As the IPL 2021 auction is approaching, there were all types of rumors regarding the player retention of all the teams. On January 20, all the franchises submitted the list of their retained players to the BCCI. As always there was some surprising retention while there were some surprising releases as well.

As the franchises looked to build their teams for the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ranking-all-8-teams-based-on-their-retentions-ahead-of-ipl-2021-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 edition</a>, there were going to be some players who were going to be released. The IPL auction will be held in the month of February, but there hasn’t been any duration specified when the league will be played. The franchises also had to make the calls of retention without being sure of the venue of the 2021 season.

Some releases were surprising also because this year was going to be the last season before the big auction happens in 2022, where all the players will be jingled. In the mega auction, teams will be allowed to retain five of their players, which will be a combination of foreign and Indian stars. However, this year&#8217;s auction will see several stars coming back to the hammer clash and donning jerseys of their new franchises.

Here are the 5 surprising releases by the franchises ahead of the IPL 2021 auctions: &#8211;

1. Steve Smith- Rajasthan Royals

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-449843" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Steve-Smith-1.jpg" alt="Steve Smith" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-449843" class="wp-caption-text">Steve Smith. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

The news of Rajasthan Royals releasing their captain, Smith was floating around in the news for the last few days. However, there was no official news. Finally, the franchise confirmed their decision about releasing the Australian batsman. He had joined the franchise in 2014, after which he was named the captain towards the end of the 2015 season.

Apart from the one season when he was banned due to the ball-tampering controversy, the batsman led the side towards the end of the 2019 season and the entire 2020 season. It wasn’t even the case that he was going to the auction so that RR can pick up again as the franchise named Sanju Samson as the captain for the 2021 auction. It seems that his inability to bring home a title for the Rajasthan franchise has made them take the harsh call of releasing him.

It is even more surprising because he has some great numbers with the bat. In 95 matches, he has scored 2333 runs at an average of more than 35 along with a strike rate of 130. It can be assumed that his record in the 2020 season with the bat, made it more difficult for him to make it to the final cut in the RR squad for the upcoming season.

2. Aaron Finch- Royal Challengers Bangalore

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-452506" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Aaron-Finch-1.jpg" alt="Aaron Finch IPL" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-452506" class="wp-caption-text">Aaron Finch. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Royal Challengers Bangalore has an old habit of releasing a chunk of its players ahead of any IPL season. And same was the case before the 2021 auction. However, the most surprising release which they made has to be that of the Australian ODI and T20I skipper, Aaron Finch, who has some really great numbers as a T20 player.

His arrival at the franchise had promised better results at the top of the order, along with assistance to the captain Virat Kohli in terms of tactical advantages. But, the franchise decided to release him just after one season. He didn’t have a great season in 2020. He scored just 268 runs from the 12 matches which he played at an average of just over 22.

Interestingly, Finch has played for eight IPL franchises (including the now-defunct ones). The two franchises from the existing ones who haven&#8217;t picked him up even once are Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. Considering that he is one of the best T20 players around the globe, the Aussie will have some teams going after him.

3. Mujeeb Ur Rahman- Kings XI Punjab

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-248762" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KXIP.jpg" alt="Mujeeb Ur Rahman Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-248762" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab&#8217;s Mujeeb Ur Rahman. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption>

The young Afghan spinner had made giants strides in franchise cricket when he was picked by Kings XI Punjab for the IPL 2018. He formed a good combination with Ravichandran Ashwin in the Punjab unit and was delivering the goods. He had picked up 14 wickets from 11 matches during that season. However, the need to free an overseas place in the side meant he had to miss a lot of matches in the upcoming season.

In 2019, he played five matches with little to no impact, while in 2020, he was picked for only two matches. It had also to do with the fact that Punjab had sorted its need for spinners through young Indian talents, such as <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-am-pretty-sure-ravi-bishnoi-must-have-an-english-grandad-or-something-so-that-we-can-steal-him-graeme-swann/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ravi Bishnoi</a> and K Gowtham. But, Mujeeb&#8217;s impact in every other league along with international cricket had still made a strong case for his retention.

