IPL 2020: 5 players who could return to their former franchises
The IPL auction ahead of the 2020 edition of the league has generated more excitement than such an auction normally does. With 73 spots open between 8 teams, a total of 971 players, including 258 overseas players, have registered for the auction. The 8 franchises have a combined purse of Rs. 207.65 crore to spend, and Kings XI Punjab, with Rs 42.70 crore to spend, have the largest purse of all the teams.
In the 12 seasons of IPL so far, there has been considerable movement of players between multiple franchises. After all, the schedule and intensity of T20 leagues around the world is such that players are more valued for their skill in absolute terms, and failure is very rarely tolerated.
It is not unusual to see players having represented 4 or even 5 franchises over the history of the IPL. Players like Parthiv Patel and Irfan Pathan are part of an elite club of players to have played for 6 teams.
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In such a competitive climate, it is quite possible that many players may find themselves playing for a franchise they may have already represented in the past, even if only on the bench and not on the field. This list is a collection of players who might end up at their old franchises after the player auction on 19 December 2019.
1. Colin Munro (KKR)
The hard-hitting Kiwi opener spent the major part of the last 2 seasons at the Delhi Capitals as a reserve opener behind the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw. However, with his old franchise Kolkata Knight Riders having released Chris Lynn and on the lookout for an overseas batsman to replace him, Munro could be the perfect fit.
Currently sitting at number 4 in the ICC world rankings for T20 International batsmen, Munro is one of only two players in the world to have scored three T20I hundreds, and also holds the record for the second fastest 50 in the format. Despite his lukewarm ODI returns in recent times, he remains a heavyweight in the world of T20 with a career strike rate of 145.55 and more than 5600 runs in the format.
But aside from being an international heavyweight, Munro also has an impressive record in franchise T20 tournaments around the world - such as the Pakistan Super League and the Caribbean Premier League. He was the highest run-scorer in the 2018 Caribbean Premier League, as he took his Trinbago Knight Riders franchise (which is incidentally managed by the same parent company as his former franchise KKR) to the title.
With the first six powerplay overs being such a crucial phase of T20 cricket, having an explosive opener is a bonus to any team. And KKR would eagerly welcome a batsman like Munro back into their fold for 2020.