Experienced Australian batter Steve Smith on Tuesday went unsold at the IPL 2024 Auction, leaving a lot of cricket fans perplexed. After being unsold in the initial phase of the auction, the batter’s name was brought again in the accelerated round of the auction. However, much like the first instance, no IPL team showed interest in acquiring the services of the stylish batter. As a result, we won’t see Steve Smith at the IPL 2024.
Interestingly, it was IPL that provided Steve Smith with recognition when he joined the now-extinct Pune Warriors. He has been a constant presence in IPL from them, playing for various IPL teams including Rajasthan Royals.
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However, Smith did not have a favourable IPL Auction this time around. When his name came of for the first time during the auction, there was pin drop silence in the auction room, suggesting that not many IPL teams were interested in acquiring the services of the Australian.
However, it would be wrong to think Steve Smith was not wanted by any IPL team. His name came up again during the accelerated round of bidding for unsold players. Only those unsold players whose names are given by IPL teams after the initial bidding round gets a second chance.
But the tide did not turn for Steve Smith, as no IPL team came in with a bid for the accomplished batter.
