During the first two weeks of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the two most expensive players did nothing to justify their huge pay packets.
Not for the first time, Andrew Flintoff has flown back home from the middle of a tour and gone under the surgeon’s knife while Kevin Pietersen’s switch-hit has flopped.
During the first two weeks of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the two most expensive players did nothing to justify their huge pay packets (they were purchased for a combined price of $3.10 million at this year’s auction).
Flintoff, besieged with ankle, hip and knee problems, was always a risky buy, especially when bought for a record $1.55 million. He played three games and did precious little before he suffered his third injury in three months, giving himself and his franchisee grief.
Pietersen’s biggest high came when he knocked out Parthiv Patel’s off stump off his first ball in the IPL against the Chennai Super Kings. But Pietersen’s Royal Challengers Bangalore lost the game by 92 runs, one of their four defeats in seven outings.
On Sunday, Pietersen tried to change the pace of the game and his team’s fortunes by attempting a switch-hit against the Delhi Daredevils. He ended up losing his wicket. Pietersen’s record as skipper and lead batsman of the RCB has been rather dismal keeping particularly in mind his marquee status.
In all, KP made just 93 runs in six outings with two ducks. He did not look cocksure and with the Test series approaching he would well have his mind in two places. Pietersen was grumpy by the time the away series against the West Indies concluded and has probably finished his IPL stint in a similar frame of mind.
The Englishmen are not the only money-bags who have played like paupers. Jacques Kallis, Ishant Sharma, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, MS Dhoni, Robin Uthappa and Mohammad Kaif are some the wealthiest players (all over $675,000), who have failed to justify their bills.
They will be feeling uneasy, for when millionaire owners throw money to buy the best talent they also deem it their right to pack them for non-performance. JP Duminy, the most promising South African batsman, has proved his worth, making his way to the top 4 in the run getters’ list. Duminy’s base price was $300,000 but he was finally pouched by the Mumbai Indians for $950,000.
Among those who are turning out to be value for money are Lasith Malinga, among the top wicket-takers in the tournament, Anil Kumble, Laxmipathy Balaji and Pragyan Ojha. Delhi’s Tillakaratne Dilshan and Ad DeVilliers, Mohali’s Yusuf Abdulla and Chennai’s Matthew Hayden have been good value for money too.
LOW INVESTMENT GOOD RETURNS
A Kumble ($500,000, RCB)
M R W
6 7 8
L Malinga ($350,000, MI)
M R W
4 - 11
M Hayden ($375,000, CSK)
M R W
5 216 -
De Villiers (300,000, DD)
M R W
5 181 -
P Ojha ($50,000, DC)
M R W
5 1 9
S Warne ($450,000, RR)
M R W
5 42 7
T Dilshan (250,000, DD)
M R W
5 176 -
Y Abdulla ($350,000, KXIP)
M R W
5 0 10
Y Pathan ($475,000, RR)
M R W
5 145 2
L Balaji ($50,000, CSK)
M R W
4 - 10
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