It has been four months since they led the way for Australia with two sizable deals but fortune appears to have turned its back on both Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins in the ongoing IPL season. After sparking an intense bidding battle among top IPL franchises at a swish multi-purpose venue in Dubai last December, Starc fetched a handsome Rs 24.75 crore, with comrade Cummins the only other top name in the fray, having been acquired for Rs 20.5 crore.

Besides Starc and Cummins, Daryl Mitchell, Harshal Patel, and Alzarri Joseph have encountered a lacklustre start to their campaign this season. If we assess their performances, it becomes evident that four out of the five most expensive players would fall into the lowest tier. Additionally, three others among the current top seven have only slightly improved but still remain below par compared to expectations. Surprisingly enough, however, Rilee Rossouw, Rovman Powell, and Shahrukh Khan have yet to make an appearance for their franchises, not even as ‘Impact Players’, in a single game, wonder why!