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The auction for the 16th edition of the IPL is scheduled to begin on 23rd December. BCCI has shortlisted 405 players from the initial list of 991 players who will go under the hammer.
The auctions are highly competitive for overseas cricketers since there are only 8 slots per franchise for these players. Players who haven't been included in the final list would be disappointed not to have made the cut, as it is always a great learning curve to be part of an IPL team.
Let us take a look at the 3 surprise exclusions from the updated auction list.
#1 Tim Seifert
New Zealand wicket-keeper batter Tim Seifert is one of the most shocking exclusions from the updated list. He has a decent T20I record - 753 runs in 37 innings at a strike rate of 130, with 5 half-centuries to his name.
Seifert has been a part of two IPL teams - KKR and Delhi Capitals. However, he only played 3 games in 2 seasons and failed to make an impact. He could be a handy option for teams that require a backup overseas batter or keeper.
On his 28th birthday yesterday, Seifert scored a hundred against Wellington in the Ford Trophy. He announced his return to form and will be hoping to get a call-up as a replacement at some point during the next season.
#2 Ashton Turner
Australian middle-order batter Ashton Turner made his IPL debut for the Rajasthan Royals in 2019. However, he had a terrible start as he was dismissed for 3 consecutive golden ducks. Turner scored 3* in his last game, after which he never got another chance. He was unsold in the 2020 IPL auction.
Turner has performed well in T20 cricket over the past 3 years. He has scored 852 runs in 47 innings as a finisher, striking at over 140 runs per 100 deliveries. He also averages above 20 in a highly volatile role.
While it is unreasonable to expect him to start in an IPL team in 2023, he is definitely a decent-quality replacement pick for most franchises. He is also a handy part-time off-spinner, which gives another dimension to his T20 game along with his power-hitting skills.
#3 Ben Cutting
Australian all-rounder Ben Cutting did not generate any interest from IPL franchises as he was excluded from the updated list. He represented SRH, MI and RR in the tournament between 2014 and 2019. However, he was never a regular starter, only playing 21 games across 5 seasons.
His claim to fame moment was the performance against RCB in the 2016 final, when he scored 39* off just 15 deliveries for a title-winning cause. Post that season, his performances in the league tapered off and he was eventually not picked up in the auctions.
However, Cutting has scored 575 runs in 29 innings in T20s at an average of over 20 and a strike rate of 145 since 2021. He could still be a valuable addition for quite a few franchises that do not have enough decent finishers at their disposal.
