Robin Uthappa bats for draft system to replace IPL auction

Veteran Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa recently opened up about the 'dark side' of the IPL auction, stating that it feels 'like an examination' where the players that go under the hammer feel like 'cattle'.

The mega-auction took place in Bengaluru last week where just 204 out of 590 cricketers attracted bidders. Many players were left unsold till as late as the final round before the franchises picked them up at a cheap price.

In an exclusive interview with News9, Uthappa opened up about the impact an IPL auction can have on the mental well-being of a player after he goes unsold while his colleagues bag hefty sums.

"The auction feels like an examination which you have written a long time ago, and you're just awaiting the results. You feel like cattle (commodity), to be honest," said Uthappa.

"It's not the most pleasing feeling, and I think that's the thing about cricket, especially in India… everything about you is there for the world to consume and then judge and express their opinions about it. Having an opinion about performances is one thing, but having an opinion on how much you get sold for is quite something else," he added. 

Calling the auction process, 'no method to the madness', Uthappa said he has sympathy for players who did not attract bids, while also calling for a 'respectful draft system' to replace the auction.

"You can't imagine what the guys who don't get sold go through. It cannot be pleasant. My heart goes out to guys who have been there for a long time and then miss out and don't get picked. It can be defeating sometimes. Suddenly your value as a cricketer becomes about how much somebody is willing to spend on you, and it's so haphazard… there is no method to the madness," the Kerala batsman opined, 

"People have tried their best to kind of grapple around it for the last 15 years, and I don't know if they have a clue because if you speak to a lot of the people who have been there at the auction, they'll say 'you know it's so random… if you'd come later you'd probably have made more money… if you'd come earlier there'd have been enough money so you'd '. I really hope for the sake of the sanity of everybody that this goes into a draft system where it is more respectful." he pointed out.

Uthappa was retained by the Chennai Super Kings for INR 2 Crore, and for the two-time IPL-winner, it's a dream come true. 

"Playing for a team like CSK was something I desired, it was one of my only prayers: let's get back to CSK. My family, even my son, prayed for that, which is special for me. I'm happy to be back in a place where there's a sense of security and a sense of respect. There's a backing that's given which makes me feel like I can do anything," he signed off.

As far as recent auctions are concerned, more than INR 550 crores were spent by the ten franchises, with Ishan Kishan emerging as the most expensive acquisition (by the Mumbai Indians for INR 15.25 crores).