IPL 2019: 3 Released players that Rajasthan Royals could look to buy at the auction

Rajasthan Royals finished 4th in IPL 2018, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders in the Eliminator. The Royals gained momentum in the last few games when Jos Buttler was promoted up the order, but they couldn't keep up their good form until the very end.

The Royals have announced the list of players they have retained and those who they have released.

Retained players: Ajinkya Rahane, Krishnappa Gowtham, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Gopal, Aryaman Birla, Sudhesan Midhun, Prashant Chopra, Stuart Binny, Rahul Tripathi, Dhawal Kulkarni, Mahipal Lomror, Jos, Buttler, Ben Stokes, Steve Smith, Jofra Archer, Ish Sodhi

Released players: D'Arcy Short, Heinrich Klaasen, Ben Laughlin, Dane Peterson, Zahir Khan, Dushmantha Chameera, Jaydev Unadkat, Anureet Singh, Ankit Sharma, and Jatin Saxena.

Among the released players, D'Arcy Short and the highly priced Jaydev Unadkat were the biggest names, and Rajasthan would need to get replacements for them.

Here are 3 released players who the Rajasthan Royals could look to sign in the IPL 2019 Auction.

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#3 Mohammed Shami (Delhi Daredevils)

The Delhi Daredevils let go of Mohammed Shami along with several other big names for the upcoming IPL season. Shami picked just 3 wickets in the 4 games he played but many felt he was under-utilised by Delhi.

He had a decent Ranji season, picking up 24 wickets for Bengal, and had a good time with the national side in the Test Series against West Indies.

Mohammed Shami in action for the Delhi Daredevils

Rajasthan thought that they had a quality Indian fast bowler in Unadkat but he disappointed. They could certainly look at Shami as a replacement for Unadkat.

Shami can swing the ball both ways and is a decent death bowler as well. He can be deadly while partnering with Jofra Archer, and the team also has all-rounder Ben Stokes who can bowl a few crucial overs as well.

Shami will look to revive his struggling limited overs career if he is given the opportunity to play in the IPL.

#2 Mustafizur Rahman (Mumbai Indians)

'The Fizz' struggled to perform for the Mumbai Indians last season, and that resulted in him being released by the side. But he has had good outings for the Bangladesh national side in recent times, and is in great form right now.

One of the few Bangladeshi players to feature in the IPL, Mustafizur is known for his accuracy and subtle changes of pace.

Mustafizur Rahman

Mustafizur can be the all-round bowling package which Rajasthan are looking for, and just like Shami he too can form a lethal combination with Jofra Archer.

Rajasthan's overseas pace options didn't perform well except for Archer, and 'The Fizz' can be the perfect solution to that conundrum. The Royals can benefit hugely if they buy this seasoned and energetic fast bowler to fill the void of the third seamer.

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#1 Aaron Finch (Kings XI Punjab)

Aaron Finch was released by Kings XI Punjab along with several other big names like Yuvraj Singh and Axar Patel.

The Australian captain has had a great season post IPL and will certainly be on the radar of teams looking out for an opener. The Kings seem to have made a mistake by letting go of this in-form opener, and the other teams will be looking to cash in.

Aaron Finch

Finch is in the second place in the ICC T20I Rankings and has scored 469 runs in 13 innings for Australia with an average of 52 and an absolutely incredible strike rate of 190. He recently made history by posting the highest individual score by a batsman in T20Is as he smashed 172 runs against Zimbabwe.

With such destructive abilities, Finch is the number 1 candidate for an opening slot in any team, and should look to grab the opportunity if it arises.

He will be a great option to open the batting with either Buttler or Rahane, and can thrive in both Indian and foreign conditions (since the IPL could be moved out of India). All things considered, Finch would be a great option for the Royals to look at.