The Indian Premier League (IPL) fans’ eyes were set on their television (TV) or mobile screens on November 26 as all franchises were set to come up with their release and retention lists before the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai. It was a perfect opportunity for every side to get rid of players who didn’t perform upto the expectations in the previous edition. The franchises grabbed this chance with both hands, excluding some names from their retention list.
Some players also grabbed the eyeballs for not getting retained by their franchises. Unlike non-performers, a few names are attracting attention for not getting enough opportunities or missing the last tournament due to injuries and being left out in the rain now. Ahead of the mini-auction, let’s know one unlucky player from each side who didn’t get retained from his franchise.
Here are unlucky players released by each IPL team in the pre-2024 auction:
10. Rajasthan Royals - Obed McCoy
In the 2022 mega auction, Rajasthan Royals (RR) signed up the West Indies’ left-arm pacer Obed McCoy for INR 75 lakh. Playing his debut season, he picked up 11 wickets in seven matches at an economy of 9.17. Following his decent bowling numbers, RR retained him for the 2023 season.
The pacer got only one game in 2023 and in that too, he was given a chance to bowl only one over. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Jaipur, RR faced a four-wicket defeat and he came to bowl as an impact player and splurged 13 runs in his only over. After his first over, RR captain Sanju Samson didn’t give him a chance to complete his spell in the game.
McCoy didn’t fit into RR’s scheme of things and became a part of Rajasthan’s release list before the 2024 IPL auction. His dismal performance for Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) also added charcoal to the fire.
9. Delhi Capitals - Phil Salt
Delhi Capitals (DC) reserved the England batter Phil Salt’s services for INR 2 crore in the 2023 IPL auction held in Kochi. In the tournament, he made his debut against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Playing his maiden IPL game, he could contribute only five runs from his bat in his team’s four-wicket victory in the last over of the match.
His best knock came against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Delhi. Capitals gunned down a fine total of 182 in just 16.4 overs and the right-handed batter played an excellent 87-run knock off just 45 deliveries as an opener and also received the Player of the Match award.
The 27-year-old concluded his season with 218 runs in nine matches at an average of 27.25. In the second half of the competition, Salt looked decent with his bat but the Capitals couldn’t forget his overall numbers in the tournament and refused to include him in their IPL 2024 squad.
8. Punjab Kings - Bhanuka Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka’s middle-order batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa was a part of Punjab Kings (PBKS) for the last two seasons (2022 and 2023). In 2022, he got nine games and amassed 206 runs at a sensational strike rate of 159.69. Following his brilliant batting, the PBKS team management extended the contract with him for 2023.
This time, he kicked off the tournament in style, guiding his side to a seven-run win against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), with a scintillating half-century off just 32 deliveries. In the next game against Rajasthan Royals (RR), a shot from Shikhar Dhawan hit his elbow at the non-striker’s end and he was forced to miss further matches.
In the entire season, the 32-year-old played only four matches due to his elbow injury and in these outings, he could accumulate only 71 runs at a strike rate of 114.52. The PBKS team management didn’t cut him some slack, releasing him from the squad.
7. Lucknow Super Giants - Daniel Sams
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ended up in the fourth position in IPL 2023, losing to Mumbai Indians (MI) by 81 runs in the playoffs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. During their campaign, they didn’t utilise their Australia pacer, Daniel Sams, due to the availability of Naveen-ul-Haq in the squad.
In the 2023 auction, LSG bought the Aussie speedster for his base price of INR 75 lakh but throughout the competition, he was seen warming the benches. Sams is one of the leading wicket-takers in the Big Bash League (BBL), picking up 100 wickets in 76 matches, at an economy of 8.45.
The left-arm pacer could’ve helped the Giants with his experience but the team management didn’t give him a single game. Sams was expected to get snubbed from LSG’s IPL 2024 squad and that happened eventually as his name was missing from the Super Giants’ retention list for IPL 2024.
6. Gujarat Titans- Shivam Mavi
Gujarat Titans (GT) paid INR 6 crore to rope in Shivam Mavi in the 2023 IPL auction. Despite signing him up at a decent price, GT didn’t include the speedster in their playing XI. Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma reinforced their pace attack efficiently but pacers Alzarri Joseph and Joshua Little struggled to be among the wickets and contain runs.
