Steve Smith to lose another 1.25 cr, batsman released by The Hundred weeks after RR snub

Former Australia captain, Steve Smith, who was recently released by the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the upcoming IPL auction, was once again let go by yet another franchise. The prolific run-scorer was scheduled to play for the inaugural season of The Hundred for Welsh Fire. However, the management ultimately decided to part ways with the star cricketer. 

The Hundred: Steve Smith released by Welsh Fire 

The competition is slated to take place in July, where a total of eight teams will battle it out for the ultimate championship. According to the original plans, the tournament was scheduled to take place last year itself, but it was eventually postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Australia's Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc were initially picked up by Welsh Fire for a whopping £125,000 (approx ₹1.25 crore).

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However, the move of not retaining the two prominent players could be because of the possible overlapping of Australia's international assignments with the competition. It is also speculated that the two Australian cricketers will not put forward their names in the second draft as well, considering their national team's jampacked calendar. The other notable Australian names who have been retained by their respective sides include Adam Zampa, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, D'Arcy Short, and Nathan Coulter-Nile.

IPL 2021: Steve Smith could go unsold in IPL auction 

The 31-year-old was surprisingly among the 57 players released by all the Indian Premier League franchises ahead of the IPL 2021. Cricket Australia recently stated that they will be granting 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 visits in India.

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This approach from Cricket Australia could hamper the chances of Steve Smith earning a lucrative contract for the upcoming edition of the cash-rich league. Along with Steve Smith, several other Australian players also could go unsold at the event because of the NOC approvals. 

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IPL auction dates

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on January 27 confirmed that the much-awaited mini-auction will take place on February 18. The event will take place in Chennai, after the first two Test matches between India and England. The official date was announced on the tournament's official Twitter handle. 

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Image source: AP