Often in the IPL, we have seen cricketers getting fragment mainly because of the taxing year which they endure in international cricket. Such scenarios are especially apparent with the overseas stars predominantly because of the grueling which they propound in all three formats of the game. Hence, in each edition of the IPL, there are a certain set of players who do get appallingly injured and are replaced by some alluring performers.

In this process of replacement signing, it’s chiefly the bowlers who are seen as a part of it purely because of their herculean tasks which they carry out in cricket. Although a majority of the signings are done with regard to the players that are unsold during the auction table,  sometimes the franchises further exquisitely explore proponents which sometimes later turn out to become the revelations of the tournament.

Now with the 14th edition of the IPL due in around two weeks, the teams might have a fair idea of who will be the fitting ones ready to take on the strains of the IPL. As mentioned before it’s mainly the pacers who become pale in terms of injuries. So, here is the list of-

5 Pacers who went unsold in IPL auction but can play as injury replacements

1. Isuru Udana

A left-arm seamer who carries a plethora of variations and slower deliveries, the Sri Lankan pacer is a very well-known commodity especially in the T20Is for his national team. When it comes to playing in the shortest format, Isuru Udana has got featured in most of the local tournaments happening in Sri Lanka and has always looked like an exciting product especially at the pitches where he’s bound to get aid.

Last year in IPL 2020, Isuru had extensively represented RCB under the leadership of Virat Kohli by playing a total of 10 games. Because of his shrewd ability to move the ball off the seam, Udana was not only used in the early or the latter stages of the game but also in the middle overs by skipper Kohli to get important breakthroughs. However, with the IPL containing some elites of the game, Udana had disheartening outings as he could only bag 8 wickets that too at an economy of close to 10 runs.

But as now is the case of completing the white-ball education in the IPL, Isuru might have honed his skillsets by grasping the essential learnings from his first season. Hence, the pacer can be looked like an exciting option by the franchises and might bag a replacement deal both because of his left arm proposition along with his canny variations.

2. Jason Behrendorff

Another left-arm seamer who had vigorously performed in Australia’s Big Bash League, Behrendorff was very highly expected to bag an IPL contract for the upcoming edition. In fact, it was highly anticipated that the speedster will again get picked to play for its former franchise MI. But as we all know, the Australian was barely able to attract a single bid.

But as far as the replacement options are concerned for the franchises, once again Behrendorff can be anticipated to be on the top of the picks. In the BBL, the left-handed seamer scalped 16 wickets from his 16 games with a fruitful economy of just 7.04. In terms of his bowling, he is a lethal left-arm pacer in the power plays who mainly with his swing bowling fetches big breakthroughs. Not long ago, he was mainly seen as a one-dimensional bowler for his exquisite swing, but at present, Behrendorff has much improved towards the rear end of the innings.

When it comes to the IPL, the speedster had represented MI in the 2017 IPL season and in his five outings, had bagged 5 wickets. All in all, with the BBL, often been considered as the audition of the IPL, based on that, one might see a franchise calling him out as a potential replacement option.

3. Mohit Sharma

Despite being a proposition who has represented India in a World Cup tournament along with being a valued cricketer during some of the glory years of CSK, it was disappointing to see Mohit Sharma hardly attracting any bid. The cricketer until the last season was seen being part of the Delhi franchise and was highly expected to get picked by the teams who did lack some local crop of pacers. But with this time youngsters stealing the show in the 2021 auction, Mohit Sharma looks to have got swayed.

However, with experience being the key element in Mohit Sharma’s bowling, maybe one can anticipate that the speedster will get instantly picked if there’s an opening regarding an injury replacement. Overall in his eventful IPL career since 2013, Mohit has played 86 games and has grabbed 92 wickets with an economy of 8.44. Generally, he has been known as a wicket-taking bowler and also possesses some decent types of variations.

Being a local lad in terms of the IPL also might work for Mohit Sharma as in the list of unsold players there are hardly some exuberant pacers available who can genuinely cope up with the level of the IPL games. Hence, with injuries being utterly common, one can highly expect this pacer to get the IPL ticket for the 2021 season.

4. Sheldon Cottrell

Not long ago in the last IPL auctions, Sheldon Cottrell was bagged by the KXIP (now PBKS) for a whopping amount of 8.5 crores and was seen as their leader of the bowling department. But with his bowling getting utterly whacked in the initial games of the IPL, the speedster was then discontinued from the KXIP’s playing XI. However, it was speculated that the franchise might bag him again just to get rid of his exponential price tag. But in reality, Sheldon was hardly seen creating a buzz during the 2021 auctions.

Despite having an inferior IPL season wherein his six games he only scalped 6 wickets that too at a towering economy of almost 9, Cottrell with his international experience still looks a workable option for the franchises who will be enduring injury crises. The left-arm pacer very soon in his cricketing career had become a hight class performer especially in the CPL and might crack a code for fetching similar performances in the IPL.

In terms of his bowling, apart from his handy left-arm pace, Sheldon bowls a very good yorker and has some set of slower deliveries in his armory. His athletic fielding along with some handy hitting are some added bonuses if one tries to pick him in the IPL. All in all, the Caribbean can again be looked like a potential option if there’s an opening available for him in the IPL.

5. Billy Stanlake

Not long ago when Stanlake was in the national reckoning for his Australia selection, the speedster was even seen getting picked in the IPL. In his two IPL seasons first Billy had got bagged by RCB and then by the SRH camp. His exceeding height along with some raw pace and bounce has always looked an alluring option for captains to try out but Billy with his bowling has been known for his inconsistency.

In terms of his IPL outing, the pacer had played 4 games with SRH in which he took 5 wickets, bowling with an economy of 8.33. In his recent BBL season with Melbourne Stars, Stanlake in his 12 games took 13 wickets with again a similar economy of 8.34. His natural pace and bounce can be a handy skillset, especially during the power play when batters are mainly wandering for quick runs.

Stanlake, in a broader sense, can be picked by those IPL teams whose frontline bowlers do carry a similar proportion as him. Teams like DC or MI can find him a viable option if there’s a need for a potential injury replacement. Overall, one can say that he is a kind of a bowler who regardless of his limited skills can generate big breakthroughs.