But, Kings XI was happy to let go of him. The way he had bowled in the recent Big Bash League matches, it quite surprising that he was left out from the side. If the IPL happens in India, the Afghan spinner will have a huge impact on the turning pitches in the country. Even in the UAE, the right-arm spinner has experience of bowling tight lengths and getting wickets on those tracks.

4. Chris Morris- Royal Challengers Bangalore

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-480830" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chris-Morris-of-Royal-Challengers-Bangalore.jpg" alt="Chris Morris of Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-480830" class="wp-caption-text">Chris Morris of Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Chris Morris’ last one year in the IPL has been full of surprises. The South African all-rounder was first bought for a huge price of INR 10 crores at the auction. Then, he came to the UAE and exceeded everyone’s expectations, and performed really well. He took 11 wickets from his nine matches and was really effective in the death. Now, the fact he has been released is even more surprising.

Come to think of it, Morris was one of the RCB bowlers in the previous season who actually had a good impact with the ball regularly. With him being released now, one can assume that RCB might have a plan to get him back at the auction at a much cheaper price. If that happens, the franchise will not only find a quality overseas pacer but also someone who can tonk a few with the bat.

Morris had presented a case for himself last year with his performance in the Big Bash League. He hasn&#8217;t featured in the league this year, which could have been crucial for him to keep himself in the RCB colours. It is even more surprising that he was left out when fast-bowler Dale Steyn had also announced he won&#8217;t take part in the 2021 season.

5. Glenn Maxwell- Kings XI Punjab

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457572" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Glenn-Maxwell.jpg" alt="Glenn Maxwell" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457572" class="wp-caption-text">Glenn Maxwell. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

The Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has a strange case. He is a quality T20 cricketer, probably one of the best in the world right now. However, he has failed to make an impact for his team in the past few years. He has represented Delhi and Punjab on more than one occasion but hasn’t been able to create the sort of impact which he has done regularly for Australia or his BBL team, Melbourne Stars.

Maxwell had a disastrous season with the bat during the IPL 2020 in the UAE. But, once he returned to the national team after that, he scored some really crucial runs and played some impactful innings. His departure from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/photos/4267565329940822" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kings XI Punjab</a> is surprising considering the kind of value he adds to a T20 side.

There aren&#8217;t any world T20 teams that won’t feature this man. Like there is speculation that Morris might be bought again by RCB at a lesser price, the same can be said for the Aussie player. And Punjab has, time and again, placed their bets on Maxwell, but his performances in the BBL would once again help him to fetch a huge contract at the IPL.

