IPL 2019: Released players XI
The IPL player retentions and releases never fail to throw up a surprise. This time around too the franchises took some harsh calls letting go some big names. The standards set in IPL are different from other T20 leagues across the world.
While in other T20 leagues, one bad season is tolerated by the franchise owners, it is not the same in the Indian Premier League. Here, the owners are not kind enough to let the non-performers stay even for a bit.
As the teams seek to get their hands on the glittering IPL trophy, they would be hoping that letting go some of the big names will enable them to find new stars and build a squad that is complete in all aspects.
In this article, we will form an XI out of the several players released by the franchises.
Note: Players listed in this line-up may be batting at different positions for their respective teams.
1. Gautam Gambhir (C)
One of the biggest names on the list of axed players was the two-time title-winner Gautam Gambhir. At the end of 2017 season, Gambhir asked the KKR owners to let him go in order to make a comeback to his home-based franchise, Delhi Daredevils.
However, this move backfired and Gambhir failed miserably for the DD, only to be released. They say one bad season does not define a player. Indeed, Gambhir still remains one of the best openers in the history of the league with 4217 runs from 154 games with 36 fifties.
Clearly, Gambhir is an automatic selection in this fictional XI and a perfect candidate for the leadership role.
2. Aaron Finch
The Australian juggernaut opener was donning the red of the Kings XI Punjab in the eleventh edition of the IPL. He batted out of his preferred position (as an opener) and scored only 134 runs from 10 games at an average of 17.
The Kings XI Punjab management took a harsh call by axing him and Finch finds himself without an IPL franchise now. Nevertheless, he is regarded as the most devastating opener in the modern-day T20 cricket. Presently, Finch holds the record for the highest individual T20I score of 172 against Zimbabwe.
In his IPL career, he has scored 1737 runs at a strike rate of 131. Finch's inclusion in this side to partner Gambhir at the top is a no-brainer.