The IPL has provided a fantastic platform for a lot of players to showcase their abilities, but some do not get picked at auction. They have, however, been brought in as replacements and have performed admirably.
This has happened year after year, and many players have risen through the ranks to fill the void. Due to the high level of competition within the domestic circuit, it is difficult to break into the teams.
1. Chris Gayle:
Chris Gayle went unsold in the 2011 IPL auctions, as teams were wary of his likely international commitments and decided against signing him. He became available after a fallout with the Windies Cricket Board and after an injury to Dirk Nannes, he was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore. He would go on to change the face of RCB by scoring a lot of runs for the team. During the 2011 and 2012 seasons, he was the Orange Cap winner.
2. Imran Tahir
Imran Tahir joined the Rising Pune Supergiants franchise in 2017 as a replacement for Mitchell Marsh, who was injured. RPS began with Adam Zampa, who scored a few runs in the middle, before introducing Imran Tahir to the playing XI, which paid off immediately. He had a fantastic season, taking 18 wickets at an average of 20.50 in 12 games. In the 2018 auction, his impressive start earned him a spot under MS Dhoni with the CSK team.
3. Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar debuted in the Indian Premier League 2021 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He was a decent performer for the franchise, but he went unsold at the IPL 2022 mega auction. Midway through the tournament, RCB’s uncapped player Luvnith Sisodia was ruled out, prompting the franchise to look for a replacement. Rajat Patidar was brought in by Bangalore, and it turned out to be a wise decision. Patidar scored a century for the team, which helped them win the Eliminator against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). In Qualifier 2, he also hit a fifty against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).
4. Doug Bollinger
In order to strengthen their pace attack in IPL 2010, CSK added Doug Bollinger in place of injured Jacob Oram. Bollinger played key roles in every game after this move, and the team began to resurge. Doug had the best spell of the season, going 4-1-13-4 in the semi-finals to help Chennai beat the defending champions Deccan Chargers. His performance in the finals was instrumental in their first championship. He was also pivotal in CSK’s Champions League T20 triumph in 2010.
5. Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar debuted in the IPL at a young age, and he was selected by the Rising Pune Supergiants to replace Ravichandran Ashwin, who was injured. Everyone was impressed by the off-spinners accurate length and line, as well as his quickness. Sundar bowled in 11 games that season, picking up 8 wickets at an economy rate of 6.17, which was impressive considering he bowled mostly in the powerplay. He was a key member of the RPS squad until they reached the finals, and his strong start earned him an immediate spot in the Indian T20 setup.