Chris Morris of Royal Challengers Bangalore

As the IPL 2021 auction is approaching, there were all types of rumors regarding the player retention of all the teams. On January 20, all the franchises submitted the list of their retained players to the BCCI. As always there was some surprising retention while there were some surprising releases as well. 
As the franchises looked to build their teams for the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ranking-all-8-teams-based-on-their-retentions-ahead-of-ipl-2021-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 edition</a>, there were going to be some players who were going to be released. The IPL auction will be held in the month of February, but there hasn’t been any duration specified when the league will be played. The franchises also had to make the calls of retention without being sure of the venue of the 2021 season.&nbsp;
Some releases were surprising also because this year was going to be the last season before the big auction happens in 2022, where all the players will be jingled. In the mega auction, teams will be allowed to retain five of their players, which will be a combination of foreign and Indian stars. However, this year’s auction will see several stars coming back to the hammer clash and donning jerseys of their new franchises.
<h3>Here are the 5 surprising releases by the franchises ahead of the IPL 2021 auctions: –</h3>
<h3>1. Steve Smith- Rajasthan Royals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_449843" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-449843" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-449843" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Steve-Smith-1.jpg" alt="Steve Smith" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-449843" class="wp-caption-text">Steve Smith. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The news of Rajasthan Royals releasing their captain, Smith was floating around in the news for the last few days. However, there was no official news. Finally, the franchise confirmed their decision about releasing the Australian batsman. He had joined the franchise in 2014, after which he was named the captain towards the end of the 2015 season. 
Apart from the one season when he was banned due to the ball-tampering controversy, the batsman led the side towards the end of the 2019 season and the entire 2020 season.&nbsp;It wasn’t even the case that he was going to the auction so that RR can pick up again as the franchise named Sanju Samson as the captain for the 2021 auction. It seems that his inability to bring home a title for the Rajasthan franchise has made them take the harsh call of releasing him.&nbsp;
It is even more surprising because he has some great numbers with the bat. In 95 matches, he has scored 2333 runs at an average of more than 35 along with a strike rate of 130. It can be assumed that his record in the 2020 season with the bat, made it more difficult for him to make it to the final cut in the RR squad for the upcoming season.
<h3>2. Aaron Finch- Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_452506" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-452506" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-452506" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Aaron-Finch-1.jpg" alt="Aaron Finch IPL" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-452506" class="wp-caption-text">Aaron Finch. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Royal Challengers Bangalore has an old habit of releasing a chunk of its players ahead of any IPL season. And same was the case before the 2021 auction. However, the most surprising release which they made has to be that of the Australian ODI and T20I skipper, Aaron Finch, who has some really great numbers as a T20 player.&nbsp;
His arrival at the franchise had promised better results at the top of the order, along with assistance to the captain Virat Kohli in terms of tactical advantages. But, the franchise decided to release him just after one season. He didn’t have a great season in 2020. He scored just 268 runs from the 12 matches which he played at an average of just over 22. 
Interestingly, Finch has played for eight IPL franchises (including the now-defunct ones). The two franchises from the existing ones who haven’t picked him up even once are Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. Considering that he is one of the best T20 players around the globe, the Aussie will have some teams going after him.&nbsp;
<h3>3. Mujeeb Ur Rahman- Kings XI Punjab</h3>
<figure id="attachment_248762" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-248762" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-248762" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KXIP.jpg" alt="Mujeeb Ur Rahman Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-248762" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab’s Mujeeb Ur Rahman. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The young Afghan spinner had made giants strides in franchise cricket when he was picked by Kings XI Punjab for the IPL 2018. He formed a good combination with Ravichandran Ashwin in the Punjab unit and was delivering the goods. He had picked up 14 wickets from 11 matches during that season. However, the need to free an overseas place in the side meant he had to miss a lot of matches in the upcoming season.
In 2019, he played five matches with little to no impact, while in 2020, he was picked for only two matches. It had also to do with the fact that Punjab had sorted its need for spinners through young Indian talents, such as <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-am-pretty-sure-ravi-bishnoi-must-have-an-english-grandad-or-something-so-that-we-can-steal-him-graeme-swann/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ravi Bishnoi</a> and K Gowtham. But, Mujeeb’s impact in every other league along with international cricket had still made a strong case for his retention.
But, Kings XI was happy to let go of him. The way he had bowled in the recent Big Bash League matches, it quite surprising that he was left out from the side. If the IPL happens in India, the Afghan spinner will have a huge impact on the turning pitches in the country. Even in the UAE, the right-arm spinner has experience of bowling tight lengths and getting wickets on those tracks.
<h3>4. Chris Morris- Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_480830" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-480830" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-480830" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chris-Morris-of-Royal-Challengers-Bangalore.jpg" alt="Chris Morris of Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-480830" class="wp-caption-text">Chris Morris of Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Chris Morris’ last one year in the IPL has been full of surprises. The South African all-rounder was first bought for a huge price of INR 10 crores at the auction. Then, he came to the UAE and exceeded everyone’s expectations, and performed really well. He took 11 wickets from his nine matches and was really effective in the death. Now, the fact he has been released is even more surprising.&nbsp;
Come to think of it, Morris was one of the RCB bowlers in the previous season who actually had a good impact with the ball regularly. With him being released now, one can assume that RCB might have a plan to get him back at the auction at a much cheaper price. If that happens, the franchise will not only find a quality overseas pacer but also someone who can tonk a few with the bat.&nbsp;
Morris had presented a case for himself last year with his performance in the Big Bash League. He hasn’t featured in the league this year, which could have been crucial for him to keep himself in the RCB colours. It is even more surprising that he was left out when fast-bowler Dale Steyn had also announced he won’t take part in the 2021 season.
<h3>5. Glenn Maxwell- Kings XI Punjab</h3>
<figure id="attachment_457572" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457572" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-457572" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Glenn-Maxwell.jpg" alt="Glenn Maxwell" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457572" class="wp-caption-text">Glenn Maxwell. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has a strange case. He is a quality T20 cricketer, probably one of the best in the world right now. However, he has failed to make an impact for his team in the past few years. He has represented Delhi and Punjab on more than one occasion but hasn’t been able to create the sort of impact which he has done regularly for Australia or his BBL team, Melbourne Stars.&nbsp;
Maxwell had a disastrous season with the bat during the IPL 2020 in the UAE. But, once he returned to the national team after that, he scored some really crucial runs and played some impactful innings. His departure from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/photos/4267565329940822" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kings XI Punjab</a> is surprising considering the kind of value he adds to a T20 side. 
There aren’t any world T20 teams that won’t feature this man. Like there is speculation that Morris might be bought again by RCB at a lesser price, the same can be said for the Aussie player. And Punjab has, time and again, placed their bets on Maxwell, but his performances in the BBL would once again help him to fetch a huge contract at the IPL.&nbsp;

