IPL 2018: Retained players XI
Out of the possible 24 players who could have been retained, only 18 were retained by the eight IPL franchises ahead of the IPL Auction 2018. Several big names like Chris Gayle, Gautam Gambhir and Dwayne Bravo weren't among the players who were retained.
Surprisingly, the likes of Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer and Sarfaraz Khan were retained. So, how strong would a team comprising just the players who were retained be? Here is how that team might look like based on the rule of only four foreigners and seven Indian players.
Here is the IPL 2018 retained players XI:
Openers
David Warner
The owner of the Orange Cap for the last two seasons, David Warner has been in sensational form in the IPL since moving to Sunrisers Hyderabad. He is the leading run-getter among overseas players in the history of the IPL and occupies the fifth spot on the list of most IPL runs. His ability to give his side an explosive start makes him an invaluable asset to any T20 side. So it wasn't a surprise to see him retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Virat Kohli
Opening the batting along with him is Indian captain Virat Kohli. Only one player (Suresh Raina) has scored more runs than Kohli, who has been sensational over the last few years and only Chris Gayle (5) has scored more centuries. Ahead of IPL Auction 2018, RCB have also made Kohli the highest paid player in the history of the IPL, retaining him for INR 17 crore. He will want to show that he is worth every penny and lead his side to their maiden IPL title.