Availability affected our chances at IPL auction: Collingwood

Paul Collingwood on Monday admitted that English players' non-availability for the whole IPL-IV played a big part in their snubbing by the team owners during the two-day auction in Bangalore.

Only seven players from England were bought by the Franchisees and Ashes hero Kevin Pietersen was sold at a lower price than what he got from his previous owner.

Pietersen was bought by Deccan Chargers for $650,000, which is $250,000 less than what he was given by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the last edition of the Indian Premier League.

James Anderson, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Jonathan Trott, Tim Bresnan and Ian Bell were overlooked despite fantastic show in the Ashes series.

The timing of England's one tour-game and first Test against Sri Lanka clashes with the latter stages of the IPL, which will run from April 8 to May 22.

The first Test will begin from May 26 and England players are expected to play in at least one first-class fixture before that.

This scenario, Collingwood said went against the England players.

"That will have affected the bids," said Collingwood, who was bought for $250,000 by Rajasthan Royals.

"It's down to their availability," he was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

RCB owner Vijay Mallya had on Sunday said that most of the British players were 'overpriced'.