IPL: Two foreign players that each franchise might retain before 2021 IPL auction

The 2021 IPL auction is rumored to be a mega-auction with a new franchise being added to the mix.

The IPL 2021 auction is expected to be a big one given that the BCCI is aiming to add one more new franchise into the mix. This means each of the franchises might be required to retain only a few players.

This also means that the franchises might be needed to find the most valuable players- both Indian and overseas- in order to keep and the rest of the players will go into the auction pool once again. Though nothing has been confirmed yet, there might be the right-to-match (RTM) cards available, though the exact number of such cards are yet to be unveiled.

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These cards enable a franchise to get back a player at the price which some other franchise had bid for him. This is mostly used for overseas players, given that they are expensive to retain.

Overseas players demand a premium price, but still, franchises may opt to retain a few players and today TEAM COC looks at which foreign players each of the franchises might retain before the 2021 IPL auction.

Check out the 2 overseas players that each franchise might retain from their squads

MUMBAI INDIANS (MI) – KIERON POLLARD AND QUINTON DE KOCK

Kieron Pollard has been with the Mumbai Indians franchise since 2010 and has become an integral part of their team since then. He has been a gun finisher for the team, occasional captain, and overall inspiration in the leader group of the franchise.

He has also mentored the Pandya brothers amongst others as Krunal and Hardik share a great rapport with the Trinidadian. Pollard is still at the peak of his cricketing career at 33 years old and MI will miss a trick by not retaining such a gem of a player.

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The second overseas player that MI should retain is opener-keeper Quinton de Kock. The South African white-ball captain had been amazing at the top for them in the recent IPL 2020, where he made more than 500 runs at a strike-rate of 140.50. He is safe as a church behind the wickets and one of the best young talents in world cricket.

DELHI CAPITALS (DC) – KAGISO RABADA AND MARCUS STOINIS

Delhi Capitals made it into their maiden IPL finals in the 13th edition of the tournament, all thanks to their bowlers, who played a leading role, apart from their batting prowess. One of those bowlers was South African pacer Kagiso Rabada.

Rabada ended up with 30 wickets to his name, only the second bowler ever in IPL history to take 30 or more wickets in a single season. He won the Purple Cap for the most wickets and was instrumental in some great death overs bowling displays, and someone who DC should definitely retain for the coming seasons of the Indian Premier League.

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Another overseas player that Delhi Capitals might look to retain is Australia’s all-rounder Marcus Stoinis. Stoinis was amazing in the DC jersey with both the bat and the ball. He made 352 runs and picked 13 wickets.

The runs and wickets came at crucial junctures for the franchise and Stoinis always delivered. Though late, DC also found out his best use at the top of the batting order, which will come in handy in 2021 IPL, which will in all probability take place in India.

SUNRISERS HYDERABAD (SRH) – DAVID WARNER AND RASHID KHAN

It is a no-brainer for Sunrisers Hyderabad which two foreign players they must retain ahead of the 2021 IPL auction.

Captain David Warner took them to the 2016 IPL glory, while has been on fire with the bat scoring 848, 641, 692, and 548 runs in the last four seasons he has played for the franchise. He has also captained them brilliantly, taking them into the playoffs in IPL 2020, winning their last three matches against top teams. He is an asset that SRH cannot afford to lose and hence he should be retained.

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Rashid Khan picked 20 wickets in the 2020 IPL with an economy of 5.37, which shows why SRH went hard for him in the 2017 IPL auctions. He has been retained ever since, and the same will be expected from the franchise before the 2021 IPL auction, which is rumored to be a mega auction. There were rumors of Mumbai Indians wanting to trade Rashid Khan, showing how valuable even other teams find the Afghanistan spinner.  

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE (RCB) – AB DE VILLIERS AND CHRIS MORRIS

Royal Challengers Bangalore made it into their first playoffs since IPL 2016 but failed to go beyond the eliminator stage, beaten by Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, for them, AB de Villiers was a pillar of strength in the middle order.

Padikkal and Kohli fared well with the bat, but with no one to finish the innings, De Villiers turned the devil and smoked 454 runs at a strike rate of 158.74 and an average of 45.40. He also kept wickets for the team to ensure a more balanced side. He is one asset that RCB must retain before the 2021 IPL auction.

