A month before they arrive in Dubai for the auction, which will take place on 19 December, preparations for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season are in full swing among the franchises, with 26 November being the deadline to announce the list of released and retained players.
As the franchises brainstorm to find crucial answers, we have made the task easier for you – for in this article, we will look at a team-by-team guide of the players that all ten teams could release.
1. Chennai Super Kings
Purse remaining: Rs 6.50 crore.
The Chennai Super Kings think tank are not expected to lose any sleep over retentions, for much of their task – that of freeing up purse – has been done by two players. English all-rounder Ben Stokes, who cost the team Rs 16 crore but played only two matches, has made himself unavailable for IPL 2024, while Ambati Rayudu, costing the team Rs 6.75 crore, has announced his retirement. Notably, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's availability is not set in stone yet, albeit the skipper has stated he is recuperating following his knee surgery.
Hence, the defending champions will have a bare minimum of Rs 29.25 crore – including the value of these two players, unused purse and the additional Rs 5 crore that teams will be allowed to spend – when they arrive at the auction table.
Once regarded as among the more sought-after overseas pacers, Kyle Jamieson’s career graph has not seen the steep rise that many had expected. The former Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer – who once was bought for Rs 15 crore in the auction – has had plenty of injury troubles in his career.
Now at 28, Jamieson has played all but 13 T20I matches for his country, wherein he has picked up only 10 wickets. His economy rate of 9.29 runs per over does not add to his credibility either.
Sisanda Magala – signed as an injury replacement for Rs 50 lakh – is the second CSK might opt to let go. In the two matches he did play last season, the South African pacer could scalp only a solitary wicket, while conceding 51 runs in six overs. He is not among the mainstays in the South African team either, having played only six T20Is, the last of which was back in March.
Fellow Proteas teammate, Dwaine Pretorius could also be released. Albeit he got only one opportunity last season, the 34-year-old has announced his retirement from international cricket, and CSK subsequently might look for alternatives among those who are still representing their nations in the T20Is.
Among the Indian domestic players CSK might choose to let go are Bhagath Varma – the 25-year-old all-rounder from Hyderabad who has played only five T20s so far, and did not feature in this edition’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), and Simarjeet Singh – the medium-pacer from Delhi who did not feature in the SMAT either.
2. Delhi Capitals
Purse remaining: 9.45 crore.
Reports suggest Delhi Capitals will be opting for a major overhaul, which – considering they finished ninth in IPL 2023 – will be perfectly justified.
Costing them Rs 4.60 crore last season, South African batter Rilee Rossouw struggled to live up to his price tag, and its subsequent expectations, scoring only 209 runs in nine matches.
Since then, Rossouw featured in only the United States of America’s Major League Cricket, where he scored only one half-century in five appearances.
The same can be said about West Indian all-rounder Rovman Powell and veteran Indian batter Manish Pandey, who cost the Capitals Rs 2.80 crore and Rs 2.40 crore respectively.
Powell played three matches for the Capitals in IPL 2023, wherein he could pick up only one wicket, and score seven runs. His only expedition since that competition was in West Indies’ domestic List A tournament, the Super50 Cup, where he scored only one half-century in seven matches and picked up three wickets.
Pandey, meanwhile, scored merely 160 runs in 10 matches last season, at an average of 17.77. At the SMAT, Pandey batted on three occasions, accumulating a meek total of 39 runs.
While Sarfaraz Khan cost the team only Rs 20 lakh, the wicketkeeper-batter could score only 53 runs at an average of 13.25 last season, and is a candidate to be released.
Like Pandey, Khan struggled to find his feet at the SMAT too. The Mumbaikar featured in eight matches, where he scored 64 runs at an average of 21.33 – a number the DC management might not be content with.
Among the bowlers, Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman and Indian youngster Kamlesh Nagarkoti might have to bid adieu to their time in DC.
Rahman was all over the place for Bangladesh at the recently concluded 2023 ICC World Cup, picking up only five wickets in eight matches. As for Nagarkoti, – an all-rounder with no dearth of talent, but plagued with injuries – he has not played a competitive match this year.
3. Gujarat Titans
Purse remaining: 9.45 crore.
With their captain, Hardik Pandya reportedly joining Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans will free up Rs 15 crore before dipping into retentions and releases. Accordingly, it will not be a surprise if they retain almost the entirety of their squad, barring a few.
Wicketkeeping pair Matthew Wade and KS Bharat could be released to free up a cumulative sum of Rs 3.60 crore, while overseas all-rounders Dasun Shanaka and Odean Smith can also be let go.
