IPL 2019: Released players XI

3. Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum's 158 in the first IPL game is still as fresh as ever

The Kiwi batsman who set the stage on fire by smashing a swashbuckling 158 in the very first IPL game has evolved as a player with the several franchises he has played for.

McCullum spent last season with the RCB and didn't get a fair chance to fire. On his day, McCullum can tear apart any bowling attack at his will and win games single-handedly.

He is slotted in at No.3 in this line-up to allow him enough time to get his eye in. McCullum's IPL stats read 2880 runs from 138 games at a strike rate of 132.

4. Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj scored only 65 runs from 8 games in the IPL 2018

Regarded as one of the best T20 batsmen India has ever produced, Yuvraj has found himself in the dug-outs of several IPL teams throughout the course of his career, the last one being his hometown franchise Kings XI Punjab.

Yuvraj has played 128 IPL games scoring 2652 runs at a strike rate of 130, not to mention his handy left-arm spin bowling. His attacking instincts will come handy at No.4 here.

There is no denying that Yuvraj is one of the most valuable players in the T20 version of the game and his exclusion from this XI would be a tough omission.

5. Manoj Tiwary

Manoj Tiwary did not shine in the KXIP colours

The Bengal star batsman has lost his place from the Indian team since 2015. Tiwary was bought by the Kings XI Punjab for the eleventh edition of the IPL. Unfortunately, he could not convert his potential into performances and the KXIP management decided to let him go even after a forgettable season.

Tiwary scored only 47 runs at a strike rate of 107 from 5 IPL games in 2018. However, he has been a seasoned campaigner in the IPL having an experience of over 98 games scoring 1695 runs at a strike rate of 117.

Tiwary gives stability to the middle-order in this line-up and is someone who cannot be ignored.

6. Wriddhiman Saha (WK)

Saha played for the SRH in 2018

Wriddhiman Saha is someone who has always been at par with his performances yet never grabbed the limelight. Saha is a decent wicket-keeper batsman who can score handy runs down the order and is very tidy with his glovework.

He was not at his best in the IPL 2018 as he was suffering from shoulder and a thumb injury. The SRH management thought it would be wise to let Saha go. As a result, he finds himself back in the pool at the 2019 auction.

Saha has scored 1679 runs from 115 games at a strike rate of 129 in his IPL career. He is an automatic choice for the wicket-keeper's slot in this XI.