IPL 2018 retention: 5 players SRH shouldn't retain

Champions of the 2016 season, the David Warner led Sunrisers Hyderabad boast of star players like David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan, Moises Henriques, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rashid Khan. With major re-shuffling of teams for the next season certain, it is yet to be seen as to which players the team chooses to retain and which not.

According to the IPL governing council’s decision that was taken late last year, a franchise can retain a maximum of five players (three retentions+two RTMs). Ahead of the much-awaited IPL retention meeting to take place on January 4, here is looking at five players the Sunrisers Hyderabad shouldn't retain.

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#5 Ben Cutting

The Australian fast bowler was instrumental in Sunrisers’ title win in 2016, putting up a Man of the Match performance in the final, but in 2017, Cutting did little to secure a cent percent retention for 2018. He played only four matches last year in which he picked seven wickets only.

With the bat too the all-rounder wasn’t great as he managed only 51 runs. Although he has shown glimpses of rattling the batsman with his bouncers, Cutting has been largely inconsistent. He failed to do anything extraordinary in the Big Bash League 2017 as well, in which he played for Brisbane Heat.

Therefore, two use up one of the two retention spots for an overseas player on Cutting would not be a good decision.

#4 Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson has not been a regular in the SRH team

The New Zealander has not got enough opportunities in the SRH XI in the previous seasons. He was benched for the first five games in 2017 and in the remaining seven games that he played, he scored 411 runs. Hyderabad’s top order has Warner and Dhawan to get them to flying starts and the middle order needs batsmen who can keep up the pressure on the opposition from the word go.

SRHs batting hasn't faltered without Williamson and they haven't missed him either in any games. The right-hander might get opportunities in the XI if he plays for any other team which can use him at the right batting position.

#3 Mustafizur Rahman

The 22-year-old played only game for SRH last year

The left-arm pace bowler made his IPL debut in 2016 and was very impressive, taking 17 wickets in 16 matches. But in the 2017 season, due to national commitments and injury, he played only a solitary game in which he went wicketless. Besides, the youngster is very injury prone which makes him inconsistent. He was ineffective in both Bangladesh’s recent tour of South Africa as well as the Big Bash League.

In the BBL, he managed to pick only 7 wickets in six games, which does not do justice to the promise he showed in his debut IPL season. Besides, the batsmen have figured out his off cutters and the team has better options in Mohammed Nabi and Rashid Khan to retain from.

#2 Deepak Hooda

78 runs and 2 wickets from 10 matches in IPL 2017 will surely force the franchise to retain players with better performance

Although the Baroda all-rounder was given a call-up to the T20I series against Sri Lanka, he was not handed over the cap. Hooda, who captained Baroda after Irfan Pathan was suspended after the first two games of the season, has not piled up too many runs in the Ranji Trophy.

78 runs and 2 wickets from 10 matches in IPL 2017 will surely force the franchise to retain players with better performance. Hooda’s performance with the ball in the Ranji Trophy 2017-18 was not up to the mark either. While he scored 277 runs from four games, he failed to pick up more than a solitary wicket.

#1 Yuvraj Singh

The elegant southpaw has an average record for the Sunrisers

Once known as a terrific batsman and also the king of comebacks, out of favour batsman Yuvraj Singh didn't do much after England’s tour of India in January 2017 to inspire confidence from selectors or fans or the IPL franchise, as is the case here. The elegant southpaw has an average record for the Sunrisers and has not played any crucial knocks for several seasons.

Although he recently cleared the yo-yo test after several failures, he is not in good form either. 372 runs from 11 matches in 2017 do not do justice to a player of his calibre and perhaps SRH may be able to do without him and give chance to youngsters.