Ganguly, Lara, Gayle top snubs at IPL auction

While some players would be rejoicing at having made a windfall at the 2011 Indian Premier League Players' Auction, some were left disappointed as the franchises gave them the cold shoulder.

And notable among the ignored players were India's former captain Sourav Ganguly and West Indies legendary batsman Brian Lara, who started with a base price of $400,000 as the marquee players.

Ganguly quit international cricket in 2008 but played in all the three editions of the Indian Premier League for Kolkata Knight Riders, whom he also captained in 2008 and 2010. But the Shahrukh Khan-owned outfit chose to ignore the left-hander, who enjoys a cult status back home in Kolkata, also the base city of the team.

IPL chairman Chirayu Amin said the matter was not in hands of the organizers and the choice was left with the owners.

"This is a reality of the game. It is extremely competitive and the choice of players is left with the owners. The IPL governing council has no say in this matter. It is unfortunate but that's the reality of life," said Amin.

Equally disappointing was the snubbing of Lara, once regarded as the best batsman in the world. The left-hander, who gave up cricket after the 2007 World Cup, is looking to make a comeback to the sport with the IPL.

But the most shocking omission was of Chris Gayle, one of the most destructive openers in world cricket. He has also boasts of having scored the first ever century in Twenty20 international cricket.

England's Ashes winning players also failed to find favours with the franchises with no takers for James Anderson, Matt Prior and Graeme Smith, who also started on the marquee list.

"The interest in England players is based on their availability. South Africa, New Zealand are the only countries other than India, whose player would be available for the full season in 2010 and 2011 and that is why their players are getting a good bid," an official from Delhi Daredevils said.

He, however, offered some hopes for the unsold players saying they could yet find a buyer on day two.

"The unsold players will be back in the fray again after the initial rounds are over," he said.

A list of unsold players:
Sourav Ganguly ($400,000)
Brian Lara ($400,000)
Chris Gayle ($400,000)
James Anderson ($400,000)
Graeme Swann ($400,000)
Luke Wright ($400,000)
Jesse Ryder ($100,000)
Herschelle Gibbs ($200,000)
Graham Manou ($50,000)
Matt Prior ($200,000)
Mark Boucher ($200,000)
Dilhara Fernando ($100,000)
Ajanta Mendis ($200,000)
Murali Kartik ($200,000)
Chamara Kapugedera ($100,000)
Tamim Iqbal ($100,000)