IPL 2022: Three players who will be ready replacements
The 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction saw a total of 204 players from all over the globe getting contracts from the ten IPL franchises. More than 600 players were shortlisted for the auction but most of them did not get any bids under their name.
However, the unsold players should not lose their hopes as they can still be roped in by franchises looking to get a replacement for some players suffering from injuries and personal reasons. On that note, let’s take a look at three players who could return to IPL 2022 as replacements:
Suresh Raina
It came as a shock and heartbreak for many cricket fans after Mr IPL Suresh Raina did not manage to attract even a single buyer for his name in the mega auction. It was expected that he will get purchased by his former franchise Chennai Super Kings, but that was not the case.
Raina has played 205 IPL games and has amassed 5528 runs at an average of 32.52. The left-handed batter is fourth on the list of the leading run-scorers in the history of the tournament. He batter remained the main contributor for the yellow army with the bat for the past several seasons. It would be only ideal if Raina is picked by some franchise as a replacement and get a farewell match at the biggest T20 league in the world.
Martin Guptill
Even though Guptill did not get a single bid under his name, New Zealand veteran batter Martin Guptill can be a perfect replacement for any franchise in the IPL. Known for his ability to hit the long ball, the Kiwi player can prove to be a very lethal batter, especially during the field restrictions.
The 35-year-old has represented his country in 112 T20 matches and has scored 3299 runs at an average of 32.66 that too with a strike rate of 136. He has two T20I hundreds to his name. Guptill’s contribution to the New Zealand cricket team has been precious. It would be interesting to see if he gets a chance to play in IPL 2022 as a replacement.
Dawid Malan
England left-handed batter Dawid Malan is currently ranked fourth in the ICC T20I batters list. Even though Malan has established himself as a match-winner in the shortest format of the game, the 34-year-old went unsold in the IPL mega auction. The left-handed batter played the last season for the Punjab Kings but was not able to perform well for the franchise.
Representing England, Malan has scored 1239 runs in 36 T20Is at an excellent average of 41.3. He is a technically sound batter and has been a very effective player in the shortest format. It remains to be seen if the batter gets another chance to play in IPL 2022 as a replacement signing by any of the IPL team.
