IPL Retention: All the 8 franchises shared their lists of retained players and started a new era in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Most of the names shared by the franchise owners were on the expected lines but there were a few names that fans were expecting to see in the retention list, and their exclusion raised some eyebrows.
In this post, we will have a look at players who were expected to get retained but missed out on the IPL retention day.
1) Hardik Pandya
The swashbuckling all-rounder is going through a lean patch in his career, mainly because of fitness issues, but he is still a huge asset in the shortest format of the game. Interestingly, Mumbai Indians picked Suryakumar Yadav on the IPL retention day, ahead of Hardik Pandya and surprised many with their move because Pandya, despite his poor form, is still one of the best all-rounders in India.
2) Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal was the main strike bowler for Royal Challengers Bangalore from the past so many years and his exception has also raised many eyebrows on the IPL retention day. Chahal, who is the best leg-spinner in India, has been a loyal and performing servant for the franchise and many fans and pundits were hoping that RCB will retain him before the mega IPL 2022 auction.
3) Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer is one of the best young batters in India and he has also led Delhi Capitals effectively in the past. Recently, when Shreyas Iyer scored a hundred on his Test debut, many fans and pundits were hoping that Delhi Capitals will retain him and keep him in their squad because he is very young and has a lot of cricket in him. His exclusion from Delhi’s list came as a huge shock for many.
4) Ben Stokes
England all-rounder Ben Stokes is one of the finest cricketers in the world and he is an asset for his side in every format of the game. Stokes has been struggling with personal issues but many fans were hoping that now he is back in England’s squad for the Ashes, Rajasthan Royals would retain him and strengthen their squad with his world-class all-round skills.
5) Deepak Chahar
Deepak Chahar has been one of the best bowlers for Chennai Super Kings in theist few years and many fans were hoping that MS Dhoni would retain him as he likes giving him the ball and strike early with his ability to swing and seam the ball at good pace. Chahar is also very handy with bat as he can provide some valuable runs lower down the order, if needed.
