IPL 2018: 3 players that Delhi Daredevils should retain

The Delhi Daredevils (DD) has had tumultuous IPL campaigns so far. Of the 10 tournaments that it played, it qualified for the semi-finals only thrice and never made it to the final. With the auction coming up early next year, DD would need to closely evaluate which players would be most beneficial for the team to retain.

Listed here is the young blood that DD should retain in the next edition of the IPL on account of their promising performances over the last year, and their potential to take the team to its first IPL win.

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#1 Kagiso Rabada

Coach Russell Domingo referred to Rabada as "a diamond"

Kasigo Rabada is showing the world that he can replace Dale Steyn as the leader of South Africa's fast bowling department. He is one of the world's fastest bowlers, regularly clocking speeds of over 85 mph.

He debuted last year for the Delhi Daredevils but he did not get many opportunities to manifest his potential, playing just six games.

Rabada has taken 22 wickets in 16 T20I matches with an impressive strike rate of 16.45.

DD should formulate its bowling attack with Rabada as its fulcrum, and this will give the team a huge edge going into the tournament.

#2 Shreyas Iyer

Iyer's consistency has earned him a spot in India's T20 side

DD signed Shreyas Iyer in the 2015 player auction for a whopping Rs. 2.6 crores, making him the IPL's highest paid uncapped player.

He amassed 439 runs in 14 innings with a strike rate of 128.36 to become the ninth most consistent player in the tournament. He also bagged the Emerging Player Award that year.

The youngster has the potential to replicate Kolhi's successes and can effectively lead DD's batting lineup.

#3 Rishabh Pant

Pant was an expensive buy for DD, but one that could prove to be very advantageous

Rishabh Pant came into the limelight after his exploits in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup. The aggressive batsman-cum-wicketkeeper was drafted into the Delhi Daredevils for Rs. 1.9 crores in the 2016 season.

Playing only his third IPL match, Pant scored 69 runs off 40 balls, helping DD to an eight-wicket victory over the Gujarat Lions. In 2017, he shattered Gujarat Lions' bowling once again with a breathtaking 97 off 43 balls. He ended the tournament with an impressive 366 runs.

DD should not let go of Pant, especially after having invested such a large sum on this promising 19-year old.