The Women’s Premier League auctions saw a lot of positives and surprises, but with a list of unsold capped and uncapped Indian players not making it to any franchise, it certainly did disappoint fans and experts. Here’s a look at the unsold capped and uncapped Indian players.
Capped Indian Players who did not make it:
Simran Bahadur:
An express pace bowler who was brought to the center stage owing to her stupendous performance in the domestic circuit is, Simran Dil Bahadur, and in her limited outings in international cricket, has blown hot and cold. Perhaps, that led to her non-selection by any franchise, and more consistent performances will certainly bring her back under the radar going ahead.
Priya Punia:
Once a regular and bestowed with opening the batting for Team India, another shocking player who went unsold was Priya Punia. A string of poor and inconsistent performances in international cricket saw her sidelined from the main team. Although she has been impressive in the domestic circuit, raking up runs, she will have to do more to attract the attention of the selectors and in the future for the franchises in the coming editions.
Ekta Bisht:
A prodigious spinner, Ekta Bisht is undoubtedly one of the finest exponents of spin bowling from the subcontinent. However, inconsistent runs in the main team and competition from other all-rounders saw her get overlooked, and it is still her performances in the domestic set-up that inspires confidence.
Meghna Singh:
Another pacer who has been impressive with her pace but has not been able to translate the same through her performances is Meghna Singh. Her international career has seen a lot of highs and lows and inconsistent performances besides, the lack of a consistent tun to feature in the playing eleven, has been detrimental to her growth. A good set of outings in the domestic set-up should help her remind her detractors of the skill and talent she possesses.
Anuja Patil:
Joining the list of players who are mismanaged by the team management is Anuja Patil. Being a fine turner of the ball, she has been instrumental for India in the past with her spells. Her absence will be felt in this league’s maiden edition nonetheless.
Gouher Sultana:
A loyal servant of the game for the longest time, the ex-India international has been a constant in the domestic ecosystem and has played for the India U21 team as well. She would have certainly been a valuable addition to any team if chosen, and it would have been an icing on the cake to have her expertise.
Others who will be missed: Swagatika Rath, Bharati Fulmali
Uncapped Indian Players who did not make it:
Archana Devi:
Bursting onto the scene as a prodigious U19 cricketer and showcasing to the world what she is capable of at the ICC U19 World Cup was Archana Devi. She was a central figure in India’s victory and scalped wickets at regular intervals for India at the World Cup. Her non-selection by any franchise was surprising, but with age on her side and a slew of good performances in the domestic set-up, she can definitely stake a claim in future editions.
Divya G:
The talented cricketer from Karnataka had some expectations going into the auction on getting picked by some franchise; as in her outings in domestic cricket, she was impressive, but her non-selection was disappointing for the fans and experts alike.
Others who will be dearly missed: G Trisha, Najila CMC, Flak Naz, Shikha Shalot, Mannat Kashyap, Hrishita Basu and Soumya Tiwari
I am a first year postgraduate student pursuing a MA in Media and Communication Studies at Christ University, Bengaluru. I am a podcaster, blogger and an avid cricket fan. When not glued to cricket matches, you can find me submerged in books and thinking about cricket all the time.