McCullum misses out on IPL contract
AUCKLAND: Black Caps great Brendon McCullum was left unsold in the latest Indian Premier League auction.
Other New Zealand players available at auction for next year’s competition but also left unsold were Corey Anderson, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips and Luke Ronchi.
McCullum has played in every edition of the IPL since 2008. This year he played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, who finished outside of the playoffs.
McCullum is about to start the new Big Bash season in Australia with the Brisbane Heat.
Martin Guptill was sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for $NZ207,000 where he joins Black Caps captain Kane Williamson and suspended Aussie opener David Warner.
Lockie Ferguson went to the Kolkata Knight Riders for $330,000.
They will join nine other New Zealanders in next year’s competition after Williamson, Colin de Grandhomme (Royal Challengers), Tim Southee (Royal Challengers), Ish Sodhi (Rajasthan Royals), Trent Boult (Delhi Capitals), Colin Munro (Delhi Capitals), Mitchell McClenaghan (Mumbai Indians), Adam Milne (Mumbai Indians) and Mitchell Santner (Super Kings) were all retained by their franchises.
Indian duo Jaydev Unadkat (Rajasthan Royals) and Varun Chakravarthy (Kings XI Punjab) were the highest sold for $1.7 million.
The Rajasthan Royals bought back the 27yearold Unadkat after letting the leftarm seamer go following this year’s tournament.
Kings XI Punjab, now coached by former Black Caps coach Mike Hesson, paid the same amount to bag the services of uncapped spinner Chakravarthy, who had a base price of only $40,000.
The 27yearold started his career as a wicketkeeperbatsman, then took a break from the game to return as a seambowling allrounder. A knee injury forced him to take to spin bowling, and he has played only one firstclass game.
England’s Sam Curran went for $1.5 million, also to Kings XI Punjab. — NZME/Reuters