IPL 2019: 3 Players who can replace Glenn Maxwell at Delhi Daredevils

The Delhi Daredevils finished last in the IPL 2018 points table despite having a good squad. Their captain Gautam Gambhir had a bad outing, and relegated himself to the dressing room mid-way through the season.

Despite a flourishing end to their campaign which saw Rishabh Pant playing some great knocks, they couldn't get anywhere close to the playoff spots. Now, they have announced the list of players they have retained and those who they have released.

Gambhir, Glenn Maxwell and Jason Roy were a few big names to be released. Here is the ful list:

Retained players: Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Manjot Kalra, Colin Munro, Chris Morris, Jayant Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Harshal Patel, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult, Sandeep Lamichhane, Avesh Khan

Here is the list of released players:

Released players: Gautam Gambhir, Jason Roy, Gurkeerat Mann, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammad Shami, Dan Christian, Sayan Ghosh, Liam Plunkett, Junior Dala, Naman Ojha.

With Maxwell out of the squad, there is a hole in their middle order which they have to fill immediately. Let's take a look at three possible contenders for that:

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#3 Aaron Finch (Kings XI Punjab)

Aaron Finch might not be your first choice for a middle order batsman but the swashbuckling Australian has played in such positions before. He had a disappointing IPL campaign last season but had a better time playing for the Gujarat Lions in 2017 where he played at number 5.

Finch has already played for the Delhi Daredevils and will be familiar with the setup as well as their coach in Ricky Ponting.

Aaron Finch

He might be a good candidate for captaincy too, which could take the burden off young Shreyas Iyer. With players like Shikhar Dhawan, Colin Munro and Pant who provide the batting firepower and Kagiso Rabada, Chris Morris and Trent Boult being exceptional with the ball, Finch will cap off this young and exciting squad of players and fit in well.

#2 JP Duminy (Mumbai Indians)

JP Duminy was definitely one of the most underutilized players last season. A skilled batsman with a lot of experience, Duminy was handed only six opportunities, in most of which he batted at number 7. That didn't give him enough time to set in and start scoring freely.

In a team filled with all-rounders like Kieron Pollard, the Pandya brothers and Ben Cutting, Duminy didn't fit in too well and the Mumbai Indians did the right thing by releasing him.

JP Duminy

Delhi might benefit hugely by this move, and should consider signing this dynamic all-rounder who is good with the ball as well. Duminy has been a great player for the Delhi Daredevils on many occasions in the past too, especially in 2015.

He has over 2000 runs in the IPL at a healthy average of 39.78, which is great for a middle order batsman. Duminy will undoubtedly be a great pick for the Daredevils and be a bridge between the top order and the lower order.

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#1 Shimron Hetmyer

Shimron Hetmyer is one among many players who burst into the limelight after playing in the Caribbean Premier League. He won three Man Of the Match awards in the tournament, scoring one 100 and three 50s.

Hetmyer played for the Guyana Amazon Warriors and had a tremendous season, scoring 440 runs in 12 innings at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 150. He prefers batting at number three but can also bat at number 4 and 5.

Shimron Hetmyer

He had a great tour against India in the ODIs where he scored one 100 and was dismissed for 94 in another innings. He is a very attack minded and aggressive batsman who can clear the fence easily.

Similar to Rishabh Pant, Hetmyer favors the midwicket region and can play big shots over both long on and long off. He prefers staying in the crease rather than charging down the track, and plays effectively against both pacers and spinners alike.

Just 21 years of age, Hetmyer can be a bright prospect for any team that signs him, and he is sure to be hot property this IPL Auction. He could be a suitable replacement for Maxwell given his destructive abilities.