Some players, who were picked by their respective IPL franchises for huge amounts, have failed to deliver so far
We are into week two of Indian Premier League 2019 and the tournament is living up to its expectations. In just two weeks, we have witnessed breathtaking individual batting performances, match-winning bowling performances, and the overall level of cricket has been top-drawer.
However, there have been some disappointments too. Some players who were picked by their respective franchises for huge amounts have failed to deliver so far.
Let’s have a look at players who are not living up to their billing.
Rajasthan Royals paid Rs 8.4 crore for the tall fast bowler in IPL 2019 auction. It came as a big surprise to many because he had a very mediocre IPL 2018, but the Royals were confident that he will add value and strength to their squad. But Unadkat's numbers after playing three matches in IPL 2019 are very disappointing.
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Unadkat has picked up just two wickets in his three outings this season and conceded a lot of runs at 12.40 per over. He has not made any impact whatsoever and batsmen have been able to pick him very easily.
Delhi Capitals invested heavily on Ingram in the IPL 2019 auction but the return on their investment has been very low so far. Ingram, who bats in the middle order for Delhi, has scored just 102 runs in five matches, at a mediocre average of 20.4. Delhi Capitals are playing Ingram as a finisher, but apart from one 40+ score, the South African batsman hasn’t made any significant contribution.
There was a lot of excitement among Indian cricket fans when Kings XI Punjab paid Rs 8.4 crore for young Chakravarthy in the IPL 2019 auction. Mystery spinners are ruling the game of cricket, especially the shortest format, and fans were hoping that Chakravarthy would offer something new.
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But it hasn’t been the case so far. Out of KXIP’s four matches, Chakravarthy has played just one match and bowled three overs for 35 runs, much to the disappointment of fans and pundits.
Hetmyer impressed one and all with his batting skills when the West Indies toured India the last time. He is a very clean hitter of the ball and that is why Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) paid Rs 4.2 crore for him. However, he hasn’t been able to live up the expectations so far. In four matches, Hetmyer has scored just 15 runs at a very worrisome strike rate of 57.69. In all likeliness, after trying him at a couple of different batting positions, RCB will drop Hetmyer for his poor form and numbers.
Patel’s rise in cricket started from the IPL but his graph has gone down significantly in the past three years or so. Despite his poor form and mediocre show in IPL 2018, Delhi Capitals paid Rs 5 crore for him in the IPL 2019 auction. Delhi fans were hoping that Axar would turn things around and contribute to their campaign, but, unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to deliver so far.
In three matches, he has taken just two wickets for 76 runs.
The 25-year-old all-rounder, who hails from Mumbai, was the talk of the town after RCB paid Rs 5 crore for him in the IPL 2019 auction. On the eve of the auction, Dube made headlines as he hammered five sixes in five balls on the final day of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy match against Baroda, and this was one of the biggest reasons he attracted such high bids from franchise owners.
However, his numbers so far suggest that RCB think tank got a bit carried away while bidding for him. In three matches, Dube has scored just 16 runs and hasn’t even opened his account in the bowling department.
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