Eight franchises spent INR 269 crores to retain 27 players (19 Indians, out of which four are uncapped, and eight foreigners) out of a maximum possible 32. While this seems normal, the player retention lists ahead of the IPL 2022 still had its shocker moments.
While Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) nailed their crux, there were surprise calls from Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians (MI) did what they could do best, and the Punjab Kings (PBKS) did what was expected from them.
Let us start with the defending champions. The numbers in parentheses are retainer amounts in INR (crores).
Chennai Super Kings retain the right four
- Retained: Ravindra Jadeja (16), M.S. Dhoni (12), Moeen Ali (8), Ruturaj Gaikwad (6).
- Big releases: Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Josh Hazlewood.
- Remaining purse: INR 48 crore.
Dhoni reportedly wanted to be retained as the fourth player, but the franchise gave him the second spot. Dhoni has as good as built the CSK brand, and even with dwindling on-field contributions, his value as leader and strategist played a significant role in the Yellow Brigade’s fourth title win.
Jadeja was an obvious No.1 choice. Moeen Ali could have fetched twice the amount in the upcoming auction, but he probably chose stability and faith over monetary ambitions. And after 2021 IPL, Gaikwad had to be retained. In an ideal auction, both Moeen and Gaikwad would have fetched more.
Emotions were surely at play when they decided on Raina’s release, but a cricketing decision had to come to the fore. The same holds for du Plessis and Bravo, for the amount of time they have spent in the yellow jersey. While du Plessis has raised his value through form and is also a captaincy option in other teams’ wishlist, Bravo may still be bought by CSK in the auctions.
CSK had done very well to build an Indian fast bowling unit with Chahar and Thakur, both of whom have grown in stature and deserve bigger bucks. Known to keep the same crux, CSK will eye getting back some of these names. Do not rule out R. Ashwin’s return to the franchise.
Like the way they boss the IPL, they have bossed the retention as well.
Good choices, but leadership remains in the spotlight for Kolkata Knight Riders
- Retained: Andre Russell (12), Venkatesh Iyer (8), Varun Chakravarthy (8) Sunil Narine (6)
- Big releases: Shubman Gill, Eoin Morgan, Lockie Ferguson, Pat Cummins, Shakib Al Hasan, Dinesh Karthik.
- Remaining purse: INR 48 crore.
Like CSK, the 2021 IPL runners-up KKR have done well with their retention list. Russell, Venkatesh, Chakravarthy and Narine would have found takers and gone for big bucks in the auctions.
Venkatesh over Gill was the right, albeit tough, call, considering the former’s all-round skillset and hitting abilities. The big miss is Lockie Ferguson.
It will be interesting to see who leads them next season. Will they go for someone like David Warner or a Ben Stokes? Or will they place trust on a young Indian talent as DC did with Shreyas Iyer in 2018? But who would be that as they have released Gill?
They may also go for Morgan in the auction. Though his form remained poor throughout 2021, his strategic calls were primarily responsible for their turnaround in the UAE leg of the tournament.
KKR management has made it clear that they will bring as many existing players back in the squad.
Delhi Capitals nail their retention list
- Retained: Rishabh Pant (16), Axar Patel (9), Prithvi Shaw (7.5) and Anrich Nortje (6.5).
- Big releases: Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Avesh Khan, R. Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada.
- Remaining purse: INR 47.5 crore.
DC have been right with their picks. All four retained have won matches on their own, and fit head coach Ricky Ponting’s vision.
Some big names had to be released, and DC will target a few of them in the auction. The big talking point has to be the release of Shreyas, who led them to the Playoffs in 2019 and 2020. The buzz goes – he had captaincy ambitions, and once DC zeroed in on Pant as the skipper, he had no reason to stay. Another set believes that he is headed to his place of origin – Mumbai. Whatever happens, he will have a big payday once the bidding war ensues.
It won’t be a bad idea for DC to look to nab Avesh, Dhawan and Ashwin in the auction. DC do not hesitate to look back. They traded Harshal Patel after the 2020, and may look to shell out a good amount to get back the current Purple Cap holder.
