The IPL 2020 auction is slated for December 19 in Kolkata, the franchises have started utilizing the trading window to get a better look at their team and one of the biggest movements in this window was R Ashwin being traded to Delhi Capitals from Kings XI Punjab. Then Trent Boult moved to Mumbai Indians from Capitals and K Gowtham moved to Punjab from Rajasthan.
With the trading window closing on November 14, the movement might become more frequent with teams offloading non -performing players in order to increase their purse at the auction and probably form a team for the upcoming five years of the tournament.
Therefore, Team COC takes a look at three players from each franchise which may be released keeping the upcoming auction in mind in December.
Here is the list of 3 players from each franchise which may be released
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS
AMBATI RAYUDU
Ambati Rayudu had a bumper season in 2018 for CSK, where he opened the innings and scored 602 runs, leading to him being recalled to the Indian team. However, in 2019, all that changed with him being dropped from the plans for the World Cup and then came the 3D glasses jibe and retirement from the game. His IPL 2019 got him 282 runs and he struggled a lot. This might be the right time for the Daddies army to move on from Rayudu and bring in fresher legs.
KEDAR JADHAV
Kedar Jadhav scored just 162 runs in 14 matches in IPL 2019 and the writing was on the wall for the ODI specialist of India. Post the West Indies tour recently, Jadhav has not featured for the Indian team in a blue jersey and with fitness being an issue with his brittle hamstrings, it might be wise for CSK to let him go back into the auction and find someone young as a finisher to help MS Dhoni.
MOHIT SHARMA Mohit Sharma had a homecoming in IPL 2019 as he was bought by CSK, the franchise where he made his name and then made his debut for India after that. However, he played just one match in the season and CSK might find it better to send him back into the auction and if necessary, buy him back for a cheaper price.
DELHI CAPITALS
COLIN MUNRO Colin Munro has struggled to replicate his international T20I success in IPL, despite being given ample chances. What has happened to him is that franchises have not backed him to come good if he doesn’t score for 4-5 matches and with his weakness against spin on Indian pitches exposed repeatedly, Capitals might want to look at other options in coming auctions.
AMIT MISHRA Amit Mishra has been the second-highest wicket-taker in the league after Lasith Malinga and only one to have three hat-tricks to his name in IPL. However, with Delhi Capitals bringing in R Ashwin from KXIP, it seems they have decided to move on from the leggie. They have Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane in the squad and he might be preferred over Mishra in the upcoming season. Its possibly time up for the 36-year-old leg spinner from Haryana.
CHRIS MORRIS Chris Morris was bought for INR 7.1 cr in IPL 2018 and did amazingly well for the franchise. But in a recent couple of seasons, injuries and form have led to Morris becoming a liability rather than an asset and the team could free up the money to buy more effective death bowlers.
KINGS XI PUNJAB
ANDREW TYE Andrew Tye made a big impact on his debut in IPL for Gujarat Lions and then for King XI Punjab in IPL 2018, where he was the Purple Cap holder. However, IPL 2019 was not too easy on him and since then he has lost the ability that made him special. He has also sustained an injury that might keep him out of cricket for some time.
VARUN CHAKRAVARTHY Varun Chakravarthy was bought for INR 8.4 Cr by KXIP after his performances in Tamil Nadu Premier League. He played just one game for them and was thrashed in the first over itself. He suffered a finger injury and the mystery spinner did not play a further part in IPL 2019 and it seems KXIP will not be interested in knowing what his mystery was.
DAVID MILLER David Miller has played his whole IPL career for Kings XI Punjab and even captained them for a while. But since IPL 2016, Miller has struggled a lot to score runs like he used to or win games from lower down the order and it seems, the time has come for KXIP to make the difficult decision to cut ties with Miller and move onto better options.
SUNRISERS HYDERABAD
MARTIN GUPTILL Martin Guptill, for some reason, has never been able to acclimatize to the Indian pitches in the shortest format of the game. The New Zealander is also not supposed to get many chances at the top with Warner and Bairstow being available for the whole season and new coach Trevor Bayliss will be better off looking cheaper options in the auction.
