the Punjab franchise replacing David Miller in the middle of the tournament, but couldn’t turn around the team’s fortunes. He came back to IPL in 2018 with Chennai Super Kings but managed just 6 matches across three seasons.

The 36-year-old was released by CSK before the IPL 2021 auction and therefore he might not be in the plans for franchises looking for openers. Vijay is in danger of missing out on the 2021 IPL season given that he excused himself from the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy and has no chance to impress the franchises with performances.

AARON FINCH

Aaron Finch was released by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) before the 2021 IPL auction. It was his 8^th franchise in the tournament, but despite playing 12 matches in IPL 2020, Finch just couldn’t get going and scored just one half-century.

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Despite RCB showing faith in him throughout the tournament, Finch just couldn’t translate his success in international T20 into IPL. He is the only batsman with two 150 plus scores in international 20 over cricket and holds the record for the highest score of 172.

However, with just one mini-auction coming up in 2021, Finch might find it hard to find a team for IPL 2021, given that franchises have less purse to go with. His performances in the BBL have also not been encouraging with his team going on a big losing streak since the start of BBL 10.

HARBHAJAN SINGH

Harbhajan Singh ended his association with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) before the franchise announced their list of retained and released players. Harbhajan has 160 wickets in 150 IPL matches, with most of them coming for Mumbai Indians, whom he captained as well on occasions.

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However, he picked 7 wickets in CSK’s IPL 2018 win and 16 wickets in the 2019 edition. He didn’t travel to UAE for IPL 2020 citing personal reasons and at the age of 40, chances of him finding a new team in IPL 2021 are next to nothing, given that he is not playing any domestic cricket at all.

Harbhajan is one of the all-time great off-spinners ever, but given his previous and current form, his age, and other factors, franchises have nothing to judge his performances and bid for him in IPL 2021 auction.