Every year, the team managements of the IPL franchises leave no stone unturned in bidding for their desired players in the IPL players’ auction, which is a high-stakes affair. With the tournament past the halfway stage, Delhi Capitals sits on top with 14 points from 10 games while RCB also have the same points from as many games and are second on net run-rate. Mumbai Indians are third on 12 points but have played a game less than the top two teams.
Here’s a look at the performances of the top five buys in this year’s auction:
The Australian paceman, also the No.1 test bowler in the world, became the most expensive overseas buy of all time in the auctions when Kolkata Knight Riders paid a whopping sum of Rs 15 crore to have his services. However, he has proved to be one of the biggest disappointments of the season so far. His performance in the 10 matches KKR has played so far speaks for itself, with just three wickets at an economy rate of 8.22. Although he has performed decently with the bat lower-down the order, notching an important half-century in a losing cause, KKR’s main motive behind his inclusion was to spearhead their bowling attack and he has failed to deliver.
The Punjab management bought Maxwell, another Australian, for Rs 10.5 crore and he is yet to justify that price tag. With 90 runs from 10 games and only two wickets to show for his efforts so far, Maxwell hasn’t done justice to his talent yet.
Chris Morris is one of the major factors behind RCB’s success in the IPL this season as he has provided them with crucial breakthroughs whenever needed. He has picked nine wickets so far from five matches at an impressive economy rate of just five, and that too, despite bowling in the death overs. He has also been handy with the bat scoring a quickfire 8-ball 25 against Kings XI Punjab.
Kings XI Punjab bought the West Indian pacer for Rs 8.5 crore and he lived up to that price tag by picking up four wickets from their initial two matches, but since then Cottrell could only manage four more wickets from as many games. He was left out of the team after Rajasthan Royals’ batsman Rahul Tewatia hammered him for five sixes in an over.
Yet another Aussie paceman finds his way to the list. Defending Champions Mumbai Indians bought him for Rs 8 crore. He missed the first seven matches due to niggles and has played in only two matches so far, returning with disappointing figures of 1/55 and 0/33. However, he did contribute 24 with the bat which helped MI post a respectable total against KXIP in one of the matches.