The Indian Premier League is the finest yearly T20 club cricket event. It has a large fan base not just in India but also throughout the world. The IPL auction, conducted before each season, is one of the essential events that create the groundwork for each franchise. They choose the top players who would be expected to perform for their team. The IPL 2022 super auction provided another opportunity for clubs to select a few players and retain them ahead of the season. There were a lot of expectations placed on these athletes. However, not everyone delivered as expected in the 15th edition.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 concluded on May 29 with an exciting final between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi International Stadium in Ahmedabad. Gujarat Titans win their maiden IPL title in their inaugural season after acquiring the operating rights. The two newly added teams performed admirably throughout the event, which also meant a good thing for IPL betting, with winners collecting their money along the way. While Gujarat won the championship, Lucknow SuperGiants (LSG) were eliminated in the eliminator.
The IPL 2023 preparation process will begin soon for all teams, however, each club will begin reviewing the player’s performances, and many players may be retained and released. Here are the top players who were retained for IPL 2022 but have a high chance to be released for IPL 2023.
Mohammed Siraj
Before the IPL 2022 mega auction, RCB paid 7 crores to keep tall fast bowler Mohammed Siraj. However, his whole season performance was well below expectations. In 15 matches, Siraj only took 9 wickets. The club management did not even select him to play X1 in the previous four RCB games. This demonstrates a lack of trust in Mohammed Siraj, and he may be released before the IPL 2023 auction.
Varun Chakravarthy
Varun Chakravarthy was one of the players who failed to perform in the 15th edition despite receiving a large IPL 2022 retention fee. KKR paid 8 crores to keep him ahead of the IPL 2022 auction, but it backfired. Varun Chakravarthy only took six wickets in 11 innings. This season, he went wicketless in more than 5 innings. KKR will almost certainly release him before the IPL 2023 auction.
Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard was retained by the Mumbai Indians for 6 crores before the IPL 2022 super auction. However, he did not live up to his price tag or the franchise’s expectations. Pollard had a forgettable season in 2022, scoring only 144 runs in 11 innings while pitching only 4 innings. Kieron Pollard’s dream run with the Mumbai Indians appears to be coming to an end before the IPL 2023 auction. Also, he has declared his retirement from international cricket, so we should not be shocked if he also announces his retirement from the IPL.
Axar Patel
The team retained Axar Patel, the all-rounder from Delhi Capitals, for a hefty 9 crores. But he has let down his fans. In ten innings, Axar Patel scored 182 runs and took six wickets. He was inconsistent throughout the season, contributing to Delhi’s lack of a competent all-rounder other than Ashwin. Axar Patel will almost certainly be one of the players released by the Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2023 auction.
Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer, another KKR player on the retained list, was upset with his performance in the IPL 2022. The team management committed 8 crores on him, expecting he would repeat his 14th edition success. However, Venkatesh Iyer fell short of the franchise’s expectations. In 12 games, he scored 182 runs. We shouldn’t be shocked if the KKR club management decides to release him before the IPL 2023 auction.