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The 2018 auction resulted in a major overhaul for all the eight franchises. While some of the teams managed to retain a significant core from their previous campaigns, others preferred to opt for a complete reset.
Movement of players across different franchises is inevitable, and being professionals, the players have adjusted to a format where they are expected to perform despite no guarantee of them being retained by their teams for the next season.
Interestingly, this year's IPL auction saw a number of players re-employed by the franchises they represented when making their IPL debuts. Reasons for the same were mainly reinvestment in local players by franchises and the return of Chennai Super Kings from a two-year suspension.
Let us look at ten such players who will turn out for their original franchises:
#10 Aditya Tare (Mumbai Indians)
The biggest moment of Aditya Tare's career was when he hit a six under-pressure to help Mumbai Indians stun the Rajasthan Royals and enter the IPL Playoffs in 2014.
Since making his debut for MI in 2010, Tare made a number of useful contributions over the years in the limited opportunities that he was given. He was a part of their triumphs in 2013 and 2015 as well.
In 2016, MI let him go and Sunrisers Hyderabad snapped him up at the auction, but he failed to impress in the few chances he got. More underwhelming performances followed in 2017, this time playing for Delhi Daredevils, and he ended up being benched for the majority of the season.
Tare was picked by MI at the 2018 auction for his base price of INR 20 lakhs, and would want to add to his memorable performances for the franchise.
#9 Suryakumar Yadav (Mumbai Indians)
Suryakumar Yadav made his first-class debut in the 2010-11 season and grabbed the attention of the Mumbai Indians management who subsequently picked him in 2011. He did not get a game during the IPL season that year but played regularly in MI's successful Champions League campaign in the same year.
SInce 2014, he became a vital cog of Kolkata Knight Riders' lower order and finished crucial games for them in his four-year stint.
He was bagged for INR 3.2 crores at the 2018 IPL Auction, and will be excited to play for his home team after five years.
#8 Faf du Plessis (Chennai Super Kings)
Faf du Plessis' services were secured by reigning champions Chennai Super Kings ahead of the fifth edition of the tournament in 2012. He had an impressive debut season, scoring 398 runs and consistently made contributions at the top of the order.
Following CSK's two-year suspension since 2015, du Plessis was picked by Rising Pune Supergiant whom he represented for the next two years.
At the 2018 auction, CSK retained his services for INR 1.6 crores by using the Right-to-Match card, and the current South Africa captain would be keen to repay the faith.
#7 Glenn Maxwell (Delhi Daredevils)
Glenn Maxwell was snapped up by Delhi Daredevils in 2010- a time when he was far from being the superstar that he is today.
Maxwell did little of note in the initial years of his IPL career before he hit the jackpot with a USD 1 million contract from the Mumbai Indians in 2013. His best years, however, came 2014 onwards playing for the Kings XI Punjab, where he won matches single-handedly when on song, but was alarmingly inconsistent.
The good news for DD is that his recent form is outstanding, and coach Ricky Ponting, who also mentored Australia's latest T20 series, seemingly gets the best out of him.
The Daredevils shelled out INR 9.5 crores for the "Big Show" at the 2018 auction and would hope to see the best of him in IPL XI.
#6 Murali Vijay (Chennai Super Kings)
Murali Vijay is all set to enjoy a much-awaited homecoming, as he returns to the franchise which is not only based in his city but also one where he played some of his best cricket.
He made his debut for Chennai Super Kings in 2008, though he was given a consistent run in the team only from 2009 onwards. Vijay soon became an important part of the successful journey of CSK, forming dependable partnerships first with Matthew Hayden and then Michael Hussey. His performances in crucial knockout matches were of significant value and as a fielder, he pulled off some brilliant catches.
Since 2014, he endured disappointing seasons for Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab and as a result, finds himself out of the reckoning for India's limited overs squads.
IPL 2018 presents him with an ideal opportunity to revive his international career and no doubt, he will be keen to repeat his performances from the past.
#5 JP Duminy (Mumbai Indians)
Jean-Paul Duminy's first IPL contract was a lucrative USD 950,000 deal with Mumbai Indians in 2009. He put in solid performances in his two-year stint before moving to Deccan Chargers in 2011.
Duminy acquired the role of a consistent accumulator who could efficiently shift gears according to situations. He went on to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils, where he was briefly entrusted with the responsibility of captaincy.
Duminy's vast experience of playing in T20 leagues across the world, and his ability to maintain his composure under pressure prompted MI to reinvest in him, and INR 1 crore - his auction price in 2018- is definitely a bargain.
