The mini-auction for the 2023 IPL auction took place in December where stars of the sport like Sam Curran, Cameron Green, and Ben Stokes got purchased for big amounts. However, with all the big stars going for big-money move, another cricketer who was supposed to bag a big transfer had to return empty handed, and he is none other than Dasun Shanaka.
In the T20I series against India, Shanaka led the Sri Lankan batting charge emphatically as he blasted an explosive knock of 45 from just 27 balls while smashing 56 off 22 balls in the series equalizer. He was not only an adept batter who pulled off the heroics but he also managed to showcase his bowling flair by defending a stipulated target, helping the Lankans restore parity in the series.
Following the series, Gambhir said, had the IPL auction been hosted after the Indo-Sri Lankan series, then Dasun Shanaka would have been a star whom many franchises could not have afforded. Gambhir said on Star Sports, “I won’t have money, he would be that expensive, the way he has batted. That is what the auction is all about.”
He further added, “Imagine if this series had happened just before the auction, some of the franchises would probably not have had the money to buy him.”Shanaka opened up on this statement and added some valuable insight into the same proceedings.
Shanaka said, “When it comes to India, the pitches are batting friendly. So, I enjoy those conditions very much. It’s (aggressive batting) in my game, my instinctive reactions come to play there. I don’t mind that I didn’t get picked in the IPL. I’m sure there will be something for me in India in the future. So I’m looking forward for that opportunity to play in the IPL.”
