England batter Phil Salt didn't shy away from showing his disappointment after he went unsold at the recently concluded IPL 2024 Auction in Dubai on Tuesday, December 19.
Salt was among the 260 players that didn't find buyers at IPL 2024 auction. The 27-year-old was listed at a base price of INR 1.5 crore but it was too much for IPL franchises to bid for him. Delhi Capitals, with whom Phil Salt played his first IPL season last year, didn't raise the paddle for him at auction.
Phil Salt was expected to be one of the in-demand players after successful debut IPL season this year where his batting averaged at 27.25 with a strike rate of 163.31. But still, franchises were not keen interested to go for him.
'It was confusing morning' - Salt
Speaking at the press conference post England's 4th T20I win against West Indies, Salt described his IPL snub as confusing and he was expected to be picked after performing in the last season of the tournament.
"It was a confusing morning. I expected to be picked up, having gone there last year and done well and after the year that I've had, but these things happen. It's part of the lottery of an auction, it happens in draft processes as well." the England batter said.
"There's a few lads in our dressing room who are going to have a very good Christmas and I'm over the moon for them. I was a bit confused but it can happen. There's no bad cricketers on the list at the IPL. It's one of those things." he added.
Interestingly, hours after the IPL auction, Phil Salt slammed second consecutive century in the ongoing T20I series against West Indies and scored 119 off 57 balls at a strike rate of 208.77.
Phil Salt in IPL 2023
Phil Salt was picked by Delhi Capitals for his base price of INR 2 crore in last year's IPL Auction. In IPL 2023, the 27-year-old played 9 matches and scored 218 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 27.25 and an impressive strike rate of 163.31.
During the IPL Retentions and Releases, Phil Salt was released by DC and shortlisted for a auction at a base price of INR 1.5 crore.
Salt has listed as wicketkeeper-batter at the auction, but there wasn't much demand from buyers for that role, except for Tristan Stubbs, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Shai Hope, who went for lesser base price.
