The biggest surprise was the fact the World’s Number 1 T20 bowler as per the ICC rankings, remaining unsold at the end of the two-day auction in Bengaluru.
From the batting perspective, it was the snub to Martin Guptill that generated the headlines but the Kiwi batsmen, on the whole, fared much better than their bowling counterparts.
In hindsight, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as players from New Zealand, barring Brendon McCullum, has failed to deliver on a consistent basis in the IPL. In fact, the former New Zealand skipper is the only Kiwi representative in the Top 50 run-getters in IPL history.
The hard-hitting duo of Colin Munro and Colin de Grandhomme are expected to make an impact in the 2018 edition of the IPL but let’s take a look back at the Top 5 batsmen from New Zealand who have lit up the IPL over the first decade since its inception in 2008.
#5 Corey Anderson (Mumbai Indians, Delhi Daredevils)
An extremely talented all-rounder whose career has been blighted by injuries, Corey Anderson started his IPL journey with Mumbai Indians in 2014 and played two seasons for the franchise before being bought by Delhi Daredevils in 2017.
Anderson found no takers at the 2018 IPL auctions but will be playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the upcoming edition after being named as the replacement player for the injured Nathan Courter-Nile.
His most memorable performance with the bat in the IPL came against Rajasthan Royals in his debut season when he scored an unbeaten 95 off 44 balls to help his side qualify for the playoffs with a better run-rate.
He started the 2015 season in a bright manner scoring two half-centuries in just four matches before a finger injury ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign,
The Kiwi was unable to replicate his big-hitting heroics with Delhi in 2017, scoring just 142 runs from 11 matches.
RCB has handed Anderson a lifeline following his late IPL call-up and it will be interesting to see the role he plays in a side that is known for its love for big-hitting players.
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#4 Jesse Ryder (Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pune Warriors India, Delhi Daredevils)
The bad-boy of New Zealand cricket, Jesse Ryder played in four editions of the IPL from 2009 to 2013, missing the 2010 edition due to a groin injury.
Ryder scored only 56 runs in his debut season from 5 matches and moved to Pune Warriors for two seasons from 2011.
His performances certainly improved as he was one of the better players in a side that struggled to make an impact during their short tenure in the IPL.
Disciplinary and fitness issues have forever played a part in Ryder’s stop-start cricket journey and so was the case in the IPL as he has not found any takers since the 2013 season when he represented Delhi Daredevils.
Extra Cover: 5 cricketers whose ‘bad boy’ image kept them out of the team
#3 Kane Williamson (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
With just 15 games over three seasons of the IPL, Kane Willamson has failed to get a regular chance so far in his IPL journey, but that could all change in 2018 as he has been named as the skipper of Sunrisers Hyderabad after David Warner’s omission following the ball-tampering scandal.
Williamson has been with the Hyderabad-based franchise since his debut in 2015 and played a small part in their 2016 title-winning campaign scoring 124 runs from 6 matches.
He had a much bigger role to play in 2017 when he scored 289 runs from 7 matches with the highest score of 89 in his first game of the season that helped his side beat Delhi Daredevils by 15 runs.
One of the best players in the world across all three formats of the game, 2018 could well be the year the Kiwi finally makes a long-lasting impact in the IPL.
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#2 Ross Taylor (Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors India)
The New Zealand veteran has been quite a journeyman in the IPL representing four different franchises in seven years with the 2014 edition when he played for Delhi Daredevils being his last appearance in India’s premier T20 competition.
Ross Taylor represented RCB in the first three seasons of the IPL, with the 2009 edition being his most prolific when he scored 280 runs from 11 matches at an average of 31.11 and a strike rate of 134.61.
It included his unbeaten knock of 81 off just 33 balls that gave RCB a highly improbable victory over KKR. His ability to finish games made him a fan-favourite at RCB, but it was something he failed to deliver on a consistent basis.
He moved to Rajasthan Royals in 2011 before being picked up by Delhi in 2012 followed by Pune Warriors in 2013 and back to Delhi in 2014.
Extra Cover: Ross Taylor – a tale of two innings
#1 Brendon McCullum (Kolkata Knight Riders, Kochi Tuskers, Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Lions)
One of the greatest ambassadors of the T20 format, Brendon McCullum lit up the IPL in its very first game with his scintillating knock of 158 off just 73 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Despite retiring from international cricket nearly three years ago, McCullum remains one of the most sought-after players in the T20 format and considering his IPL record and match-winning abilities, it was no surprise that he attracted the highest bid among the Kiwi players at the 2018 IPL auction.
He might be 36, but the former New Zealand skipper is fit and raring to go for yet another IPL season - a journey that has seen him play for the likes of the now-defunct Kochi Tuskers, Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Lions and now RCB apart from KKR for whom he played in the first three seasons of the IPL.
The 2015 season has been his most prolific campaign thus far when he scored 436 runs at a strike rate of above 155 from 14 games, including a century.
He scored 405 runs in the 2014 season and in addition, has scored more than 300 runs in an IPL season thrice, including the previous two campaigns.
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