IPL Auction 2020: One expensive player that each team should consider releasing

Shreyas
Carlos Brathwaite (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)
Carlos Brathwaite (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

It's that time of the year again, when talks about new players, coaches and the auction fill the cricketing fraternity. All the IPL franchises are preparing vigorously in the off-season to build a strong team, and with the auction on the horizon, they have already started scouting their targets and identifying the players to release or retain.

The IPL Auction 2020 is set to be held on 19 December in Kolkata, and all the teams will look to acquire some new players for their squad. Last season's auction saw some quality buys as well as some bad ones. The teams would've had a lot of time to reflect on the performances of the players, and choose whom to back for the upcoming season.

There were certain expensive players bought at the auction who didn't perform well, and the teams would consider releasing them. On that note, let's take a look at one expensive player that each team would do well to release.


Chennai Super Kings - Mohit Sharma (₹5 crore)

Mohit Sharma (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)
Mohit Sharma (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

One of CSK's two buys at the auction, Mohit Sharma was a huge bust for the three-time champions. The Haryana pacer was poor in the only opportunity he got, picking up just 1 wicket at an economy rate of 9. To add to his woes, he was poor in the field and dropped a sitter at mid-on, indicating that his time in the limelight is coming to an end.

Mohit didn't feature in any game after that for CSK, and it seems like the 31-year-old's IPL career has come to a halt. With nothing to show by Mohit in terms of performances, CSK should release him and look to buy some local talent from the TNPL.

They could even use the amount that they get after releasing him to sign a quality overseas pacer like Sheldon Cottrell.

Also see – World Test Championship points table

Delhi Capitals - Colin Ingram (₹6.4 crore)

Colin Ingram (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)
Colin Ingram (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

A lot was expected from Colin Ingram in IPL 2019, after he was picked up for a whopping ₹6.4 Crore by the Delhi Capitals at the auction. The expectations went further up when he impressed in the Pakistan Super League just before the IPL; big things were anticipated from the ex-Proteas batsman.

But Ingram had a poor season, making just 184 runs in 12 matches at a poor average of 18.40 with not even a single half-century to his name.

One major reason for this failure was that he wasn't accustomed to batting at No. 5, which was the position he featured in for Delhi. Ingram often had no time to settle while batting, and was forced to accelerate - resulting in the loss of his wicket.

Delhi don't really need Ingram, who's a No. 3 or No. 4 batsman, and they should consider releasing him to free up an overseas slot. Releasing Ingram will also free up a lot of cash to use at the auction.

Kings XI Punjab - Varun Chakravarthy (₹8.4 crore)

Varun played just one game in the 2019 season (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)
Varun played just one game in the 2019 season (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

Varun Chakravarthy was the joint most expensive player at the IPL 2019 auction, being bought by KXIP for a staggering ₹8.4 crore. But the mystery spinner from Tamil Nadu was plagued by injury throughout the season, and featured in just one game - where he was absolutely thrashed by Sunil Narine.

The pinch-hitter smashed Chakravarthy for 25 runs in his first IPL over; the youngster finished with figures of 1 for 36 in 3 overs.

He missed the rest of the season due to injury and hasn't featured in any game for Tamil Nadu recently either. He has absolutely no momentum and no past feats to inspire confidence in the team management to retain him.

Mystery spinners have been the most sought after players in the IPL, but many of them have proven to be bad buys. With a talented player like Mujeeb Ur Rahman already in the team, KXIP should have no problem in shipping Varun out and freeing up their budget.

Kolkata Knight Riders - Carlos Brathwaite (₹5 Crore)

Carlos Brathwaite
Carlos Brathwaite

Carlos Brathwaite made a name for himself after winning the World T20 2016 for the West Indies. However, the kind of performances that were expected of him haven't really arrived in the IPL.

KKR, despite being aware of Brathwaite's poor IPL record, signed him for a huge sum of ₹5 crore - only for the all-rounder to flop in the two opportunities he got. Brathwaite scored just 11 runs and went wicketless in both the games, leaking runs at an economy rate of 9.66.

