Former Blackcaps captain Brendon McCullum was one of several New Zealand players overlooked at the Indian Premier League auction on Wednesday (NZ time).
Corey Anderson, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips and Luke Ronchi also went unsold, after bidding failed to reach their respective reserve prices in the lucrative Twenty20 league.
Blackcaps batsman Martin Guptill was scooped up by Kane Williamson's Sunrisers Hyderabad, after his shock omission last season. His swashbuckling services earned him just over $200,000.
Bowler Lockie Ferguson was the only other New Zealander to be sold, picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders for $325,000.
A group of Blackcaps players have been retained by their franchises, including Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee (both Bangalore), Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne (both Mumbai), Trent Boult, Colin Munro (both Delhi), Kane Williamson (Hyderabad), Mitchell Santner (Chennai) and Ish Sodhi (Rajasthan).
The other New Zealanders unsold were Matt Henry, Doug Bracewell, Anton Devcich, Seth Rance, Neil Wagner and Blair Tickner.
UNSOLD (reserve price)
$400,000 - Corey Anderson, Brendon McCullum
$150,000 - Matt Henry, Jimmy Neesham, Luke Ronchi
$100,000 - Doug Bracewell, Anton Devcich, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Neil Wagner
$40,000 - Blair Tickner
Newshub.