Top 5 players who might go unsold at IPL auctions 2024

The countdown to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auctions has begun, and franchises are racing to trade players, releasing some to make way for better options.

With the auctions scheduled for December 19 in Dubai, the coming days may witness players being released by franchises who might be up for grabs. However, some might find it challenging to attract bidders at the auctions.

Teams that haven't performed well in recent seasons, such as Sunrisers Hyderabad or Delhi Capitals, might opt for a complete overhaul to enter IPL 2024 as revamped units.

Here are a few players who might go unsold at the auctions:

1. Manish Pandey (Delhi Capitals)

• Delhi Capitals have already released Pandey ahead of the auctions. 
• The 34-year-old right-handed batter has been around since 2008, and was part of IPL winning team Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014, but hasn’t been up to his best in the last few years. 
• In the last season of IPL, he averaged 17.78 in 10 matches at a dismal strike-rate of 109.59.
• In 2022, he was acquired by Lucknow Super Giants at Rs 4.60 crore, but couldn’t live up to the expectations, averaging 14.67 in 6 matches, and thus was released.
• Pandey also hasn’t been at fireworks in the domestic cricket too in the last few matches, and has recorded mere 2 half-centuries in the last 10 matches he has played.
• There are high chances that Pandey might go unsold at the auctions.

2. Sarfaraz Khan (Delhi Capitals)

• He has also been released by Delhi Capitals ahead of the auctions.
• Sarfaraz Khan's IPL career started well in 2015 but has faltered since. He has played only 17 IPL matches in the last four seasons due to his struggles in the middle order.
• In 2023, he played only 4 matches for DC, scoring 53 runs at an average of 13.25.
• Acquired by Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 3 crore in 2018, his poor performance led to a decline in his value.
• He was acquired by DC at his base price of Rs 20 lakh in 2023. Khan might go unsold at the auctions this season, which could potentially mark the end of his IPL career.

3. Yash Dayal (Gujarat Titans)

• The right-arm-pacer is remembered for being hit for 5 sixes in an over by KKR batter, Rinku Singh, in the last season.
• Dayal had a good start to his career in 2022 with Gujarat Titans, clinching 11 wickets in 9 matches.
• However, the 2023 season was a big disaster for him after the fiasco against KKR, which cost GT the match.
• The pacer might be released and then acquired at a lower price, but considering his performance last season, he might also go unsold at the auctions.

4. Abdul Samad (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

• The 22-year-old Jammu cricketer, might have a a decent strike-rate of 132.03 in the last season, he failed in big matches to deliver.
• As an allrounder, Abdul Samad has been far from impressive, if we take into account his auction price of Rs 4 crore.
• Hyderabad franchise has invested considerably in Samad in the last four years. In fact, the franchise gave IPL break to Jammu cricketers, Abdul Samad and Umran Malik.
• However, it appears that he might be released from the team, as Hyderabad had an awful season in 2023, where it finished at the bottom of the table.
• In a massive overhaul, Hyderabad might release Samad and going by his domestic cricket performance, it doesn’t appear that any franchise would go for him.

5. Litton Das (KKR)

• The Bangladeshi batter came to India last season, scored 4 runs in a match accompanied by terrible wicket-keeping, and then went back.
• This was the story of Litton Das, acquired by KKR at his base price of Rs 50 lakh after going unsold in the first round.
• Although regarded as one of the finest Bangladeshi batters, he has not found his rhythm in the IPL.
• With KKR having several options in the top-order slots, Das might also be released by the team. Considering the circumstances, he might go unsold at the Dubai auctions on December 19.