IPL 2023 Retention: 3 players who were retained despite performing poorly in the 2022 season

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 retention list is out. As per the deadline set by the BCCI, all 10 franchises have announced the names of players they have retained as well as released.

Among the major developments, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) released Kane Williamson, who captained the team last season. Punjab Kings (PBKS) also parted ways with Mayank Agarwal after having replaced him as skipper with Shikhar Dhawan.

Most of the retentions and releases were on the expected lines. Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni, Faf du Plessis, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer will continue as captains for their respective franchises.

Australian Test skipper Pat Cummins has pulled out of the season to focus on international cricket. As a result, he was not retained by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) took the tough decision to release their talisman Dwayne Bravo, while Ravindra Jadeja stayed with the franchise.

While most players were retained on the basis of their performances in the previous season, a few were lucky to remain in their franchise despite having failed to deliver in IPL 2022. In this feature, we take a look at three such cricketers.

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#1 Matthew Wade - Gujarat Titans

Gujarat Titans’ keeper-batter Matthew Wade. Pic: IPLT20.COM

Australian keeper-batter Matthew Wade had an utterly forgettable season for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2022. Having made a comeback to the Indian T20 league after 11 years, he struggled for rhythm and form despite being given multiple chances.

In 10 matches, the southpaw managed a mere 157 runs at an average of 15.70 and an equally disappointing strike rate of 113.77. He had a highest score of 35 during the edition.

Wade also found himself at the center of a controversy when he went on a rampage in the GT dressing room, unhappy with the umpire’s decision during a game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The 34-year-old was later found guilty of breaching the tournament’s code of conduct.

Ahead of the IPL 2023 retention list being released, it was widely reported that GT were considering releasing the Aussie. However, they might have had second thoughts, knowing very well how destructive Wade can be on his day. So the Australian will get another chance to prove his IPL worth in the upcoming season.

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#2 Shahrukh Khan - Punjab Kings

PBKS batter Shahrukh Khan. Pic: Instagram

Retaining or releasing the big-hitting Shahrukh Khan would have been a tricky decision for the Punjab Kings (PBKS). The big-hitter was purchased for a whopping ₹9 crore on the basis of his exploits for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket. Shahrukh showed glimpses of his potential in IPL 2022 but failed to put together a substantial performance.

In eight matches, he scored 117 at a poor average of 16.71. What was even more shocking was his strike rate of 108.33. Having been primarily picked for being an explosive striker of the cricket ball, PBKS would have expected a lot more from the well-built cricketer.

Like in Wade's case, there were media reports that the Punjab franchise would look to release him and add ₹9 crore to their auction purse. One doesn’t know the inside story of Shahrukh’s retention, but one reason could be that the franchise themselves were guilty of not giving the batter enough exposure to make an impact.

He batted down the order in most of the games, finding it difficult to get going right away and perishing cheaply a number of times.

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#3 Riyan Parag - Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals batter Riyan Parag. Pic: IPLT20.COM

Young Assam batter Riyan Parag seems to have unofficial membership of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) franchise! There is no doubting his talent - be it his batting, his dancing, or his fielding. However, when it comes to delivering results, Parag has been strikingly poor.

In the last IPL season, the youngster, who turned 21 earlier this month, scored 183 runs in 17 matches at an average of 16.64 and a strike rate of 138.64. He did hit one impressive half-century in a game against RCB. However, he had precious else to show for his efforts, barring his involvement in a couple of controversies.

RR management has consistently backed Parag over his underwhelming performances, and their common defense has been that the right-handed batter does not get enough balls to score big runs.

Still, with 522 runs in 47 matches at an average of 16.84 and a strike rate of 124.88, you need a lot of luck to be retained for another season. Parag definitely has that.

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