Jan 20th was the last date for the IPL franchises to share the released players’ list for an upcoming auction in mid-February. Predictably, there are some big Indian names in this list, playing IPL since its inception. Unfortunately, we may not see a few of those names back in the action, even though they are part of the auction list. It seems they are the forever released Indians from the IPL duties. In this blog, we will look at three such names and the reason behind their prospective permanent release.
Note: This list does not contain Parthiv Patel, since he retired from all forms of cricket, at the end of IPL2020.
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Harbhajan Singh – The Turbanator
A veteran of 265 T20s, played across 13 years, Bhajju pa played the IPL with two of the best franchises – Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. Importantly, he was a part of the IPL winning team for both. However, every good thing has an end, and so does Bhajju pa’s IPL career.
Predictably, he topped the chart of CSK’s released players. He announced his contract completion even before CSK announced it. Even though age may not be a factor, his recent cricketing exposure may have. Deciding not to join CSK’s IPL2020 campaign, Harbhajan hasn’t played competitive cricket for nearly two years now. Subsequently, he may have played his last IPL game in IPL2019, and we may not see him again playing IPL.
Mohit Sharma – The other Sharma
Team India’s 2015 world cup and CSK’s regular, Mohit Sharma may have played his last IPL game for Delhi Capitals during the IPL2020 edition. Across the last three IPL editions, he has played a combined of 11 games, less than his total tally of the entire 2017 season. During the period, he has picked up a total of 9 wickets at an economy of over 10, and avg. of ~39.
At this performance, it wasn’t a surprise that he won’t be retained. However, the showing may not even aspire other franchises to look at him as a prospect backup for their sides. Unfortunately, the 32-yrs old may join a list of forever released Indians in 2021.
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Murali Vijay
The stylish Tamilnadu opener is part of an IPL ever since its inception, back in 2008. Just like Mohit Sharma, even he has played a total of 6 IPL matches in last three editions. This number is less than half of his 2017 edition of 14 matches.
Unfortunately, his strike rate is on decline since the 2018 season, which hit the rockbottom of ~74 in 2020 season. With such a decline, there will hardly be taker of his skills in the IPL2021 auctions. It won’t be hard to assume that he’ll join Mohit Sharma & Harbhajan Singh in the forever released Indians list hereon.
Whom do you think may join the above list from the recently concluded IPL released players?
The IPL 2021 auction saw several Indian players released by their franchises, creating opportunities for new beginnings. Some notable names among the released Indian players include Kedar Jadhav, Piyush Chawla, Murali Vijay, Umesh Yadav, and Harbhajan Singh. While these players have contributed significantly to their respective teams in the past, the decision to release them reflects the dynamics of team strategies, player performance, and budget considerations. As they enter the auction pool, these released Indian players will aim to attract interest from other franchises and showcase their skills in the upcoming IPL season, eager to make an impact and revive their IPL careers with a fresh start.