With franchises playing safe and retaining some of their top batters and all-rounders, bowlers who have impressed in IPL cricket before were left without a team.
The player retention ahead of the Indian Premier League mega auction proved to be an interesting affair as all eight teams kept some of their stars with an eye on the left-over purse for the mega auction. Looking at the list of bowlers retained by the franchises, some names did surprise the cricket fans while some were obvious choices. However, with retention rules playing hindrance to teams’ bowling combinations, some big names were left without teams for the time being and they could have a big impact on the mega auction if not picked by the two new franchises.
Here are the names of five bowlers who we think could start a bidding war in the auction:
1) Rashid Khan
Matches: 76, Wickets: 93, SR: 19.48, Ave: 20.55, 4W/5W: 0/0
SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) decided to go with two uncapped players in Umran Malik and Abdul Samad as they left out the experienced Rashid Khan. With Kane Williamson completing SRH’s retention list, Rashid Khan could now be one of the major highlights in the mega auction if not picked up by either of the new franchises. Rashid ended IPL 2021 with 18 wickets in 14 matches.
2) Jofra Archer
Matches: 35, Wickets: 46, SR: 17.93, Ave: 21.32, 4W/5W: 0/0
English bowler Jofra Archer may have been sidelined due to injury issues but could be one of the most sought-after players in the mega auction if not picked up by new franchises. Archer wasn’t retained by Rajasthan Royals (RR), who kept skipper Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler and young Yashasvi Jaiswal.
3) Kagiso Rabada
Matches: 50, Wickets: 76, SR: 15, Ave: 20.52, 4W/5W: 4/0
Delhi Capitals (DC) retained one South African bowler and it wasn’t Rabada. Anrich Nortje proved to be the preferred choice for team management going ahead into the mega auction. Many considered Rabada to be an obvious retention but his impressive combination with Nortje didn’t prove enough for him to keep his place. Rabada claimed 15 wickets in 15 games in an impressive season for DC in India and the UAE.
4) Harshal Patel
Matches: 63, Wickets: 78, SR: 16.20, Ave: 23.17 , 4W/5W: 1/1
It was certainly a surprise when Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) let go of IPL 2021 purple cap winner Harshal Patel. RCB retained Mohammed Siraj, Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell in the IPL retentions ahead of the mega auction. Harshal was a major name missing from the list which signals that RCB want to make a fresh start and build their team from scratch. Harshal had ended IPL 2021 top of the pile with 32 wickets in 15 matches.
5) Yuzvendra Chahal
Matches: 114, Wickets: 139, SR: 17.61, Ave: , 4W/5W: 1/0
Chahal was another big name that went missing from the franchise’s retention list. One of the most lethal wicket-takers for RCB and in IPL cricket, Chahal will once again be up for grabs and could start a bidding war considering his exquisite skillset in the T20 format. He ended IPL 2021 with 18 wickets in 15 matches.