IPL Auction 2022: 3 teams which are in trouble after the retentions
The retentions ahead of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction are now official, and they weren't without a few twists and turns.
Several key players were released and others were retained as the franchises attempted to formulate the ideal strategy ahead of what is expected to be the last mega-auction. Players like Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill and Jofra Archer will be in the auction pool, but their respective teams should be able to cope without them.
However, these three teams might be in trouble after the IPL 2022 retentions.
#3 Mumbai Indians
Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) haven't made too many mistakes in the history of the IPL auction. Known as one of the shrewdest franchises in the competition, MI have made a series of smart calls and cheap purchases to help them achieve unprecedented glory.
However, MI have now lost out on several key players. Apart from Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Quinton de Kock and Rahul Chahar, Rohit Sharma will be without the services of one of the franchise's brightest young talents - Ishan Kishan.
MI's decision to pick Kieron Pollard and Suryakumar Yadav ahead of Kishan and Hardik might come back to haunt them, especially since Rohit, Pollard and Suryakumar are on the wrong side of 30. With this expected to be the last mega-auction, MI's dominance over the league might dwindle as a result of their rather short-term retentions.
#2 Sunrisers Hyderabad
The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately. SRH finished dead last in IPL 2021, dropping their captain David Warner in bizarre circumstances.
Now, after the IPL 2022 retentions, the Orange Army will also be without Rashid Khan, one of T20 cricket's biggest names at the moment. Reports suggest that Rashid wanted to be the first retention ahead of captain Kane Williamson, which seems like a reasonable request given how many matches the Afghan spinner has won for the franchise.
SRH will also be without Jonny Bairstow, who is one of the most destructive white-ball openers in the world right now. Although they have managed to hold onto two exciting young talents in Umran Malik and Abdul Samad, SRH won't forget the debacles they have endured over the last few months in the IPL.
#1 Punjab Kings
Like SRH, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) have lost their biggest match-winner - KL Rahul. Rahul was unwilling to continue with the franchise, with head coach Anil Kumble confirming that the star opener wants to be part of the auction.
PBKS have always been known for their questionable auction decisions and it seems impossible for them to cope without their most important player. Incredibly, even two uncapped players in Shahrukh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi refused to continue with the franchise, according to reports. Negotiations with Nicholas Pooran also apparently fell through.
Having retained only Mayank Agarwal and Arshdeep Singh, PBKS will have an uphill task to push for the playoffs, let alone contend for the IPL title that has eluded them constantly.