As the fifth edition of the IPL enters its home run, Bikash Mohapatra digs out the buys that have failed to provide value for money.
The auction preceding the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League wasn't elaborate.
With most franchises having bolstered their squads in the off-season, it was only a case of a few big names in the fray, mostly of the now defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala.
While there were expectedly a few big purchases, what is inexplicable is why teams paid huge amounts for players that they have hardly used.
West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell, bought by Delhi Daredevils for US $450,000, nine times his base price (US $50,000), is a perfect case in point. He has played just one match.
As things stand, most of the big purchases have failed to deliver the desired result. Rediff.com takes a look at the major 'buys' that are yet to justify their worth.
Ravindra Jadeja (Chennai Super Kings)
Base Price: US $100,000
Bought for: US $2,000,000
It was a surprise, if not a shocker!
Ravindra Jadeja is a utility player alright, but shelling out US $2 million, which the Chennai franchise did to secure his services, was a tad too much, especially considering his low base price.
Save the match against Deccan Chargers in Visakhapatnam, where he scored 48 and picked five for 16, Jadeja has struggled.
Suffice to say the 23-year-old has failed to justify his worth. With that huge figure he was never meant to.
Vinay Kumar's economy rate is among the worst
R Vinay Kumar (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Base Price: US $100,000
Bought for: US $1,000,000
First a franchise lets go of a player on its rolls and then buys him again for 10 times his base price.
Confused?
R Vinay Kumar is a case in point. The 28-year-old played the first three seasons for Royal Challengers Bangalore before turning up for the now defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala in the fourth edition.
At the auction preceding the fifth, RCB paid US $1 million to re-acquire his services.
Statistics point out that with 14 wickets (in 13 matches) Vinay Kumar is RCB's highest wicket taker thus far.
However, scratch the surface and you will find the same statistics also indicate RCB has the highest economy rate among all the nine teams in the fray.
Vinay Kumar, with an economy rate of almost nine runs per over, leads the pack, a clear indicator of the fact that he was anything but effective.
McCullum has been a shadow of his self
Brendon McCullum (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Base Price: US $400,000
Bought for: US $900,000
Brendon McCullum's case is similar to Vinay Kumar's. The New Zealander played for Kolkata Knight Riders in the first three seasons before donning the colours of Kochi Tuskers Kerala last year.
KKR paid more than double his base price to reacquire his services at the auction.
However, McCullum is a shadow of his self, aggregating a paltry 216 runs in his nine innings (strike rate of 108).
In the last three matches he played, the 30-year-old scored 42 against the Pune Warriors, 56 against Delhi Daredevils and 37 against Chennai Super Kings. Good contributions you may think.
But, think again! These three innings were unlike what is expected of him.
Remember his 158 against RCB in the first IPL? Now, understand what we mean?
Perera has managed to play only twice
Thisara Perera (Mumbai Indians)
Base Price: US $50,000
Bought for: US $650,000
Thisara Perera is not at fault. The blame lies with Mumbai Indians.
The franchise paid 13 times the base price to acquire the services of the Sri Lankan. The 23-year-old has since featured in only two of his team's 14 matches thus far.
He can't be fully blamed for failing in both of those. He simply hasn't got the opportunities!
RP Singh has lost both pace and control
Rudra Pratap Singh (Mumbai Indians)
Base Price: US $200,000
Bought for: US $600,000
RP Singh's impressive record in the previous editions -- he was the Purple Cap winner in 2009 -- meant Mumbai Indians didn't think twice before paying three times his base price to acquire his services.
However, in doing so the Mumbai team overlooked the fact that the 26-year-old's performance has shown a steady decline.
RP has not only lost pace but also control.
No wonder he has failed to impress in Mumbai colours, save for the game against Chennai Super Kings. Neither has he been able to assure his place in the playing XI on a regular basis.
An economy rate of nearly eight runs an over isn't an exactly flattering statistic either.
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