The KL Rahul led Kings XI Punjab will head to the IPL Auction table in February with the fattest purse (INR 53.2 Crore) across franchises and with the core team very much intact.
Yet to win a title, KXIP will need to be decisive and ruthless in their planning because there are a few gaps they need fill. And by releasing the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Sheldon Cottrell, the franchise has paved the way for that audacious bid that will make the unit a more compact one.
"The plan was to keep the core of the team, and make sure the players who were part of the team last season will continue this year as well. We believe that this group along with whoever we pick at the auctions to fill those gaps will be able to turn things around for Kings XI Punjab," Anil Kumble, the head coach, was quoted as saying by the Kings XI website.
KXIP will head into the auction with nine spots open on the roster including five for the overseas players. Only three overseas players have been retained by the franchise - Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran and Chris Jordan.
Retentions
The franchise has retained almost all of it’s core team with the only exception being Glenn Maxwell, a slot in the batting line-up they will want to address at the earliest.
Among the players retained, the likes of KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Nicholas Pooran, Chris Gayle will shoulder most of the responsibility in terms of the big runs, while Mohammed Shami will once again lead the attack.
The batting is seemingly not the biggest source of concern for the KXIP side, whereas the likes of Chris Jordan, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi and M Ashwin could do with some quality support around them.
Going by the current set of retained players, KXIP’s starting XI, have only a couple of slots open.
What KXIP Need at IPL 2021 Auction?
With more than 50 crores in the bank and a fair amount more than their closest competitors (RCB and RR), it is advantage Punjab at the auction. For Kumble and the rest of the think tank there will be a few areas they will look at with very keen interest.
Of utmost importance will be to bring in an all-rounder who can be a good aggressor in the middle order and be more than handy with the ball. Among those released by other teams, one very interesting option could be England’s Moeen Ali. Or will they go back for Maxwell one more time, considering his current form in the BBL?
Along with that, Kumble and Rahul will be eager for a top pacer to help block the runs in the death and back up the good work Bishnoi, Ashwin and Arshdeep in the middle overs. Given the amount of money there is in the bank, one would not be surprised if they go all out for Mitchell Starc, a tried and tested white-ball ace. Among those released, South African Chris Morris also could fit the bill for KXIP.
Most successful teams in the IPL have had good bowlers to see them through the crucial overs. How well KXIP and Anil Kumble, in his second year as coach with the franchise, use their financial muscle at the auction table will decide the fate of their 2021 campaign.
Retained players: KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Deepak Hooda, Prabhsimran Singh, Mohammed Shami, Chris Jordan, Darshan Nalkande, Ravi Bishnoi, Murugan Ashwin, Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Ishan Porel
Released players: Glenn Maxwell, Karun Nair, Hardus Viljoen, Jagadeesha Suchith, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Sheldon Cottrell, Jimmy Neesham, Krishnappa Gowtham, Tajinder Singh.
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