Star Australian batsman Steve Smith is not part of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) after he decided to excuse himself from the player auction at the end of last year. And since he decided not to register for the auction, he cannot join this edition of the IPL even as a replacement for an injured player.
Smith, who last played in the IPL in 2021 for the Delhi Capitals, was sensational in the 2022-23 Big Bash League (BBL) season for the Sydney Sixers where he emerged as the 11th-highest run-scorer in the tournament with two centuries, a fifty and a strike rate of 174.
However, Smith has been commentating for the official broadcast partner for IPL 2023.
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Why did Smith decide to stay out of IPL 2023?
"I did not put my name in the auction this year as this is a very big year for Australian cricket," he said in an Instagram Q&A session.
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Will Steve Smith play in the 2024 IPL?
Smith confirmed that he will enter the auction for the next edition of the domestic T20 tournament.
"I will put my name in next year (in action) and if someone picks me up then it will be great," the cricketer confirmed.
Incidentally, Smith went unsold in the 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru after he failed to attract any bidders for a base price of Rs 2 crore.
— Mrityunjay Soni (@MrityunjayCE) April 10, 2023
What is Steve Smith's record in IPL?
Smith has played 103 games in the IPL scoring 2,485 runs at an average of 34.5 including one century and eleven fifties at a strike rate of 128.1.
