IPL 2021: 'I was surprised he decided to go': Mark Taylor baffled by top Australian batsman staying back amid pandemic
IPL 2021: Steve Smith's services were secured from Rajasthan Royals for ₹2.2 crore at the IPL 2021 auction by Delhi Capitals.
While three Australian players in Andrew Tye, Kane Richardson, and Adam Zampa have already pulled out from the ongoing IPL 2021 season due to the raging Covid 19 pandemic in India, the other Aussies participating in the tournament have decided to stay back. This has left former Australian skipper Mark Taylor baffled, who is particularly surprised by Steve Smith. (Full IPL 2021 coverage)
Smith's services were secured for ₹2.2 crore at the IPL 2021 auction by Delhi Capitals. This only amounts to Australian dollars 350,000. Taylor remarked that he is shocked to see a player of Smiths' stature stay back for a relatively small contract.
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Speaking of the situation on Channel 9, he said: "Steve Smith was an interesting one because his contract was about Australian dollars 350,000 (INR 2.2 crore), which is not to be sneezed at but for a guy like Steve Smith, it's not as big a contract as it probably should have been. I was surprised he decided to go."
Fifty-six-year-old Taylor also commented that if someone like Pat Cummins is choosing to complete the tournament, it makes sense because he is earning the big bucks for a few weeks of cricket.
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"I was a little surprised that so many of the Australians went over there. If you're Pat Cummins, he's on something around [INR 15.5 crore], so that's very hard to knock back for six weeks of playing cricket," Taylor added.
After several members of the ground staff of Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium and a few players testing positive in the build-up to the tournament, IPL 2021 has once again been rocked by the wretched virus. On Monday, just hours before the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore clash in Ahmedabad, two KKR players tested positive; resulting in the postponement of the match.