The veteran of 105 Tests could not get a game in India’s recent three-Test series in South Africa, another indication that the team management is phasing him out. He was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 1.1 crore in the 2019 IPL auction. However, the franchise found use for him in just four games across seasons 2020 and 2021. Although he’s been part of as many as six franchises across the duration of the league, none of the teams spotted a worthy deal in Ishant’s skills this time. He’s still only 33, but the end seems nearer than ever.
Mat 93 Wkts 72 Econ 8.11 Avg 37.51
Teams: Kolkata Knight Riders, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiant, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals
The leg-spinner is in his 40th year and played his last match for the national team half a decade ago. But he had remained a fixture in the IPL since 2008, and has taken the most wickets by an Indian bowler as well as the highest by a spinner in the league. He began with Delhi Capitals and returned to the franchise in 2015, his price going to Rs 4 crore in 2018. DC picked up two other wrist-spinners in this auction – Kuldeep Yadav and Praveen Dubey – showing they had moved on from the man who played 99 games for them.
Mat 154 Wkts 166 Econ 7.35 Avg 23.95
Teams: Delhi Capitals, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad
Piyush Chawla
It sounds ridiculous that Piyush Chawla played his last match for India just before he turned 24, is still playing representative cricket, and is still only 33. It sounds even more surprising that only two years ago, Chennai Super Kings paid a whopping Rs 6.75 crore for him, and Mumbai Indians forked out Rs 2.4 crore for his leg-spin last year. After Mishra, he has the second-most wickets by an Indian bowler and by a spinner in IPL history. He remains among the wickets for Gujarat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, but the IPL is done with him.
Mat 165 Wkts 157 Econ 7.88 Avg 27.39
Teams: Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians
Saurabh Tiwary
Saurabh Tiwary played three ODIs for India in 2010 and next year, Royal Challengers Bangalore paid $1.6 million for him. His performances never came close to matching the early hype; His IPL career strike-rate is 120. Franchises soon tempered their expectations. Tiwary had been with Mumbai Indians for half a crore for years. He’d stroll around the Wankhede boundary during games and at times come on as a substitute fielder. At 32, he has played a hundred first-class games and scored nearly seven thousand runs. It is an aspect of his game that is often overlooked, it is perhaps also all he has to look forward to now.
Mat 93 Runs 1494 Avg 28.73 SR 120.09
Teams: Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Rising Pune Supergiant, Royal Challengers Bangalore
Dhawal Kulkarni
Another local player who spent years with Mumbai Indians without getting much game time, Dhawal Kulkarni was utilized more by his two other franchises: Gujarat Lions and Rajasthan Royals. The erstwhile Gujarat franchise gave the seamer Rs 2.3 crore, but the amount came down drastically after the two-year existence of the team. MI had him at Rs 75 lakh for the past two seasons, and it was his base price going into this auction, where he found no takers. At 33, there could be some more domestic cricket left to come for the Mumbai Ranji team from Kulkarni, who played his last match for India in 2016.
Mat 92 Wkts 86 Econ 8.3 Avg 28.76
Teams: Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Rajasthan Royals
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