3 teams whose playing XI will likely remain unchanged even after the IPL 2023 auction
The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction was a lucrative affair that saw several high-profile superstars being snapped up by the 10 franchises for mind-boggling amounts.
The big three of Ben Stokes, Cameron Green and Sam Curran fetched massive sums, while others like Nicholas Pooran and Harry Brook were in huge demand as well. These expensive players are bound to slot into their respective teams' playing XI and will have a tough task ahead of them to justify their price tag.
A few franchises, however, didn't make any significant additions. Here are three teams who didn't sign any definitive starters at the IPL 2023 auction.
#3 Delhi Capitals
The Delhi Capitals signed only five players at the 2023 IPL auction, none of whom are likely to breach the playing XI.
Phil Salt, signed for his base price of ₹2 crore, will be a backup for David Warner as well as a backup wicket-keeper. Ishant Sharma has had only one full season of IPL cricket under his belt over the course of his entire career and isn't a reliable all-phase bowler in the shortest format. Rilee Rossouw, meanwhile, will probably be a backup for Rovman Powell despite his ₹4.6 crore price tag.
Mukesh Kumar is the man most likely to breach DC's playing XI, but his game has so far been better-suited to the longer formats. The Capitals don't have any specialist death bowlers, and the likes of Khaleel Ahmed, Chetan Sakariya and Kamlesh Nagarkoti might be ahead of Mukesh in the pecking order anyway.
Rishabh Pant's unfortunate accident means that DC might be without their captain for IPL 2023, but with no official word yet, it's safe to say that their playing XI hasn't changed.
#2 Kolkata Knight Riders
The Kolkata Knight Riders were in trouble even ahead of the IPL 2023 auction, with barely any money in their purse and several areas to cover. They ended up acquiring eight players, with Shakib Al Hasan being their most expensive purchase at ₹1.5 crore.
KKR signed Narayan Jagadeesan, who could be their primary wicket-keeper. But with overseas slots available, their first-choice XI is likely to include the explosive Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who was traded in from the Gujarat Titans. Litton Das will be Gurbaz's backup, while David Wiese and Shakib will fill in for Andre Russell and Sunil Narine respectively if needed.
Vaibhav Arora, Kulwant Khejroliya, Suyash Sharma and Mandeep Singh aren't going to disturb the existing order either. KKR's playing XI was practically set before the IPL 2023 auction and shouldn't change in the aftermath of the event.
#1 Royal Challengers Bangalore
Like KKR, the Royal Challengers Bangalore had a settled playing XI ahead of the IPL 2023 auction. Unlike KKR, though, Faf du Plessis and Co. had a strong roster with only bench slots left to fill.
RCB did just that. They snapped up Reece Topley and Will Jacks as backups for Josh Hazlewood and Glenn Maxwell respectively while filling the rest of the spots with domestic talent. Himanshu Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar and Avinash Singh aren't likely to break into the playing XI anytime soon.