IPL 2019: List of players who might be released by each franchise ahead of the next season

#6 Kings XI Punjab

From left to right: Nair, Varun, Prabhsimran, Tye, and Curran

After a yet another failure in this season, we might expect Kings XI Punjab to continue with their trend of releasing a large number of players before every IPL auction.

In particular, KXIP might release three of their expensive signings - Karun Nair (₹5.6 crore), Varun Chakravarthy (₹8.4 crore), and Prabhsimran Singh (₹4.8 crore). Interestingly, all the three players managed to play only one game in this season. Henceforth, we can expect KXIP to release these three players ahead of the next season.

Andrew Tye, the Purple Cap winner of IPL 2018, had a lean patch this year. In six games, he picked up only three wickets with an expensive economy rate of 10.59. Sam Curran, the England all-rounder, had an average IPL debut season. In nine games, he picked up ten wickets including a fine hat-trick against Delhi Capitals. However, he conceded runs with an economy rate of 9.78. With the bat, he scored a quick-fire half-century against RCB.

Since both Tye and Curran have similar high price tags of ₹7.2 crore, KXIP might release either both or any one of them and repurchase them at a lesser cost in next year’s IPL auction.

#5 Kolkata Knight Riders

From left to right: Uthappa, Brathwaite, and Ferguson

Robin Uthappa, one of the most senior batsmen in the KKR setup, had a season to forget this year. In 11 innings, he managed to score 282 runs with a below-par strike rate of 115.10. His lean patch started with a sluggish knock in one of the league matches against RCB. His horrible tournament ended with a painful knock against Mumbai Indians in the last league match of the season. Since the age is not on his side, KKR might release Uthappa to increase their purse value by ₹6.4 crore.

Carlos Brathwaite was KKR’s most expensive player in this year’s IPL auction. However, the West Indian all-rounder played only two games in this season and failed to make any significant contribution. Since KKR bought him for a massive sum of ₹5 crore, they might release him ahead of the next season to increase their purse value.

To boost their pace attack, KKR bought Lockie Ferguson for a considerable sum of ₹1.6 crore in this year’s IPL auction. However, he took only two wickets in his five games with an expensive economy rate of 10.76. Hence, KKR might release him and replace him with some other quality bowler.