IPL has become the most popular league in the world because of its unique concept. The IPL Auction has also gained equal popularity because the fans believe that 50% of the results are decided at the auction table. It all depends on the players that the teams sign and the combinations that they form.
Chennai Super Kings has been a team that has done its homework to perfection ahead of every season. They come to the auction with a set strategy and are often successful in signing the players that they want. However, here’s a list of the five players that CSK wanted to sign in IPL but failed to do so.
1.Jacques Kallis
South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis played for two teams in the IPL. He started his career with Royal Challengers Bangalore and later played for Kolkata Knight Riders.
Very few fans would know that Chennai had signed Kallis in IPL 2014 Auction. However, Kolkata used the Right To Match option and snapped the all-rounder from Chennai’s hands. Kallis could have been an exciting addition to Chennai’s team because he could have provided much more balance to the squad.
2.Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma is the most successful captain in IPL history. MS Dhoni’s team has performed consistently in IPL. Imagine these two players in one team!
Chennai Super Kings wished to sign Rohit Sharma in 2011. They had put him on his wishlist ahead of the auction. Unfortunately, Mumbai Indians won the race to sign Rohit as the fans will never get to see The Hitman and Thala in same IPL team. Also, both batsmen are the only Indians to hit 200+ sixes in the IPL. This statistic highlights that the life of the bowlers would have become a living hell if Rohit and Dhoni batted together in IPL games.
3.Yusuf Pathan
Another match-winner who was present on the wishlist of Chennai Super Kings before the IPL Auction 2011 was Yusuf Pathan. The Baroda-based player had won many matches for Rajasthan Royals.
Surprisingly, Rajasthan did not retain him before the 2011 season. Pathan entered the auction and got an expensive contract from Kolkata Knight Riders as CSK could not fulfill their wish. Imagining Yusuf and Dhoni as finishers would have been the worst nightmare of any bowler. Besides, Dhoni could have used Pathan as a spin-bowling option on the turning tracks of Chepauk. Next year, CSK went for Ravindra Jadeja in the auction.
4.Saurabh Tiwary
Saurabh Tiwary is currently a part of the Mumbai Indians team. After his exploits in the 2010 season, every team, including Chennai Super Kings wanted his services.
Royal Challengers Bangalore signed him in the auction, but he could not live up to the expectations. Tiwary later played for Rising Pune Supergiant in IPL.
5.Angelo Mathews
Former Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews was one of the top all-rounders of the cricket world in the early 2010s. He entered the auction of IPL 2011.
The new entrants of the league Pune Warriors India grabbed him in the auction. MS Dhoni’s side had listed him as one of their ‘wishlist’ players before the auction.
