IPL stalwart set to be sidelined with mega auction pick uncertain

The mega auction 2024 might end the IPL careers of several stalwarts who once ruled the league. They were integral to the competition and played a crucial role in making the league global, but they won’t find buyers this time for various reasons.

Among the many players might be David Warner, who has been among the finest overseas players in IPL. He has 6565 runs at an average of 40.52 and a strike rate of 139.77 in 184 IPL innings, including 62 fifties and four centuries.

Warner’s best came with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and he was vital in taking the team to its only IPL title in 2016. Barring being a prudent leader, the Australian batter was among the most consistent batters during his SRH days.

Warner was with Delhi Capitals (DC) in the previous cycle and did well in patches, even though he would have liked to contribute more. He also led the unit in 2023 when Rishabh Pant was ruled out due to an accident.

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Why will the Delhi Capitals leave David Warner?

David Warner’s second stint with Delhi Capitals wasn’t as fruitful, even though he was decent at times. He scored 432 runs at an average of 48 in 12 innings in 2022, but the numbers shrunk the following seasons.

Warner accumulated 516 runs at a 36.85 average, but his strike rate came down to 131.63 in 2023. Then, he could only score 168 runs in eight outings this year and was dropped for a few matches midway through the competition.

As they look for a new season, DC might look beyond him, for they have several better players to retain from local and overseas sections. Jake Fraser-McGurk, Tristan Stubbs, and Harry Brook have more value, whereas the local department has multiple quality players to keep.

Warner could have pressed his case with his performances, but his mediocre run further exacerbated his case. The team is unlikely to look at him as one of their overseas players and might release him ahead of the mega auction.

David Warner set to be sidelined in the mega auction

Besides being released by Delhi Capitals, Warner might not find any buyer in the IPL 2025 mega auction. Warner, 37, didn’t look in great touch last IPL, and the league is constantly evolving, meaning his job will keep getting harder.

Further, his recent form in other lower-level leagues suggests Warner is well past his prime, for runs have been hard to come by. Then, Warner is also on the wrong side of the 40s and can’t be a long-term investment for IPL sides.

Several better options than Warner will be available in local and overseas categories, suggesting the dynamite opener might unsold in the auction. Teams build for the future in the mega auction, and Warner doesn’t fit in that section.

No team would want to use cash and an overseas slot for an ageing specialist batter whose expertise is on the wane for an extended period. It won’t be surprising if Warner is sidelined in the IPL 2025 mega auction.

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