#4 Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings)
Whether playing for India or not, in form or out of form in domestic cricket, the moment Suresh Raina comes out to bat in an IPL game, one can expect him to play at the peak of his abilities.
Such is the consistency shown by him over the years, that he has earned himself the nickname of "Mr. IPL".
Raina, who featured in every single game for Chennai Super Kings till 2015, was the backbone of their batting lineup at no.3, as he mastered multiple roles of stabilizing the innings, attacking in the power-play and finishing off pressure run-chases.
In the two-year absence of CSK, Raina led the Gujarat Lions to a season each on both ends of the league table. Season tallies of 399 and 441 runs each are impressive for most players, but by Raina's standards, these numbers at Gujarat Lions are underwhelming in comparison to the truckloads of runs he amassed for CSK in eight years.
It was a straight-forward decision for CSK to retain Raina for the 2018 edition, and the year has already started well for him as he returned to the Indian team. A strong IPL season will not only go a long way in ensuring yet another successful campaign for CSK but also help him earn an extended run for the national side.
#3 Yuvraj Singh (Kings XI Punjab)
A lot has happened in Yuvraj Singh's life over the last ten years: he was the poster-boy of Indian cricket before a rare form of cancer derailed his career, but he refused to give up and returned to play for India before he again lost his place due to fitness and form concerns.
There has, however, been one constant throughout: he has underperformed in the Indian Premier League.
When the IPL started in 2008, Yuvraj was expected to become one of the most successful batsmen in the league, and he was announced as the icon player of Kings XI Punjab- the franchise he led for the first two years. While Yuvraj did play a few attractive innings and even took a hat-trick with the ball in 2010, consistency eluded him and his captaincy was average at best.
His stint with Pune Warriors (2011-13) was truncated due to the treatment of his illness, but he remained a marquee pick at subsequent auctions, receiving lucrative deals of INR 14 crores, INR 16 crores and INR 7 crores with Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively.
IPL 2018 is the ideal opportunity for Yuvraj to revive his international career for one last time. The pressure on him will be minimal as he was picked up by KXIP at his base price in the auction, and the dependable batting lineup around him will enable him to play freely.
This could well be the season Yuvraj Singh and his fans have been waiting for.
#2 Gautam Gambhir (Delhi Daredevils)
Just when his association with the City of Joy was threatening to surpass Gautam Gambhir's bond with hometown Delhi, he decided to leave Kolkata Knight Riders and become, by his own admission, a "proper Delhi boy" once again.
Gambhir was at the peak of his career when Delhi Daredevils released him ahead of the 2011 player auction, a move which didn't go down well with him as he openly expressed his disappointment.
When KKR splurged USD 2.4 million on Gambhir at the 2011 auction, it was clear that they had chosen him to lead KKR to glory after three forgettable years. Through his aggressive captaincy style and a passion-filled intensity, he led KKR to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014, besides playoff appearances in three other seasons. With the bat, he emerged as a solid contributor at the top of the order and became KKR's all-time leading run-scorer.
However ahead of IPL 2018, when he was not retained by KKR, it surprised everyone and raised speculations about his IPL future. A clarification from KKR CEO Venky Mysore after the auction revealed that Gambhir wanted to face a "new challenge" waiting for him, and accordingly, his desire to not be retained drove the franchise to act upon the same,
In the last phase of his career, Gambhir clearly wants to complete an unfinished job from 2010: to lead his home franchise to their maiden IPL title.
DD have reasons to be optimistic about their chances of ending their trophy drought in 2018: a solid, well-balanced squad; a successful and experienced IPL captain; and in Ricky Pointing, an IPL-winning coach as well.
It will be very interesting to see Gambhir putting in his best efforts to earn DD the title that has so far eluded them, but it will be equally strange to watch a KKR team not being led by him.
#1 MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)
Inarguably the most anticipated return is that of Mahendra Singh Dhoni to the team which is truly his own.
Chennai Super Kings are the only franchise to qualify for the playoffs in every single edition of their participation, also securing two titles in six final appearances, and MS Dhoni was the protagonist throughout their successful journey. Fans in Chennai accepted him as one of their own, showing their love and respect for him by naming him thala (the boss).
When CSK were suspended ahead of IPL 2016, he was picked by Rising Pune Supergiant who subsequently assembled an imbalanced squad at the auction which became the first to not qualify for the playoffs under Dhoni's leadership. In 2017, Dhoni was removed as captain of RPS and the move proved that the franchise never really placed their trust in him.
2018 will mark the beginning of a new chapter in CSK's legacy, as Captain Cool returns to lead the Yellow Brigade, much to the delight of their rich fan-base.
Dhoni was, is and will always remain the face of CSK like no one else.
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