Steve Smith might not get any bids in IPL 2021 auction thanks to Cricket Australia

Australian batsman Steve Smith was among the 57 players to be released by all Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises ahead of the IPL auction. The cricketer had been serving the Rajasthan Royals camp since the 2014 edition of the tournament. In the latest edition (IPL 2020), he led the Rajasthan camp to their worst-ever seasonal outing, i.e. at the bottom of the points table.

A look into all players’ retentions and releases ahead of IPL 2021 auction

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Steve Smith might go unsold at 2021 IPL auction

On Wednesday, February 3, Cricket Australia stated that they will be granting their No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to their players for IPL 2021 participation only on a “case-by-case” basis. Interim CEO Nick Hockley confirmed the same while speaking with the Sydney Morning Herald. Hockley added that they will be considering each of their players on several merits before handing them NOCs for IPL visit in India.

The aforementioned move can hamper Steve Smith’s chances at the auction, considering the cricketer is set to be up for grabs for a new contract post his Rajasthan run. Smith has been one of the most valuable non-Indian players in IPL, as he was retained by the Rajasthan Royals franchise for ₹12.5 crore (US$1.8 million) in the previous season. The aforementioned amount made him the Royals’ joint-most valuable player alongside England’s all-round star Ben Stokes.

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Other Australian stars who could possibly go unsold at the auction are Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch. Players like David Warner, Pat Cummins, Marcus Stoinis among others remain associated with their franchises. However, Cricket Australia’s impending NOC approvals hangs their IPL 2021 participation fate in the balance as well.

IPL auction updates

On January 27, the BCCI confirmed the date for IPL auction of the much-awaited 2021 season. Taking to their social media accounts, the Indian board announced February 18 as the auction date and it will be organised in Chennai. Here is a look at all the latest IPL auction updates.

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New Zealand vs Australia 2021

IPL 2021 and its auction aside, the Australian cricket team is slated to tour New Zealand for a five-match T20I series. The much-awaited antipodean matches will be played between February 22 and March 7 across five different New Zealand venues. Earlier, Cricket Australia announced their squad for the New Zealand vs Australia 2021 series, which did not feature some big names like Steve Smith and David Warner.

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Image source: IPLT20.COM