One Indian bowler each team should release before IPL 2019
The preparations for the 2019 edition of the IPL are in full swing now. The next edition of the IPL is likely to be preponed due to the clash of dates with the 50-over World Cup and is most likely to be held outside of India as the 2019 General elections in India are scheduled during the same time.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has asked all the eight franchises to submit the list of released players and have set a deadline of November 15 for the same. IPL has two trading windows with the first one starting just after the end of the season and is open before a month to the auction and the second one after the auction ends till the start of the next tournament. In 2018, IPL also introduced a mid-tournament window for franchises to trade uncapped players and players, who have played two or fewer matches.
Some of the franchises have swung into action. It has been confirmed that Sunrisers Hyderabad has traded Shikhar Dhawan to Delhi Daredevils in exchange for three players. In other changes, Quinton de Kock has moved to Mumbai Indians while Mandeep Singh has been traded to Kings XI Punjab in exchange for Marcus Stoinis.
With the auctions likely to be held in mid-December in Jaipur, we take a look at an Indian bowler each IPL franchise should release before the auctions.
#8 Jaydev Unadkat - Rajasthan Royals
Jaydev Unadkat created history last year by becoming the highest paid Indian bowler in the history of IPL, going for Rs. 11.5 crores to the Rajasthan Royals. However, his performances on the field failed to match his selling price as the star from the 2017 edition of the IPL failed to pick up wickets when it mattered the most. The left-arm medium pacer from Saurashtra picked up just 11 wickets from 15 outings at an economy of 9.5 runs per over.
Unadkat’s off-cutters have become predictable and batsmen line him up as a left arm finger spinner. His performances in the domestic circuit as well have not been that inspiring. Rajasthan did ever so well in reaching the playoffs with such a brittle squad last year. It should release Unadkat before the auctions for the 2019 edition and should utilize that money in bolstering their batting line-up which desperately needs an overhaul.