IPL 2024 retention day: All the buzz ahead of official announcement
The deadline for all 10 Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises to announce their list of retained and released players ends on Sunday, November 26. Following the confirmation of the cricketers they have retained and released, franchises will then take the next big step - preparing a detailed strategy for the 2024 auction, which will be held in Dubai on December 19.
Sunday also marks the closing of the trade window for the upcoming season. Only a couple of trade deals have been officially announced so far. However, there have been plenty of reports with regard to a massive trade deal between two big franchises. The final details, however, will only be clear once the retention list is announced officially on Sunday.
As the deadline for franchises to confirm their final list of retained and released players ahead of the IPL 2024 auction ends on Sunday, we take a look at all the buzz around retention day.
Will Hardik Pandya return to Mumbai Indians in an all-cash trade?
Over the last few days, the biggest buzz with regard to IPL 2024 retention has been that of seasoned all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s return to Mumbai Indians (MI) from Gujarat Titans (GT).
Hardik led GT to title triumph in their maiden season in 2022 and the franchise finished runners-up earlier this season, going down to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the final.
While no official details are available, several reports have claimed that the versatile cricketer is set to return to the franchise where he started his IPL career in 2015. Reportedly, Hardik's return to the MI camp will be part of an all-cash deal. MI is set to pay ₹15 crore to GT - Hardik's salary.
Additionally, it is being stated that the Gujarat franchise will also receive a transfer fee for releasing the cricketer. As per the trading rules of the tournament, the player is entitled to up to 50 percent of the transfer fee amount. One is unsure if all the financial details of the much-hyped trade will be made public.
Meanwhile, some reports have emerged that MI might consider releasing Australian all-rounder Cameron Green (₹17.5 crore) and England pacer Jofra Archer (₹8 crore) to free up some funds following the Hardik deal.
Joe Root opts out of IPL 2024, a day ahead of retention
Senior England batter Joe Root has opted out of IPL 2024. Root’s franchise, Rajasthan Royals (RR) confirmed the same on Saturday, November 25, a day ahead of the retention deadline.
Kumar Sangakkara, Royals' Director of Cricket, said in an official statement:
"During our retention conversations, Joe informed us of his decision to not take part in IPL 2024. Even in a short span of time, Joe was able to create such a positive impact on the franchise and the players around him. His energy around the group and the experience he brought to the Royals will be missed. We respect his decision totally and wish him success in everything he does."
Root was purchased by RR at the IPL 2023 auction for ₹1 crore. He featured in only three games during the season and got to bat only once, scoring 10 runs.
Root is the second high-profile cricketer to opt out of the upcoming season. Earlier, England all-rounder Ben Stokes also informed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) that he won’t be available for the 2024 edition.
Delhi Capitals retain Prithvi Shaw, KKR release Shardul Thakur - Reports
According to a report in news agency PTI, Delhi Capitals (DC) have decided to retain opener Prithvi Shaw, who is recovering from a knee injury that he suffered during his county stint. The explosive batter had a disappointing IPL 2023 season, scoring 106 runs in eight matches at an average of 13.25 and a strike rate of 124.71.
The same report also claimed that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have released all-rounder Shardul Thakur, thereby freeing up funds worth ₹10.75 crore.
Thakur, who was traded to KKR from Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2023, picked up seven scalps in 11 games last season. On the batting front, he scored 113 runs at an average of 14.13, with 68 of those coming in one innings.
SRH trade Mayank Dagar to RCB for Shahbaz Ahmed - Reports
According to a report in Cricbuzz on Saturday, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have traded Mayank Dagar to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in exchange for Shahbaz Ahmed. Dagar was purchased by SRH for ₹1.8 crore at the IPL 2023 auction.
The 27-year-old played three games for the Hyderabad franchise last season, but could not make much of an impact, picking up only one wicket with his left-arm spin.
Ahmed is also a left-arm spinner, who can bat as well. He had a poor season for RCB in IPL 2023. In 10 matches, he picked up only one wicket at an average of 95 and an economy rate of 13.57. He also scored 42 runs at an average of 10.50.