Albeit he is leading the Australian side in the on-going T20I series against India, with the usual suspects missing, Matthew Wade had to spend the last season on the Gujarat Titans bench after what was a lukewarm 2022 season. At The Hundred in England earlier this year, Wade scored 117 runs in eight matches, with his average being only 19.50.
The same can be said about KS Bharat, who has not had opportunities with the veteran Wriddhiman Saha doing a mighty fine job. At SMAT 2023, Bharat scored 150 runs, with his average being only 21.42.
Signed as Kane Williamson’s injury replacement last season, Dasun Shanaka scored just 26 runs in the three chances he was provided with. The Sri Lankan all-rounder is experiencing as poor a run of form as he has perhaps ever had, and at the 2023 Asia Cup, which took place not long ago, he could barely accumulate 54 runs after playing six matches.
Another overseas all-rounder, Odean Smith did not get a single opportunity last season. He did feature regularly in the Caribbean Premier League, but his performances were far from impressive, scoring 89 runs and picking up six wickets in 11 matches.
Among the Indian players, Pradeep Sangwan, Urvil Patel and Darshan Nalkande are among the prime candidates to feature on the list of released players, having not made any significant contribution thus far.
Vidarbha pacer Nalkande had an economy rate of 9.95 runs at SMAT 2023, while Sangwan played only a couple of matches for Delhi. Patel, the 25-year-old batter from Gujarat, scored only 164 runs at SMAT.
4. Kolkata Knight Riders
Purse remaining: 6.65 crore.
Another team of Delhi Capitals’ ilk, Kolkata Knight Riders are also expected to release players aplenty and look for a fresh start, under the tutelage of their two-time title-winning captain, Gautam Gambhir.
All-rounder Shardul Thakur and New Zealand speedster Lockie Ferguson – who were traded in by spending Rs 20.75 crore, but did not justify their price tags – could be released.
Thakur scored 113 runs in 11 matches at an average of 14.12, whilst picking up only seven wickets. He has not been among India’s playing XI scheme of things either, making only three appearances at the World Cup, where he got two wickets.
Ferguson played only three matches last season – not because the KKR management’s decision-making process was faulty, but because his performances did not warrant a fourth appearance.
In those three matches, he picked up only one wicket and conceded runs at an economy rate of 12.52 runs per over. He was expensive at the World Cup as well, having an economy rate of 5.57 runs per over.
The other candidates are – Bangladeshi veteran duo Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das, another Kiwi pacer in Tim Southee, West Indies’ Johnson Charles, Namibia’s David Wiese and the Indian trio of N Jagadeesan, Mandeep Singh and Kulwant Khejroliya.
5. Lucknow Super Giants
Purse remaining: Rs 10.80 crore
Lucknow Super Giants have already freed up Rs 2.25 crore by letting Avesh Khan join Rajasthan Royals, in exchange for Devdutt Padikkal. That, in addition to the Rs 8.55 crore they have from unused and new purse, will set them up nicely for the auction, considering they don’t have many gaping holes in the team.
The only mega-money player they could release is Deepak Hooda – who cost the team Rs 5.25 crore, but scored only 84 runs in 12 matches last season.
Unlike many of the Indian players we have mentioned, Hooda was far from being underwhelming at the SMAT. He did score 179 runs at an average of 35.80 for Rajasthan, but considering his price tag, he might be released from the squad.
Daniel Sams, Jaydev Unadkat, Krishnappa Gowtham, Yudhvir Singh and Swapnil Singh are the other players they can release.
Sams did not get any opportunity last season, and considering LSG boast of a squad packed to the brim with all-rounders, the scenario is unlikely to change for him. Moreover, not being a part of Australia’s T20I squad currently takes away from his allure. Unadkat, meanwhile, could not pick up any wickets in his three IPL 2023 appearances.
6. Mumbai Indians
Purse remaining: Rs 5 crore.
Mumbai Indians will significantly bolster their squad even before the auction, with the arrival of Hardik Pandya looking very likely. Yet, the all-rounder will cost them Rs 15 crore, and having an unused purse of only Rs 50 lakh, it is certain that the five-time champions will release at least one big signing.
That one player could be Australian all-rounder Cameron Green – not because he performed poorly last season, but owing to his ginormous price tag of Rs 17.50 crore.
Indeed, to release a player who scored 452 runs and picked up six wickets in his debut season does not make a lot of sense, but the all-rounder is not going through the best phase of his life. At the World Cup, Green scored 73 runs in three matches, without adding any wickets to his tally.
