IPL Auction 2020: 4 most expensive players retained this season 

The IPL 2020 auction is just around the corner, and all the franchises would have started their respective planning procedures. The teams declared their lists of retained and released players earlier this month, and there were a few surprises as not many expected the likes of Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn, Marcus Stoinis and Sam Curran to return to the auction pool.

Some of the released players have a lot of potential, and can easily turn into match-winners on their day. Many expect them to be expensive buys at the upcoming auction.

On the flip side, there are also quite a few expensive players that have been retained. Here's a look at the top four of those:

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#4 Rishabh Pant - INR 15 crore

Rishabh Pant

The wicket-keeper batsman of Delhi Capitals, Rishabh Pant has proven himself to be a match-winner in the IPL. He has featured in 54 IPL matches, aggregating 1,736 runs at an average of 36.16.

The left-handed batsman is known for his aggressive approach, as reinforced by his staggering strike rate of 162.69. He can move into a higher gear at any given point of time; his blistering knock against the Mumbai Indians is a fine example of that.

Also see – Ranji points table

Pant has been a part of the Delhi-based franchise ever since he made his IPL debut. The 22-year-old's consistent performances have also made him a regular presence in the Indian national team.

Because of his unique talent, the Delhi Capitals have retained him for INR 15 crore ahead of the auction.

#3 MS Dhoni - INR 15 crore

IPL Qualifier - Mumbai v Chennai

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been the face of the Chennai Super Kings team since Season 1. He has led the team in all editions, with exemplary success.

The Jharkhand-born wicket-keeper batsman has played 190 matches in his IPL career, scoring 4,432 runs at an average of 42.20.

The right-hander holds the record for slamming the most sixes by an Indian player in the tournament’s history. Batting at a strike rate of 137.85, Dhoni has struck 297 fours and 209 sixes in his IPL career.

Dhoni has won the IPL trophy for CSK as many as three times. He played 15 matches for Chennai in 2019 too, showing that he is in no mood to take a backseat.

Although a lot of fans feel that he is now just a shadow of his former self, Dhoni still ended the 2019 season with 416 runs. He also registered his career-best IPL score of 84* this year.

#2 Rohit Sharma - INR 15 crore

2019 IPL Final - Mumbai v Chennai

Rohit Sharma is the reason Mumbai Indians can brag about being the most successful team in IPL history. The Mumbai-born batsman joined the team in 2011, and before that MI had never won the tournament. However, since Rohit was made the captain in 2013, the franchise has won the IPL trophy four times.

Apart from being a skillful captain, the right-handed batsman has also been phenomenal as a player in the 12 years of the IPL. He has played 188 IPL matches, scoring 4,898 runs at an average of 31.60. His strike rate of 130.82 is not too shabby either.

Although Rohit couldn't quite light up the tournament in 2017 and 2018, he produced standout performances in the 2019 edition. The 'Hitman' scored 405 runs in 15 matches to inspire Mumbai Indians to their fourth IPL championship.

Not surprisingly, the Mukesh Ambani-owned franchise have kept him in their squad at INR 15 crore.

#1 Virat Kohli - INR 17 crore

Virat Kohli is the captain of the Indian Cricket Team

The Indian skipper Virat Kohli has been the cornerstone of the Royal Challengers Bangalore side for years now. Despite putting up average numbers in the first two seasons, Kohli is still the highest run-scorer in the tournament's history.

He has been a part of 177 IPL matches, aggregating 5,412 runs at a phenomenal average of 37.84. The right-hander has worked a lot on his hitting technique, which is why his strike rate has improved a lot too. Kohli loves to keep rotating the strike, while duly dispatching the weaker deliveries to the boundary.

The Delhi-born superstar holds the record for slamming the most hundreds in a single IPL season. He achieved this feat during IPL 2016 when he notched up four hundreds and seven fifties in 16 IPL games. He also registered the record of most runs in a season by scoring 973 runs in 2016.

Kohli's extraordinary performances made it a no-brainer for RCB to retain him, even at the price of INR 17 crore.