Here is the list of a few distinguished cricketers who remained unsold during the IPL 2024 auction -
The former Australian captain, Steven Smith, failed to fetch any interest from teams in the IPL 2024 auction. Despite his history in the IPL and the recent success of ODI World Cup winners, his base price of Rs 2 crore was deemed too high for teams to consider. This resulted in him going unsold in the auction.
Phil Salt, a key member of the English T20I side, went unsold in the IPL 2024 auction. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had kept their players' participation in the IPL on a conditional basis, as they were planning and preparing for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. This might have put Salt in a bit of a clash between the player's national interest and franchise interests in the IPL, which could have played a major role in him not attracting any bids from IPL teams. He had hit 2 centuries back to back in the T20I's.
Keshav Maharaj, the South African left-arm spinner, impressed with his talent tailor-made to succeed in Indian conditions during the recent World Cup. However, teams were often wary of buying international spinners, especially those who were one-dimensional and didn't offer much with the bat. Despite his ability to bat, Maharaj's overall offerings did not meet the expectations of the franchises in the mini-auction.
The West Indian all-rounder has enjoyed substantial earnings in the past few seasons, representing the Lucknow Super Giant and Rajasthan Royals in 2022 and 2023. However, his struggles in bowling during the death overs and his inability to demonstrate varied batting techniques may have disrupted his path this time.
James Neesham, the New Zealand all-rounder, has experienced multiple IPL teams throughout his career. He is a versatile cricketer capable of effectively bowling and finishing an innings. However, Neesham has not had the opportunity to consistently showcase these skills in the IPL, which led to teams being cautious about securing him in the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai.