Archer

Picture Credit: Twitter

English cricketer Jofra Archer has registered for the IPL 2022 mega auction for a base price of Rs 2 crore. However, due to injury, Archer will not be available to play for the upcoming season. He has registered for the auction with an aim of participating in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Archer has missed out on most of the cricketing action lately including the Ashes and the T20 World Cup due to this injury. From 1214 players who registered, 590 players have been shortlisted for the auction.

“The ECB has registered Archer for the auction with a view to potential participation in 2023 and 2024, as due to his current injury it is unlikely that he can participate in IPL 2022,” the tournament's chief operating officer Hemang Amin told the 10 IPL franchises in an email.

"Therefore, his name has been included in the auction list but he won't feature in the marquee or other sets to be presented," Amin added.

"He will be available to be called during the accelerated auction and whoever picks him will not get a replacement player for IPL 2022 season," he stated.

Notably, a total of ten teams are set to participate in this year's IPL auction with the inclusion of two new franchises Lucknow and Ahmebdabad. Players like Trent Boult, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis and Kagiso Rabada have been included in the marquee list along with the sacked Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL-winning captain David Warner.

Earlier, some of the big names like Ben Stokes, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc and Chris Gayle had decided not to give their names for the auction. With this, it could well be the end of Gayle in the IPL. The West Indian big-hitting batter enriched the tournament with his huge sixes and had a defining role to play with the Royal Challengers Bangalore during his stint with them.

He remains the owner of the highest individual score in the tournament with the 175 he made against the Pune Warriors India, smashing Rahul Sharma for five sixes in an over during the innings.

Renowned Indian cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle took the opportunity to applaud Gayle's contribution to the tournament.

"So @henrygayle hasn't registered for the #IPLAuction2022 auction. I guess it means we have seen the last of Gayle, the player, at the IPL. If indeed so, it is time to stand up and applaud one of the finest and most charismatic players at the IPL. He was a big part of its growth," he tweeted after his decision to opt-out was confirmed.