As the IPL 2021 auction is approaching, there were all types of rumors regarding the player retention of all the teams. On January 20, all the franchises submitted the list of their retained players to the BCCI. As always there was some surprising retention while there were some surprising releases as well. 
As the franchises looked to build their teams for the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ranking-all-8-teams-based-on-their-retentions-ahead-of-ipl-2021-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 edition</a>, there were going to be some players who were going to be released. The IPL auction will be held in the month of February, but there hasn’t been any duration specified when the league will be played. The franchises also had to make the calls of retention without being sure of the venue of the 2021 season. 
Some releases were surprising also because this year was going to be the last season before the big auction happens in 2022, where all the players will be jingled. In the mega auction, teams will be allowed to retain five of their players, which will be a combination of foreign and Indian stars. However, this year&#8217;s auction will see several stars coming back to the hammer clash and donning jerseys of their new franchises.
<h3>Here are the 5 surprising releases by the franchises ahead of the IPL 2021 auctions: &#8211;</h3>
<h3>1. Steve Smith- Rajasthan Royals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_449843" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-449843" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-449843" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Steve-Smith-1.jpg" alt="Steve Smith" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-449843" class="wp-caption-text">Steve Smith. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The news of Rajasthan Royals releasing their captain, Smith was floating around in the news for the last few days. However, there was no official news. Finally, the franchise confirmed their decision about releasing the Australian batsman. He had joined the franchise in 2014, after which he was named the captain towards the end of the 2015 season. 
Apart from the one season when he was banned due to the ball-tampering controversy, the batsman led the side towards the end of the 2019 season and the entire 2020 season. It wasn’t even the case that he was going to the auction so that RR can pick up again as the franchise named Sanju Samson as the captain for the 2021 auction. It seems that his inability to bring home a title for the Rajasthan franchise has made them take the harsh call of releasing him. 
It is even more surprising because he has some great numbers with the bat. In 95 matches, he has scored 2333 runs at an average of more than 35 along with a strike rate of 130. It can be assumed that his record in the 2020 season with the bat, made it more difficult for him to make it to the final cut in the RR squad for the upcoming season.
<h3>2. Aaron Finch- Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_452506" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-452506" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-452506" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Aaron-Finch-1.jpg" alt="Aaron Finch IPL" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-452506" class="wp-caption-text">Aaron Finch. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Royal Challengers Bangalore has an old habit of releasing a chunk of its players ahead of any IPL season. And same was the case before the 2021 auction. However, the most surprising release which they made has to be that of the Australian ODI and T20I skipper, Aaron Finch, who has some really great numbers as a T20 player. 
His arrival at the franchise had promised better results at the top of the order, along with assistance to the captain Virat Kohli in terms of tactical advantages. But, the franchise decided to release him just after one season. He didn’t have a great season in 2020. He scored just 268 runs from the 12 matches which he played at an average of just over 22. 
Interestingly, Finch has played for eight IPL franchises (including the now-defunct ones). The two franchises from the existing ones who haven&#8217;t picked him up even once are Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. Considering that he is one of the best T20 players around the globe, the Aussie will have some teams going after him. 
<h3>3. Mujeeb Ur Rahman- Kings XI Punjab</h3>