Royal Challengers Bangalore let go of their best Indian talents
- Retained: Virat Kohli (15), Glenn Maxwell (11) and Mohammed Siraj (7).
- Big releases: Devdutt Padikkal, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal.
- Remaining purse: INR 57 crore.
First the salary bit. Kohli will now earn INR 2 crores less than what he did in the previous four seasons. Rohit Sharma, Jadeja and Pant now have higher salaries than him. Fair enough, he does not lead, and his form has not been the best.
Now is the time for big shocks. Why would a Siraj be retained ahead of Harshal, Chahal and Padikkal?
There’s a possibility of Chahal not agreeing on the third spot with INR 7 crore, but letting go of both Harshal and Padikkal made little sense.
All RCB have now are two superstar batters and a bowler who, while excellent, was not their best. In the post-A.B. de Villiers era, they have to build a team with good spinners, a wicketkeeper-batter and death bowlers. It i set to be an interesting auction for the RCB.
Don’t be surprised if they get into bidding wars for Chahal, Ishan Kishan and K.S. Bharat.
Mumbai Indians go for the expected four as Ishan Kishan misses out
- Retained: Rohit Sharma (16), Jasprit Bumrah (12), Suryakumar Yadav (8), Kieron Pollard (6).
- Big releases: Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Trent Boult, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Chahar.
- Remaining purse: INR 48 crore.
It must have been a close call between Kishan and Suryakumar, with the latter clinching it. We can now expect a bidding war for Kishan, who is more suited as an opener.
MI have retained the crux and will look to build the team around it. Like CSK, the five-time IPL champions have a penchant for picking their trusted faces. They will expectedly bid for some of the big names they have released.
The big news, though, is the release of the Pandya brothers. It won’t be a surprise if the new Ahmedabad franchise eyes either Hardik or Krunal (or both).
Yet another rebuilding for the Punjab Kings
- Retained: Mayank Agarwal (12), Arshdeep Singh (4).
- Big releases: K.L. Rahul, Chris Gayle, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi.
- Remaining purse: INR 72 crore.
PBKS enter the auction with INR 72 crore in the purse. It’s not a surprise that they are looking to rebuild, something that’s been a pattern for them.
Rahul deciding to part ways is a big blow for the franchise but a massive gain for his best friend Agarwal, who has now emerged as the top captaincy candidate.
Releasing Bishnoi and Markram do not seem the smartest calls, but historically, they have not been the most imaginative franchise anyway.
Rajasthan Royals release Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer
- Retained: Sanju Samson (14), Jos Buttler (10), Yashasvi Jaiswal (4).
- Big releases: Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Chris Morris, Evin Lewis.
- Remaining purse: INR 62 crore.
Kumar Sangakkara clarified that they would have liked to retain four players, but Archer’s fitness issues forced them to retain three.
Archer, the MVP of the 2020 edition, missed the last season due to an injury that has forced him out since March and even the upcoming Ashes. But the decision means Ben Stokes was not considered. Or perhaps he is looking out for a higher salary.
RR enter the upcoming auction with a big purse, but not retaining either of the two most exciting cricketers may go on to hurt their balance.
No Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar for Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Retained: Kane Williamson (14), Abdul Samad (4) and Umran Malik (4).
- Big releases: Rashid Khan, David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Manish Pandey, Mohammad Nabi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T. Natarajan.
- Remaining purse: INR 68 crore.
It is believed that Rashid was set to be the second retained player, after Williamson, but he wanted a better deal.
Williamson himself must be scratching his head if SRH fail to bag Rashid in the auction. He would probably have agreed to be the second retention, which makes SRH not providing a better deal to Rashid, one of IPL’s best cricketers, intriguing.
Warner’s departure was expected, with how things turned last season. With him claiming the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup, he proved that the batting glitch was temporary. It may turn out to be a big loss.
While Jammu & Kashmir cricketers Malik and Samad have the potential, they have not set the stage alight – yet. Malik’s ability to consistently clock 150 kph and Samad’s big-hitting prowess are unquestionable, but releasing two quality T20 pacers – Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T. Natarajan – may prove to be a decision they regret.