Even in other T20 games Brathwaite doesn't really have a record that matches his reputation. He has scored 1520 runs at an average of just 15.40, which shows he has struggled a lot as a batsman. Even with the ball, he has just 139 wickets from 159 T20s at an economy of 8.13 - those aren't particularly impressive numbers.

With Andre Russell in brilliant form, KKR don't need Brathwaite at all. They should look to buy a good death bowler and a backup opener for Chris Lynn after releasing Brathwaite.

Mumbai Indians - Barinder Sran (₹3.4 crore)

Sran was taken apart by the KKR openers (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)
Sran was taken apart by the KKR openers (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

Barinder Sran created a lot of hype when he made his debut for the Indian side, but that slowly faded away in the face of his inconsistency. The Punjab pacer managed to convince the Mumbai Indians to shell out ₹3.4 crore for him at the auction, but it's safe to say that he was a bad buy.

Sran failed miserably in both the games he got to play in, and never seemed comfortable at the bowling crease. He either strayed in line and bowled to the pads of the batsmen, or delivered juicy half volleys which were dispatched with ease.

Sran couldn't pick up a single wicket and leaked runs at a poor economy rate of 12.75.

He did a decent job for Chandigarh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but Mumbai have more than enough talent in their team already. They would look to target younger, more pacier fast bowlers in place of Sran.

Rajasthan Royals - Jaydev Unadkat (₹8.4 Crore)

Jaydev Unadkat had a poor season. (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)
Jaydev Unadkat had a poor season. (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

Jaydev Unadkat was released by RR ahead of the IPL 2019 auction after he performed poorly in the 2018 season. But RR had a surprise in store for everyone when they bought Unadkat again, for another huge sum of ₹8.4 Crore - making him the joint-most expensive player at the auction.

The Saurashtra pacer endured yet another tough season though, as he failed to find his feet at the bowling crease. He was never able to settle down at any stage of the game, and the batsmen often targeted his overs to increase the scoring rate.

Unadkat could pick up just 10 wickets from 11 games at a torrid economy rate of 10.66.

The reason RR bought Unadkat again was his strong domestic record. But since that didn't translate into results in the IPL, they should consider releasing him despite his decent performances for Saurashtra.

₹8.4 crore is just way too much for an inconsistent bowler like Unadkat, and RR can use the cash to get someone better at the auction.

Royal Challengers Bangalore - Akshdeep Nath (₹3.6 Crore)

Akshdeep Nath (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)
Akshdeep Nath (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

It was pretty surprising to see RCB bidding furiously for the relatively untested Akshdeep Nath and paying a huge amount of ₹3.6 crore for him. It was even more surprising when RCB persisted with him for a long time despite him not performing, while more proven performers like Pawan Negi and Washington Sundar warmed the bench.

The experiment has clearly been a miserable failure. The keeper-batsman failed to make the most of his chances and scored just 61 runs from 8 matches at a poor average of 12.20 and indifferent strike-rate of 107.68.

The Uttar Pradesh cricketer was never convincing either as a batsman or a keeper, and added little value to the team. With many talents set to feature in the auction and with RCB lacking in the bowling department, they need to release Akshdeep Nath and free up some cash.

Sunrisers Hyderabad - Martin Guptill (₹1 crore)

Martin Guptill (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)
Martin Guptill (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

Of all the teams in the auction, SRH were perhaps the smartest. They quietly came away with all the players they needed and had a pretty good season, so it's tough to find someone who they can release. But they could consider letting Martin Guptill go - more for freeing up the overseas slot than for the cash.

The Kiwi batsman was bought as a backup for David Warner and Jonny Bairstow and did a decent job, scoring 84 runs in the 3 matches he played at a good strike-rate. But the fact is that SRH don't need him now that Warner and Bairstow are set to stay for the whole season this time around.

Even if injury strikes, Wriddhiman Saha provides adequate backup to the openers.

SRH really need a big-hitter who can power their middle order, and they need to free up an overseas slot for the same. They should ideally release Guptill and look for someone like Glenn Maxwell or James Neesham to take up his place.

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Edited by Musab Abid