In order to make more money for the mega auction in 2025, when teams will be reorganised, teams may decide to release some prominent players this year.
Before the December 19 player auction in Dubai for 2024, IPL franchises have until November 26 to release their final roster of retained players. Before deciding which players will be retained and which will be released, teams will take into account two important factors: the new names up for bids and the massive auction that will take place in front of the 2025 season, when teams will be completely reconstructed.
Franchises are eager to make offers for both seasoned players like Mitchell Starc, Chris Woakes, and Pat Cummins, as well as successful young players from the most recent World Cup, like Rachin Ravindra, Gerald Coetzee, Travis Head, and Azmatullah Omarzai. A recurring theme at mini auctions is that some of these names are sure to draw enormous bids. The teams will, nevertheless, require a sizable purse for the auction, which they can only increase by unloading players who were acquired for high prices during the previous two years.
Franchises wouldn't mind releasing some big names with the option to buy them back cheap this time or a year later when a stronger purse will be available to them, given that the mega auction is set to take place before the IPL 2025.
Here, we examine a few noteworthy names that the teams will consider before retention day.
Punjab Kings - Sam Curran
The England all-arounder became the most expensive player in the IPL when Kings outbid five opponents to sign Curran for INR 18.5 crore (roughly US$ 2.256 million) at the most recent auction. A number of factors made Curran, who won the Player of the Tournament award during England's successful 2022 T20 World Cup campaign, desirable, including his age (25), his versatility as a batsman, his ability to hit hard against spin, his leadership qualities, and, of course, his left-arm pace.
His performance in the IPL 2023 was lacklustre, though, as he took only ten wickets at an economy of more than ten in 14 matches, with an average of almost 49. Curran averaged over 27 with the bat, scoring 276 runs at a strike rate of 136.
If they release Curran, Kings will have more than INR 21 crore in addition to their new INR 5 crore purse. They can also let him go with the understanding that they may buy him back before 2025.
Royal Challengers Bangalore - Harshal Patel and Wanindu Hasaranga
Both Wanindu Hasaranga and Harshal Patel were purchased for a hefty INR 10.75 crore in the 2023 and 2022 auctions, respectively. It was their first time playing at the Royal Challengers' home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, both had difficulty at the ground with limited space.
Hasaranga played in just eight of the 14 matches last season, taking nine wickets at an economy of nearly nine. Hasaranga missed the ODI World Cup due to a hamstring injury. Hasaranga had just four wickets in four games at an economy rate of 8.76 during the home matches.
Harshal missed just one game during the previous season and hasn't been picked for India since the 2022 T20 World Cup, where he didn't play in any games. He took 14 wickets at a 9.65 economy rate. In his first two seasons, playing in Mumbai and the United Arab Emirates, Harshal had been successful with his changes at the end; however, in Bengaluru, he started to look the same. Despite playing in all seven of the home games, he only took nine wickets at a 9.65 average.
Consequently, the recently appointed coach of Royal Challengers, Andy Flower, may decide to release both players and repurchase them at a reduced cost.
Mumbai Indians - Jofra Archer
Archer has missed most of the last two years due to an elbow stress fracture, which reappeared during the ODI World Cup while he was playing reserve cricket for England. Archer was sent home, disqualified from the December West Indies white-ball series, and it is unclear when he will be back.
At the 2022 mega auction, Mumbai shocked everyone by selecting Archer, even though he wasn't ready to bowl. Following his complete absence from the first season, Archer returned home after his elbow injury returned in the 2023 season, having played in just four games. Will Mumbai find a substitute and hold onto Archer before the 2025 mega auction, or will they exercise patience and hope he shows up during the 2024 IPL?
Delhi Capitals - Anrich Nortje
Nortje, who the Capitals retained in 2022 for INR 6.5 crore, is another player who has been sidelined by injuries for an extended period of time. After recovering from a groyne injury earlier in the year, Nortje played ten games for the Capitals in the 2023 season before returning home for personal reasons. He was able to bowl an entire over at 150 kph.
Despite having participated in the first season of Major League Cricket in the USA, he was eventually disqualified from the ODI World Cup and had to abandon the ODI series against Australia at home in September due to a suspected stress fracture in his back. Although Nortje is questionable for the SA20, which begins on January 10, ESPNcricinfo has not received an update from CSA regarding the fast bowler's expected return date.
Chennai Super Kings - Ben Stokes
Stokes' decision to withdraw from the 2024 season has left Super Kings with an easy choice. Stokes became their most expensive auction purchase ever when they purchased him for INR 16.25 crore in the 2023 auction. Retaining Stokes in anticipation of the 2025 mega auction carries a significant risk. The Super Kings will have a smaller purse at the next auction if they choose not to release Stokes.
Kolkata Knight Riders - Lockie Ferguson
Ferguson was traded in from the Gujarat Titans to the Knight Riders last season, and he returned. Knight Riders gave Titans INR 10.75 crore; Titans had paid a comparable sum to acquire Ferguson in the 2022 auction. Ferguson, who can easily spear more than 150 deliveries in any of the three phases of an innings, was limited to playing in just three games due to a hamstring injury sustained in the previous season. Ferguson recently bravely competed in the ODI World Cup despite having an Achilles injury the entire time, meaning he will miss the Plunket Shield.
Knight Riders might be interested in letting go of Ferguson in order to bolster their finances and explore other avenues in 2024.
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