There could be a plethora of other releases, but along expected lines – Chris Jordan, Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith, Duan Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Arshad Khan, Sandeep Warrier, Raghav Goyal, Vishnu Vinod, Hrithik Shokeen and Ramandeep Singh.
Jordan scalped three wickets in six IPL 2023 appearances, and while Meredith got seven in five, he conceded runs at an unsatisfactory economy rate of 10.52 runs per over. Arshad Khan was even more expensive, with his economy rate being 13.41 runs per over.
7. Punjab Kings
Purse remaining: Rs 17.20 crore.
Punjab Kings’ perennial loop of build-destruct-reconstruct has never been rewarding. Accordingly, despite finishing eighth in IPL 2023, they could opt for some continuity ahead of the 2024 edition.
Among those who regularly featured in the playing XI, Harpreet Brar could ideally be the lone candidate to be released, with nine wickets in 13 matches doing very less to justify his Rs 3.80 crore contract.
Barring the left-arm spinner, Raj Bawa, Matthew Short, Shivam Singh, Baltej Singh and Mohit Rathee could be let go.
Having scored 117 runs in six matches in IPL 2023, Matthew Short is finding life difficult in India whilst being on national duty too. Scoring just 11 runs in the two ODI appearances against India back in September, he scored only 13 runs in the last T20I fixture.
8. Rajasthan Royals
Purse remaining: Rs 6.60 crore.
Having utilised Rs 2.25 crore already in the acquisition of Avesh Khan for Devdutt Padikkal, Rajasthan Royals will be among those teams looking to free up purse by releasing players on big contracts.
Jason Holder, who was acquired for Rs 5.75 crore but could pick up only four wickets last season, could be among the names on the inaugural champions’ release list.
Having signed Avesh, it seems certain that they will release at least one Indian pacer, who could be their Rs 2.60 crore signing, Navdeep Saini.
In his two matches last season, Saini conceded 74 runs in six overs, at an economy rate of 12.33 runs per over. The pacer from Delhi was not on the money at the SMAT, picking up four wickets in seven matches at an economy rate of 8.63 runs per over.
Joe Root, Obed McCoy, KC Cariappa, KM Asif, Kuldip Yadav and Kunal Singh Rathore are the other candidates.
9. Royal Challengers Bangalore
Purse remaining: Rs 6.75 crore.
By forming a new coaching setup, Royal Challengers Bangalore have already hinted at an overhaul, with Andy Flower now at the helm. Among those who could be in the front row to be let go are two wicketkeepers – Dinesh Karthik and Anuj Rawat.
Once a reliable finisher, Karthik has left his prime behind, and his tally of 140 runs in IPL 2023 was not in synchronisation with his contract fee of Rs 5.50 crore.
Karthik has only featured in one game post IPL 2023, and did not take the field for Tamil Nadu in SMAT 2023. Rawat, meanwhile, has had troubles with consistency. The accumulation of 206 runs, at an average of 29.42, is not terrible, but he could score only one half-century in seven appearances for Delhi.
He has not realised his potential yet, with rare glimpses of brilliance not doing enough to justify Bangalore’s decision to spend Rs 3.40 crore on him.
The other candidates to be released could be Will Jacks, Kedar Jadhav, Karn Sharma, Avinash Singh and Rajan Kumar.
10. Sunrisers Hyderabad
Purse remaining: Rs 11.55 crore.
Amid rumours of letting English batter Harry Brook walk away, Sunrisers Hyderabad could ideally deviate from their knack of ripping the team apart ahead of every auction, and have faith in some of their expensive signings.
Among those who could be let go, however, is Mayank Agarwal, who scored just 270 runs last season after being signed for Rs 8.25 crore. The young duo of Abdul Samad and Kartik Tyagi – each costing the franchise Rs 4 crore – might also be released.
At the SMAT 2023, Mayank scored 126 runs in five matches at an average of 25.20. His only half-century came against Uttar Pradesh, whilst the experienced campaigner could not cross the 30-run mark on the four other times of asking.
Hyderabad have shown faith aplenty in Abdul Samad, yet, the young all-rounder from Jammu & Kashmir has never quite looked an indispensible part of the team. He scored 169 runs in nine appearances last season, and at SMAT, could score only 68 runs in five matches at an average of 17.
As for Tyagi, he scalped one wicket in three matches in IPL 2023, whilst conceding runs at an economy rate of 14.91 runs per over. The 23-year-old from Uttar Pradesh was unimpressive at the SMAT 2023 as well, with just four wickets to his name in six matches.
Completing the list could be Adil Rashid, Mayank Dagar, Akeal Hosein, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Anmolpreet Singh and Sanvir Singh.
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