5 released players who might be bought by the same team at relatively low price

The Indian Premier League for long has been an exciting affair - right from the player retentions to the end of the league. Having already done with the player retention/release window, IPL is nearing the auctions for its twelfth edition.

66 - the number of players released by the eight franchises in total. Hence, this time around the IPL auction is going to be a hot affair with plenty of released players in the pool. Besides that, many other players will be a part of the 2019 IPL Auction.

The list of 66 players also includes a good number of heavyweights who were released by their franchises. Some of them are Brendon McCullum, Mitchell Starc, Chris Woakes, Glenn Maxwell and the list continues.

2019 IPL Auction is slated to take place on 18th of December with Jaipur being its reported venue. A decent amount of players will be going under the hammer this year.

Moreover, a common trait that we could witness, in the upcoming auction, among the franchises is the buy-back of their released players at an analogously lower price than that of last year. This very move of franchises could surely save them money while bringing back their quality players. Thus, let us look at five released players who could be acquired back by their team at a relatively lower price in the 2019 IPL Auction.

---

#5 Aaron Finch (Stint at Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2018)

Kings XI Punjab bought Aaron Finch for INR 6.2 Crore in the 2018 IPL Mega Auction. The price proved to be a bit heavy for Punjab as Finch failed to produce good results for Kings XI in IPL 2018. In IPL 2018, Australia's limited overs captain scored a meagre 134 runs at a low average of 16.75 and a modest strike-rate of 134.00. Hence, with a sorry record up against his sleeve, Aaron's axing was quite evident.

Howbeit, a player of Aaron's stature, could contribute a lot to a team that has been struggling with their middle-order problems. Surely, middle-order isn't the place that Finch has been batting in T20 cricket, but given a chance, he could prove to be beneficial for Punjab.

Thus, Finch could be one of those picks who might go back to their respective teams at a comparatively lower price. This very deal of buying back Aaron Finch could help Punjab in balancing their budgets by acquiring a top-notch batsman at a reasonable price.

#4 Jaydev Unadkat (Stint at Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2018)

Jaydev Unadkat was one of the very few expensive cricketers who failed to do justice to their price tag and failed miserably in IPL 2018. The Saurashtra medium pacer played all the matches for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2018 but couldn't contribute as much as the franchise would have expected.

Unadkat could only grab 11 wickets at a below-par average of 44.18, modest strike-rate of 27.45, and a high economy rate of 9.65. Unquestionably, the numbers don't do justice for a whopping price of INR 11.50 Crore - the primary reason why Unadkat was released.

However, Undakat is not that bad a bowler to be left out in the auction. He has some good cutters up his sleeve to market himself in this extravagant league. Thus, Royals could opt in to re-acquire Unadkat at a relatively lower price in the 2019 IPL Auction.

Unadkat's recruitment will audibly be on the debating lines, but a deal with the Saurashtra pacer will allow the Royals to manage their remaining purse while acquiring an Indian bowler for a reasonable price.

#3 Chris Woakes (Stint at Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2018)

Royal Challengers Bangalore have been one of the very few franchises who always have some or the other surprises for its fans. Be it Sarfaraz Khan's retention for IPL 2018 or Quinton de Kock's release for IPL 2019, RCB has always been at the top with their wayward choices.

Alongside Quinton de Kock's release, Chris Woakes' axing was also one of the strange decisions that the RCB management took for IPL 2019. Although Chris Woakes would not have been a part of RCB for the whole of IPL 2019, releasing your frontline bowler doesn't make much sense.

The only thing that went against Woakes in IPL 2018 was his high economy rate (10.36). Besides that, he had good numbers - eight wickets at an average of 23.75 and a strike-rate of 13.75.

Sans Chris Woakes, RCB will be short of an overseas bowling option while going into the 2019 IPL Auction. Thus, RCB could once again trip their fans by acquiring Chris Woakes at a relatively lower price for IPL 2019. Buying back Woakes would surely raise some eyebrows but the possibility of IPL to shift to South Africa strengthens the case.

#2 Brendon McCullum (Stint at Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2018)

Brendon McCullum, the fiery batsman for New Zealand, is one of the releases made by RCB. The release wasn't apparent as McCullum didn't have the worst of IPL 2018. The right-hander amassed 127 runs at an average of 21.16 and a strike-rate of 144.31. Moreover, having already traded Quinton de Kock, McCullum's axing caught a lot of eyes.

The most preferred reason for McCullum's release could be his sorry form in the current scheme of T20 cricket. Post-IPL 2018 period had been the least productive for McCullum as he failed to perform in APL 2018. Nevertheless, the New-Zealander still has a lot to offer with his overpowering batting skills.

Hence, Brendon could be the one whom RCB might buy back at a proportionately lower price while filling their vacant opening slot after having traded Quinton de Kock to Mumbai Indians. McCullum, by any means, wouldn't be a bad addition for RCB. Moreover, if it comes at a reasonable price, it is all profit for RCB.

#1 Glenn Maxwell (Stint at Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2018)

The Australian all-rounder, Glenn Maxwell, was one of the biggest flops of IPL 2018. Acquired at a whopping price of INR 9 Crore, Maxwell couldn't justify his price tag as he failed to score runs and take wickets in IPL 2019. Maxwell scored just 169 runs at a low average of 14.08.

A sorry performance from Maxwell irked the Delhi Daredevils management to release the batting all-rounder ahead of the twelfth edition of IPL. Nevertheless, Maxwell could be one of those few overseas players who could get back to their base teams in the upcoming IPL auction. The Victorian all-rounder could become a prospective addition for Delhi in IPL 2019.

Moreover, Maxwell seems to be in a good rhythm in the recent things of T20I cricket. For Australia in T20Is in 2018, he has scored 506 runs at an excellent average of 36.14 and a respectable strike-rate of 143.75. Thus, Delhi might turn their heads to Maxwell when he goes under the hammer in 2019 IPL Auction.