ITL 2022: Kane Richardson opens up on why he and Adam Zampa attracted no bids

Australian pacer Kane Richardson has opened up why he and leg-spinner Adam Zampa went unsold in the mega auction held last weekend. They were part of the Bangalore team last year during the first phase of the tournament. They pulled out of the tournament due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in India and Australia closing their border for travelers.

Richardson played one game last season while Zampa didn’t get any game. The tournament was paused and resumed after a few months in the United Arab Emirates. However, both players kept themselves unavailable for the UAE leg. Goerge Garton and Wanindu Hasaranga were signed as their replacements. Meanwhile, the right-arm pacer has said that he was shocked to see the wrist-spinner going unsold and revealed about his chat with Zampa.

“I was definitely more shocked for him (Zampa). To be brutally honest, when we left last year, in the circumstances early, I remember having a conversation with him. I said to him, look, this may come back and bite us, and at that time it wasn’t a priority for us to be there. We wanted to get back to Australia,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Richardson as saying.

Th 31-year-old added that the circumstances in the last couple of seasons made him not to participate in the cash-rich league. He further added that he wants to play the game as much as he can.

“So my reputation probably is that in the last couple of years I haven’t gone so it’s obviously not something that I am. I try and play as much cricket as I can. But I think the circumstances in the last couple of IPLs have made me not go. But it’s not a reputation I want,” the pacer added.