The Indian Premier League is entering its 19th season since its inauguration in 2008 and thousands of cricketers have featured in the tournament’s history. However, even the best cricketers’ careers have come to an end.
The IPL is designed to be a mega platform for players from across the country as well as overseas players, as many players have regained their place in the national teams considering their IPL performances.
However, the IPL, being a very high-stakes competition, demands more than just legacy. Even the best players like David Warner, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson and Suresh Raina were not sold in the IPL auction due to a few factors, form being the major one.
Here is a list of famous cricketers who may go unsold in the IPL mini-auction:
5. Steve Smith
Former Australian captain Steve Smith has now gone unsold in the IPL auction twice in the last two auctions. Smith made his IPL debut in 2012 and has played 9 seasons in the IPL. Having played mostly for Rajasthan Royals, he has also represented Pune Warriors India and Rising Pune Supergiants over the years.
Steve Smith’s last IPL appearance was in 2021 when he was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 2.20 crore, but he did not have a productive season. Smith has scored 2485 runs in 103 matches with one century in his career.
Despite all his heroics and favorable statistics, Smith is unlikely to be in the cards for the franchise, as his age is a concern for teams, and he also lacks form in the format. Although he led Washington Freedom to a spectacular MLC win in 2024 and also scored a few centuries for Sydney Sixers, such things simply do not define form at present.
4. Josh Inglis
Another Australian cricketer in this list. However, unlike Steven Smith, Inglis is one of Australia’s most in-form and dangerous T20I cricketers in recent years. He played for Punjab Kings last season and scored 278 runs in the season. He earned a reputation for his fearless brand of strokeplay and his ability to change the course of a match.
However, before the mini-auction, Inglis was sorted under the INR 2 crore belt, and then informed that he would only be available for 25% of the IPL season; That means he will not play more than 4 matches in the season. This unavailability for most of the season led to his release from PBKS and could also be the main reason for him remaining unsold.
3.Devon Conway
The former Chennai Super Kings opener has been a stalwart for the Super Kings over several seasons but has been heavily affected by injuries and has been unavailable at crucial junctures. With CSK looking to go young with their former players, they have been released ahead of the mini-auction.
However, in recent times, Conway has suffered a severe decline. His form is quite lacking in the shortest format of the game and especially in the IPL. Therefore, Conway may also remain unsold in the auction.
2. Jake Fraser-McGurk
The Australian player earned a quick reputation on his success in the IPL in 2024 and was rated as a destructive opening batsman. McGurk hit fearlessly with a strike rate of over 250 in his debut season for Delhi Capitals and hence was selected for the next season as well.
However, he could not maintain the high standards set for the batsman. McGurk failed to perform well with the bat and was a big disappointment at the huge amount he was paid. Given his inconsistency, he is likely to remain unsold this season.
1. Wanindu Hasaranga
After Steve Smith and Devon Conway, he is the most promising performer on this list in the Indian Premier League. Wanindu Hasaranga has not had the best season for Rajasthan Royals.
Although Hasaranga performed brilliantly in international cricket, he failed to achieve success in the IPL. Hasaranga’s form might not have been a matter of great concern if injury problems had not beset him.
Also read: IPL 2026 auction: Teams may deliberately ignore star players
