Australia international Steve Smith has confirmed that he will put up his name for the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auctions, which are scheduled to take place later this year.
Smith, who led the Rising Pune Supergiant (RPSG) to the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 season, where they finished runners-up to winners Mumbai Indians, has not featured in the IPL in recent years.
After the 2017 season, the Pune franchise was disbanded after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) had returned to the league, after serving their suspension period of two years.
How many times has Steve Smith gone unsold in the IPL auctions?
Steve Smith had entered his name for the mini auctions that were set to take place ahead of the IPL 2024 season.
While fellow Australian superstars like Mitchell Starc (24.75 Cr) and Pat Cummins (20.50 Cr), easily crossed over the record 20 Cr mark, as they were acquired by IPL franchises Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad, respectively, Smith went unsold.
Similarly, 2 years earlier, he had put his name in for the IPL 2022 auction, where he had gone unsold as well.
Smith last played in the IPL for the Delhi Capitals, during the 2021 season, where he had posted just 152 runs at an average of 25.33 and a strike rate of 112.59 in eight innings.
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What is Steve Smith's record in Indian Premier League (IPL)?
Steve Smith has featured for four different IPL teams, namely - Pune Warriors India, Rajasthan Royals, Rising Pune Supergiant, and the Delhi Capitals.
While he does not have an exceptional record, he has averaged over 40 for both the Pune franchises, where he made good contributions not only as a batter, but also as a fielder, spin bowler and as a captain.
When he made his IPL debut in 2012, he was considered majorly as a leg-spin bowling allrounder, but since then he has gone on to become one of the greatest batters of all time, especially in the Test and ODI formats.
| Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50+ scores | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93 | 2485 | 34.51 | 128.09 | 12 | 101 |
It will be interesting to see if teams bid for the 35-year-old Australian in the upcoming auction as he can also add valuable experience to teams that require leadership.
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