Former India opener Aakash Chopra was surprised to see three star foreign cricketers go unsold in the IPL 2026 mini-auction on Tuesday, December 16.
The much-awaited event held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi went as expected, with Cameron Green and Mathisha Pathirana earning the biggest salaries of Rs 25.2 crore and Rs 18 crore respectively. However, some players who were predicted to get teams remained unsold.
Chopra was especially surprised to see the New Zealand all-rounder. Michael Bracewell And England's aggressive wicketkeeper-batsmen Jamie Smith and Jonny Bairstow failed to find a team in the auction.
Talking about Bracewell, the cricketer turned specialist couldn't understand why teams like Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants showed no interest in bringing him on board.
He said on his YouTube channel, “I don't know what's wrong with the IPL. There is a player named Michael Bracewell. I don't know why no one rates him. He is an extraordinary player. I still remember the century he scored against India in Hyderabad. Many teams needed an off-spinner batsman. I thought Chennai would be interested in him. I thought LSG would be interested in him. At least some teams should have been interested in him, but no one was interested. Very, very surprising.”
Chopra also did not understand the logic behind teams not bidding for Smith, who can bat at almost every position from the top to the lower order.
He said, “Jamie Smith, how did he go unsold? He came three times. Someone put his name in the auction list each time. He was shortlisted for both accelerators, and then no one bought him. It was beyond my understanding. Jamie is a wicketkeeper-batsman, who bats both up and down the order. He is a gun player, but is not visible. I am very surprised. I have no logic. Logic has failed here.”
Chopra was also surprised by Jonny Bairstow not being selected despite performing well in the few matches he played for Mumbai Indians at the end of IPL 2025.
Chopra concluded, “The argument for Jonny Bairstow has failed. Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Duckett, Pathum Nissanka, Tom Banton and Quinton de Kock were sold, but there is no room for Jonny Bairstow, who played so well in the few matches he played last season. He would have been available for the whole season.”
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