However, the GT team management didn’t lose faith in both bowlers and benched Mavi for the whole competition. Ahead of the 2024 IPL auction, Gujarat also parted ways with him and now the 25-year-old’s name will go under the hammer to get a new buyer on December 19 in Dubai.
5. Chennai Super Kings - Kyle Jamieson
New Zealand paceman Kyle Jamieson was fetched for INR 1 crore by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2023 IPL auction. Prior to the competition, he picked up a back injury and failed to mark his attendance in CSK’s camp. In his absence, CSK signed South Africa pacer Sisanda Magala for the season.
The Kiwi player’s unavailability didn’t affect Super Kings as their pacers Matheesha Pathirana and Tushar Deshpande played their roles exceptionally and delivered the desired results to the team. Super Kings are in no mood to compromise with the fitness and performances of their players to defend the title successfully in 2024 and their retention and release list corroborates it.
Jamieson, who made a comeback in international cricket in August 2023, was ignored by CSK for the 2024 IPL and featured in the franchise’s release list. However, the lanky speedster could’ve done wonders for the Yellow Army as he has the potential to give tough time to batters with his 140 km/h+ speed.
4. Mumbai Indians - Jhye Richardson
Mumbai Indians (MI) qualified for the playoffs in the 2023 IPL but couldn’t lift the distinguished trophy for the sixth time, under their skipper Rohit Sharma. The Men in Blue missed their premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who couldn’t participate in the tournament due to a back injury.
In Bumrah’s absence, Mumbai’s fast-bowling unit didn’t look lethal as their pacers Jofra Archer and Jason Behrendorff didn’t look impactful. Along with Bumrah, another bowler who failed to show up in the tournament was Jhye Richardson, who suffered a hamstring injury.
The Aussie fast bowling sensation missed crucial international assignments such as the 2023 Ashes and the 2023 World Cup due to the injury. MI, who had invested INR 1.5 crore in Richardson before the 2023 IPL, also didn’t hesitate to break the alliance with him before the 2024 IPL auction in Dubai.
3. Kolkata Knight Riders- Shakib Al Hasan
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has parted ways with Bangladesh’s skipper Shakib Al Hasan before the business event to be held next month. In the previous IPL auction, the two-time IPL champions picked up the veteran for his basic amount of INR 1.5 crore but he opted out of the competition citing international engagements.
The Bangla stalwart has played a lot of cricket for Knight Riders in the cash-rich league and he is also one of the leading wicket-takers for the side, with 48 scalps in 57 matches at an economy of 7.16. With his immense experience and superb all-round skills, he could’ve delivered superb numbers to the team in the 2024 IPL.
2. Sunrisers Hyderabad - Adil Rashid
After putting up a disappointing show for their supporters in the 2023 IPL, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) released six players from their squad. They also broke ties with Adil Rashid, who looked decent with the ball in the two games he featured in.
The England spinner was signed up for INR 2 crore in the 2023 auction. Making his debut in the Orange jersey against Rajasthan Royals (RR), he bowled a wicketless but economical spell on Hyderabad’s batting-friendly surface. In the next match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), he bagged the prized scalps of KL Rahul and Romario Shepherd in his three overs.
Following the LSG game, the Sunrisers dropped the wrist spinner from their playing XI. Rashid’s exclusion from the XI shocked several SRH supporters. Before the 2024 auction, Sunrisers bid adieu to the spinner despite noting his 15 wickets for England in nine matches of the 2023 World Cup which was played in India.
1. Royal Challengers Bangalore - Josh Hazlewood
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) struggled to be at their best in the 2023 IPL and ended their journey in the round-robin stage, with their six-wicket hammering at the hands of Gujarat Titans (GT) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Following their dismal performance in 2023, the Challengers released 11 players from their squad.
Josh Hazlewood’s name was also included in the release list and it shocked avid RCB supporters as the Aussie paceman looked remarkable with the ball in the recently passed 2023 World Cup. Bagging 16 wickets in 11 matches, the tall speedster played a vital role in Australia’s record-extending sixth World Cup title victory.
Andy Flower, the head coach of RCB, revealed that Challengers took the huge call of releasing Hazlewood to increase the franchise’s buying power in the upcoming auction. He also stated that the 32-year-old won’t be available in the first half of the 2024 IPL as he is expecting the birth of his first child.
from IPL Live Score | IPL News, IPL 2024 Updates, Squads & Results - CricTracker