The Unwanted 11 of VIVO IPL 2017

IPL is cruel. Best in the world, but snubbed in the IPL. IPL is 1 tournament where name and reputation matter more than records and performances. These players, some with a more than impressive track record, fail to even find a place in their respective teams.

I have put together a team of 11 such players from this IPL and the team turned out to be more than impressive. Apart from the lack of availability of a good wicket-keeper, this team covers all bases. A good and able captain, a spectacular batting order, depth in bowling line-up, 3 totally different spinners and specialist all-rounders.

What I came across while stringing together this team is that not many spinners and wicket-keepers have been continuously snubbed by their teams. The tournament being IPL, less Indians with a good track record have been ignored. Therefore, I decided to form a team with 7 foreigners and 4 Indians.

Here is a short description and some reasons as to why the player was ignored.

This top order MI batsman has done more than a decent job whenever he has been given opportunities. Lendl Simmons has always been used by MI as a replacement or cover for some first-choice player. He was instrumental in MI’s 2015 IPL victory and for the 22 games he has played so far, he averages and amazing 47 – impressive in any format, more so in T20. However, he has failed to find a spot in the MI team this year, while he played just a single game last year.

South Africa’s national ODI captain, Faf had successful outings for the Chennai Super Kings for 3 years. In 2016, too, he was impressive for the new Pune franchise until his journey was cut short by an untimely injury. Yet, in 2017, for the 10th season of IPL, Faf failed to make it to the first choice 11 of the Pune team and had a less than impressive outing in the 1 game he played as captain Smith’s replacement.

One of the Fab 4, captain of New Zealand in all 3 formats and a batsman with tremendous potential and results, IPL has been more than cruel to Kane Williamson. He has only played 8 matches in 2 complete seasons and his surprisingly less impressive record didn’t bat the case for him. Having Kane Williamson in the team gives the team a much stable batting order, a super fielder and an experienced captain too. However, he has not found a place in the team of the defending champions so far.

Termed as the sub-continent specialist, Shaun Marsh was the orange cap holder in the inaugural edition of the IPL. In fact, Shaun Marsh is the one of the few players to have played for the same franchise right from the 1st season upto the current season. He also has the numbers to back him – averaging close to 41 in 62 matches. Not only that, he has had impressive average whenever he has played. In 2017, owing to the weak bowling line-up of Punjab, KXIP seem to have gone with Stoinis instead of Marsh and also chosen Hashim Amla over Shaun Marsh. He fills up the number 4 slot in the unwanted 11 of this year’s IPL.

Coming with an impressive 890 runs in the domestic Ranji season on his back, one would have thought the this middle-order Jharkhand batsman would find an immediate place in the KKR line up. But, that was not to be. Ishank Jaggi has already tasted IPL action while with the now defunct Deccan Chargers. He had negligible performances, however.

The man who personified the back-of-the-hand slower ball, the man who scripted many memorable wins for Rajasthan Royals and some for Gujarat Lions, he is probably the best finisher in T20 when it comes to taking sides across the finish lines. With Dwayne Bravo side lined due to an injury, one would have thought that James Faulkner would be the first choice All-Rounder for Gujarat. But, as it turned out, Gujarat decided to play with 4 overseas batsmen and sometimes with 2 batsmen + 1 Bowler. With this done, James Faulkner sits on the bench when he could very well be winning matches for the team.

After impressive performances in the domestic circuit and for the Kings XI Punjab, Rishi Dhawan made his debut for the Indian Team. It has only been downhill for him since. Once a regular and vital member of the Punjab side, he has failed to find a single game this season for the KKR. An All-Rounder who hits the ball a long way and bowls medium-pacers, he would have been a like-for-like replacement, trade-wise. But, that was not to be.

The roadblock that Chris Jordan faces is that he is in Sunrisers Hyderabad. The SRH team has a good Indian bowling unit, not to mention the best death-bowling line up too. This means that Chris Jordan doesn’t find an automatic place in the playing XI. Chris Jordan would have made the first choice playing XI in as many as 5 teams, but not SRH. Chris Jordan’s trade is that he is a smart death bowler, but being in SRH has meant that he carries drinks in every match.

After an impressive series debut against England, where Jayant Yadav took wickets and scored quite a lot runs, he was injured. He is available since the start of the IPL and many thought he would an important member in the team. But DD, with the selection surprises it is known to throw up, Jayant Yadav has not played a single match. Probably, with Amit Mishra and Shahbaz Nadeem performing well as the spinners in the team, DD found no reason to replace either of them with Jayant Yadav, or even include him as the 3rd spinner.

A rare left-arm chinaman bowler, Shamsi donned the RCB jersey in 2016. In 2017, probably due to his failure to perform, he has been unable to find a place in the XI. And with Samuel Badree in the mix performing the way he is, Shamsi has been side-lined even more. He is the 2nd spinner in this side.

The man who doesn’t age. When with Rajasthan Royals, Tambe turned up every year with renewed energy and hunger to perform like a young man. Not only that, he was a very important member of the team. I think the ban of Rajasthan Royals affected him the 2nd most, the most being me. He is a street-smart Leg Spinner and a great athlete in the team. Out of these 11, if anyone deserves an immediate spot in their side, it is Pravin Tambe.