IPL 2023 auction: 1 surprise retention each franchise made
The IPL 2023 Auction is the next big thing that Indian cricket fans are looking forward to. All 10 franchises have declared their lists of retained players before the new season. Since a mini auction will take place this year, the majority of the teams have retained almost all of their core team members.
However, a few players who did not have a great IPL 2022 season have also been surprisingly retained. On that note, here's a list of one surprise retention that each team has made.
#1 Gujarat Titans - Vijay Shankar
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Vijay Shankar had a disappointing season with the Gujarat Titans (GT) earlier this year. The all-rounder played four matches, where he scored 19 runs and scalped zero wickets.
Since Shankar has not played much cricket after the IPL, it was a little surprising to see GT retain him.
#2 Mumbai Indians - Tristan Stubbs
Tristan Stubbs made his IPL debut earlier this year for the Mumbai Indians (MI). He played two matches, scoring two runs at an average of one.
Given how he performed in his first IPL season, not many fans would have expected him to be retained ahead of the IPL 2023 Auction. It seems like the Mumbai Indians have retained him based on his top performances in other T20 matches.
#3 Lucknow Super Giants - Manan Vohra
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Manan Vohra is one of the most talented top-order batters in India right now. However, he got to play only two matches for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) last season. His role was not clear, and he ended with 19 runs at a strike rate of 172.73.
Since LSG have retained KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock, it is unlikely that they will use Vohra much. It might have been better if he earned a contract from a team that would give him more matches.
#4 Chennai Super Kings - Mitchell Santner
Mitchell Santner is one of the top spin-bowling all-rounders in the world. He has been with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since 2019 but has played only 12 matches. Santner generally warms the benches for the team.
Since CSK retained Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and Maheesh Theekshana, it was a bit surprising to see them block another overseas spot with a spin option.
#5 Delhi Capitals - Mustafizur Rahman
Delhi Capitals (DC) have Chetan Sakariya and Khaleel Ahmed in their left-arm pace-bowling department. They have Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi in the overseas pace-bowling section. Still, they decided to retain Mustafizur Rahman.
The Bangladesh pacer could play regularly for another franchise, but he will likely warm the benches at DC in IPL 2023.
#6 Kolkata Knight Riders - Venkatesh Iyer
Quite a few franchises have released their expensive signings from last season. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) let go of Shivam Mavi as well, but they have retained their all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer.
KKR retained him for ₹8 crore before the IPL 2022 Auction. He played 12 games for the team last season, scoring 182 runs. Surprisingly, he bowled only four overs in the competition.
#7 Punjab Kings - Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan is another expensive player who was retained for IPL 2023 even though his numbers in IPL 2022 were not that great. Khan played eight games for Punjab Kings, scoring 117 runs at a strike rate of 108.33.
It will be interesting to see how he performs for the Mohali-based franchise in the IPL 2023 season.
#8 Rajasthan Royals - Riyan Parag
Young all-rounder Riyan Parag did not have a memorable season with the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022. Despite receiving a lot of backing from the team management, Parag could not produce consistent performances for the side.
The youngster scored 183 runs in 17 matches at an average of 16.64. With the ball, he took one wicket in four overs while conceding 59 runs. Parag will continue playing for the Rajasthan Royals in 2023.
#9 Royal Challengers Bangalore - Anuj Rawat
Anuj Rawat played eight games for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) last season, aggregating 129 runs at a strike rate of 109.32. Barring his 66-run knock against Mumbai Indians, Rawat could not contribute much to RCB's success.
Since his price tag was ₹3.4 crore, a few fans felt that he might be released, but RCB have given him one more chance.
#10 SunRisers Hyderabad - Fazalhaq Farooqi
Like the Delhi Capitals, the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) have a lot of depth in their pace attack. Still, they have blocked one of their overseas spots by retaining Afghanistan's rising star Fazalhaq Farooqi.
The left-arm pacer played three games last season, scalping two wickets at an average of 55. It will be interesting to see if SRH can better utilize his talent in 2023.