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Another possible retention for the RCB side from the overseas players’ contingent can be Chris Morris. The Proteas all-rounder picked 11 wickets in 9 matches and though he didn’t make many runs, he has shown in past in IPL, that he is capable of doing some severe damage down the order. The franchise can show faith in him by retaining him for 2021 IPL and Morris will repay that faith nicely.

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS (KKR) – EOIN MORGAN AND ANDRE RUSSELL

One franchise that promised so much in IPL 2020, but couldn’t deliver was the Kolkata Knight Riders. They boasted of one of the most promising and scariest batting orders on paper, but the names and numbers couldn’t translate into the success of the field.

However, KKR can take hope from the performance of their new captain Eoin Morgan who made 418 runs at a 138.41 strike rate.

He was one of the few batsmen who made consistent runs and though took the captaincy in the middle of the season, did well to keep the team in the fray for playoffs qualification.  Morgan will be justified retention from the KKR side ahead of the 2021 IPL auction.

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Andre Russell had an exactly opposite season to IPL 2019, where he had smashed 52 sixes and 500 plus runs. He came into the IPL 2020 with an injury and suffered another injury as well, hampering what was already a below-par performance from him. A fitter and agile Russell could do wonders for the team, as seen in IPL 2019, and KKR will definitely not let him go into the 2021 IPL auction.

KINGS XI PUNJAB (KXIP) – CHRIS GAYLE AND NICHOLAS POORAN

Kings XI Punjab had themselves to blame for their performances in the IPL 2020, which saw their hopes for playoffs end after they lost their last league match to Chennai Super Kings. Only if they had won more than 1 match out of their first seven, they would have found themselves in a better position. Talking of the overseas players that KXIP can retain ahead of the 2021 season, one sure-fire name that comes to mind is that of Nicholas Pooran.

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Pooran, the pocket dynamo, smashed 351 runs at a 169.71 strike-rate and hit 25 sixes as well, proving to be an able finisher and someone who should be batting up the order. He was brilliant at destroying bowling attacks and KXIP might already have his name jotted on the piece of paper on which they might be writing their retentions for the 2021 IPL.

The second overseas player who KXIP might retain should be the ‘Universe Boss’, Chris Gayle. After missing 7 matches, Gayle turned up in his old avatar and almost carried the KXIP into the playoffs with 288 runs, 3 half-centuries at an average of 41.14. The age might be catching up on Chris Gayle, but he still has one or two more IPL performances in his kitty and 2021 IPL should be one of them.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS (CSK) - FAF DU PLESSIS AND SAM CURRAN

Chennai Super Kings would want to remove the IPL 2020 from the annals of their gloried Indian Premier League history. For the first time ever, CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs, and the team which usually is the first to make it into the final four was the first to be eliminated from the tournament this season.

While it was a complete failure from their squad, CSK might look to retain Faf du Plessis for the upcoming IPL 2021 season, as he was their highest run-getter and took some blinders on the boundary as well. The 36-year-old former South African captain belies his age on the field and with 449 runs with 4 half-centuries to his name, he deserves to be retained by the CSK think tank for the 2021 IPL season.

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The second player who should be retained by CSK is England’s Sam Curran. Both captain MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming admitted that the team needed to go for youth in the coming years and they need to start with Curran who made 186 runs and picked 13 wickets. He is a player who they can build a team around and he will give huge returns as well given that he is only 22 years of age.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS (RR) – BEN STOKES AND JOFRA ARCHER

Rajasthan Royals had a poor tournament despite an IPL-record chase of 224 runs against Kings XI Punjab in Sharjah. Too much tinkering with the playing combination and some harebrained decision making with the playing XI led to their downfall.

Talking about retentions ahead of the proposed mega auction in 2021 IPL, RR should look to retain two overseas players, if allowed.

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Ben Stokes should definitely have his name inked on the retention list. He is too good a player to be risked into the auction pool and though he struggled a bit as an opener in IPL 2020, if he continues in the same position in the 2021 season, he will definitely succeed and give better returns. Though it is likely that he might return to his old batting position as a finisher.

Jofra Archer was by far the best bowler from the RR contingent and it was a shame that he didn’t get any support from other pacers or spinners for that matter. His 20 wickets and 175 dot balls in IPL 2020 are proof that RR has a genuine match-winner in their squad and he should be protected at all costs, which means retaining him ahead of the 2021 IPL auction.