SHAKIB AL HASAN Shakib Al Hasan has been banned for a year by ICC for not reporting corrupt approaches and won't be able to play in IPL 2020.
YUSUF PATHAN The 36-year-old Yusuf Pathan has been one of the finds of IPL since its heydays when he made the 37-ball century for Rajasthan Royals and then helped Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL titles. But he has not played for India since 2012 and is no longer swift on his feet in the field as well. His hitting powers have waned significantly and its time SRH went for someone much in tune with the current way of playing T20s.
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS
ROBIN UTHAPPA Robin Uthappa has been present on the IPL scene since 2008 and has been part of many winning teams including KKR’s 2012 and 2014 wins. But he has been in poor form in the domestic season, even moving from Karnataka to Kerala; but has only 140 runs from ten white-ball matches this season across formats, and he also struggled for Knight Riders last season.
CARLOS BRATHWAITE Carlos Brathwaite was bought for INR 5 cr in order to bring heavy-hitting in the last few overs, especially after his World T20 2016 heroics. But the loss of form and inconsistency has led to him losing his place and captaincy in West Indies T20I team, and it would be better KKR looked for someone else.
JOE DENLY Joe Denly’s IPL career might end with him getting out on the only ball he played for KKR. With him focusing more on red-ball career after playing for England in Ashes 2019 and currently out of action due to ankle injury, KKR will most probably be looking for someone else.
MUMBAI INDIANS
JASON BEHRENDFORFF Jason Behrendorff impressed in his only outing for Mumbai Indians and he will be now out of cricket for more than six months after undergoing surgery for his lower spine problems.
MITCHELL McCLENAGHAN Mitchell McClenaghan was a late replacement for Alzarri Joseph in IPL 2019 and did play a small role in Mumbai Indians becoming champions for the record 4th time. But with Trent Boult coming in from Delhi Capitals, MI have a plethora of fast bowling options to rely on.
EVIN LEWIS Evin Lewis could never hang onto his spot in Mumbai Indians at the top as Quinton de Kock arrived at the scene and Rohit Sharma moved up to open the innings. With his failures down the order and struggled with spinners, Mumbai might look for other options for Lewis.
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE
SHIMRON HETMYER Shimron Hetmyer had a disappointing IPL 2019 with the bat despite being brought in with many expectations. A combination of poor returns and limited opportunities meant he couldn't create too many ripples and RCB might want to release him and try to buy him back at a cheaper price given their performances in the league since the high of IPL 2016.
COLIN DE GRANDHOMME New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme was ineffective with both the bat and ball for RCB in IPL 2019 and with an average just 19 with the bat, he might not be the one all-rounder RCB needs to better their fortunes.
TIM SOUTHEE Tim Southee is another New Zealander who disappointed the Red Army of RCB. The experienced pacer has taken nine wickets from 14 matches at an economy rate of 9.89 and an average of 52.77 in the last three seasons. Given that Dale Steyn might be retained for the upcoming season by RCB, Southee may not be needed by the franchise.
RAJASTHAN ROYALS
JAYDEV UNADKAT Jaydev Unadkat was the prime meme material after he was brought back by Royals for IPL 2019 for a whopping INR 8.2 crores, after his record INR 11.5 crore price in IPL 2018. However, the left-handed bowler performed way below the expectations and it might be better if RR let him go this time.
AJINKYA RAHANE Ajinkya Rahane has struggled to make runs at the T20 pace for Rajasthan Royals and his captaincy has not encouraged his teammates much. He was named skipper after Steve Smith was banned for IPL 2018 and was removed from the job mid-way in IPL 2019 as performances dipped.
He has been criticized for using up overs in order to set himself and then getting out. Its time, RR wise up and find a better player at the top, especially with Steve Smith available for the whole season.
ISH SODHI Ish Sodhi didn’t get many chances in IPL 2019 for RR given that to play an overseas wrist spinner in the XI is extremely tough if RR wanted to play Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Steve Smith in the same team to go with S Gopal.