Delhi Capitals roped in Steve Smith as their first buy of IPL 2021 auction.
Steve Smith found a new team for IPL 2021 with a contract of Rs. 2.20 crores with the Delhi Capitals (DC). Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir, who was an expert for the IPL 2021 auction broadcaster Star Sports, was not happy with DC getting yet another batsman into their side.
Smith will join the star-studded batting line-up of DC which includes skipper Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Rishabh Pant, and Prithvi Shaw.
Once Smith searches for a spot in this batting order, Hetmyer will play in the middle order according to Gambhir.
"Shimron Hetmyer probably will play in the middle order. They have got Shikhar Dhawan who is in very good form. They have got Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant plus they will definitely play Hetmyer and Marcus Stoinis. Anrich Nortje and Rabada did really well for them," Gambhir told Star Sports.
IPL 2021 Auction: Set 1 – DC rope in Steve Smith for 2.20 Crore; six other batsmen go unsold
The only thing that has pleased Gambhir with DC getting the likes of Smith, Umesh Yadav, and Sam Billings was that all three were cheap buys. While Smith was bought for Rs. 2.20 crores, Yadav and Billings were bought for Rs. 1 crore and 2 crores respectively.
He said, "Now they got Chris Woakes as well. Only good thing is that they bought these players at a very cheap price. Had they bought Steve Smith at a very high price, I wouldn't be very happy with it. Most of these players are steal buys especially Umesh Yadav, Steve Smith, Sam Billings."
"From that point of view they did a very good job but I actually never thought that they would go for someone like Steve Smith. They never needed someone like Steve Smith," Gambhir added.