Hetmyer to Dube: Five players who failed to live up to auction hype in IPL 2019

Shimron Hetmyer (RCB, Rs 4.2 crore) – 90 runs in 5 matches, Rs 4.66 lakh per run

Hetmyer was expected to be the next big hitter of IPL. The way he batted against India in the 2018 ODI series ensured he was being eyed by multiple franchises ahead of auctions for season 12. Five franchises bid for him and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) snapped him up for Rs 4.2 crore, which was pretty high given the limited amount of funds available to franchises going into the auction.

The destructive left-handed batsman was expected to be a mainstay in the RCB batting lineup, but the move backfired. Despite multiple chances, he failed to score let alone destroy bowling attacks. He scored just 25 runs in first four matches he played. His maiden IPL century came in a dead rubber match for RCB and his 75 came too late to help RCB make it to the qualifiers. Come next season, it will be interesting to see whether RCB retains him.

Prabhsimran Singh (KXIP, Rs 4.8 crore) – 16 runs in 1 match, Rs 30 lakh per run

Players like Jasprit Bumrah and the Pandya brothers are the examples of local players making it big thanks to the cash-rich league. Singh, who was highly spoken of ahead of the tournament, faced insurmountable odds in his only game for Kings XI Punjab. He walked into bat with 106 runs needed from 42 deliveries, and could score only 16 runs from 17 balls. He never got a second chance in the season.

However, what was confusing was the fact that the team management had indulged in a bidding war with two franchises to sign up Singh for Rs 4.8 crore. Given the price paid, it’s not clear why he didn’t get more chances.

Carlos Brathwaite (KKR, Rs 5 crore) –  11 runs in 2 matches, no wickets; Rs 45.45 lakh per run,

Investing such a large amount in Brathwaite might not have been the best decision in hindsight. Kolkata Knight Riders may have considered him a backup for the injury-prone Andre Russell, who was in red-hot form throughout the season.

However, Brathwaite scored only 11 runs in the two matches he played. His bowling isn’t something he is known for, and he didn’t pick a single wicket. His economy rate was 9.66 runs per over. Given his record over the past three seasons, Brathwaite’s time in the IPL hasn’t been impressive and the chances of him being retained for the next season are slim.

Shivam Dube (RCB, Rs 5 crore) – 40 runs in 4 matches, Rs 12.50 lakh per run,

Dube was another big-hitter pursued by RCB in the auction. Dube had strengthened his case by hitting five sixes in a row in a Ranji Trophy match against Baroda. The left-handed batsman’s timely onslaught worked as Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians and RCB aggressively bid for him.

The 25-year-old got four opportunities to play for RCB, but could only score 40 runs. His best performance came against Delhi Capitals when he scored 24 runs and bowled an economical five-run over.

Varun Chakravarthy (KXIP, Rs 8.4 crore) – Rs 8.4 crores for one wicket, 1/35 in 3 overs in 1 match

Chakravarthy was supposed to be the next big mystery spinner. That’s what everyone expected when five franchises engaged in a serious bidding war for the bowler. The joint-most expensive player of the auction clearly did not live up to the buzz, getting just one wicket on debut against Kolkata Knight Riders and giving 35 runs in three overs. His faux pas in the field also led to Andre Russell getting a lifeline.

After an ordinary debut, he did not start for Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). Injury then ruled him out for the rest of the tournament.