<figure id="attachment_248762" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-248762" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-248762" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KXIP.jpg" alt="Mujeeb Ur Rahman Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-248762" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab&#8217;s Mujeeb Ur Rahman. (Photo by IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The young Afghan spinner had made giants strides in franchise cricket when he was picked by Kings XI Punjab for the IPL 2018. He formed a good combination with Ravichandran Ashwin in the Punjab unit and was delivering the goods. He had picked up 14 wickets from 11 matches during that season. However, the need to free an overseas place in the side meant he had to miss a lot of matches in the upcoming season.
In 2019, he played five matches with little to no impact, while in 2020, he was picked for only two matches. It had also to do with the fact that Punjab had sorted its need for spinners through young Indian talents, such as <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-am-pretty-sure-ravi-bishnoi-must-have-an-english-grandad-or-something-so-that-we-can-steal-him-graeme-swann/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ravi Bishnoi</a> and K Gowtham. But, Mujeeb&#8217;s impact in every other league along with international cricket had still made a strong case for his retention.
But, Kings XI was happy to let go of him. The way he had bowled in the recent Big Bash League matches, it quite surprising that he was left out from the side. If the IPL happens in India, the Afghan spinner will have a huge impact on the turning pitches in the country. Even in the UAE, the right-arm spinner has experience of bowling tight lengths and getting wickets on those tracks.
<h3>4. Chris Morris- Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_480830" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-480830" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-480830" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chris-Morris-of-Royal-Challengers-Bangalore.jpg" alt="Chris Morris of Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-480830" class="wp-caption-text">Chris Morris of Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Chris Morris’ last one year in the IPL has been full of surprises. The South African all-rounder was first bought for a huge price of INR 10 crores at the auction. Then, he came to the UAE and exceeded everyone’s expectations, and performed really well. He took 11 wickets from his nine matches and was really effective in the death. Now, the fact he has been released is even more surprising. 
Come to think of it, Morris was one of the RCB bowlers in the previous season who actually had a good impact with the ball regularly. With him being released now, one can assume that RCB might have a plan to get him back at the auction at a much cheaper price. If that happens, the franchise will not only find a quality overseas pacer but also someone who can tonk a few with the bat. 
Morris had presented a case for himself last year with his performance in the Big Bash League. He hasn&#8217;t featured in the league this year, which could have been crucial for him to keep himself in the RCB colours. It is even more surprising that he was left out when fast-bowler Dale Steyn had also announced he won&#8217;t take part in the 2021 season.
<h3>5. Glenn Maxwell- Kings XI Punjab</h3>
<figure id="attachment_457572" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457572" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457572" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Glenn-Maxwell.jpg" alt="Glenn Maxwell" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457572" class="wp-caption-text">Glenn Maxwell. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has a strange case. He is a quality T20 cricketer, probably one of the best in the world right now. However, he has failed to make an impact for his team in the past few years. He has represented Delhi and Punjab on more than one occasion but hasn’t been able to create the sort of impact which he has done regularly for Australia or his BBL team, Melbourne Stars. 
Maxwell had a disastrous season with the bat during the IPL 2020 in the UAE. But, once he returned to the national team after that, he scored some really crucial runs and played some impactful innings. His departure from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/photos/4267565329940822" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kings XI Punjab</a> is surprising considering the kind of value he adds to a T20 side. 
There aren&#8217;t any world T20 teams that won’t feature this man. Like there is speculation that Morris might be bought again by RCB at a lesser price, the same can be said for the Aussie player. And Punjab has, time and again, placed their bets on Maxwell, but his performances in the BBL would once again help him to fetch a huge contract at the IPL.

Very few expected these releases by the IPL franchises.

5 Surprising releases by the franchises ahead of IPL 2021 Auction

As the IPL 2021 auctions are approaching, there were all types of rumors regarding the player retention of all the teams. On January 20, all