5 shocking retentions ahead of IPL 2023 auction

The retention list for the 2023 IPL season is out and we can see that the franchises have made some difficult decisions to improve their teams. This time, a lot of franchises have not shown any hesitation in cutting ties with non-performing big names to give themselves the best chance to win the title next season. With these kinds of stern decisions, it could be said that the franchise owners are giving importance to players who have delivered, and not to colossal figures. But there are players, who must consider themselves lucky to be retained despite not performing to the best of their potential. For those names, it’s an amazing opportunity to prove themselves by delivering some incredible performances in2023. But looking at their previous season’s record, it can be argued that they didn’t deserve to be retained for the next edition in the first place. Hence, let's check out some names that turned out to be the most shocking retentions ahead of the upcoming auction. 1.Tushar Deshpande (Chennai Super Kings) Last year, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) showed interest in the Mumbai cricketer Tushar Deshpande and roped him into the team. His solid performance in the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, helped him to be a part of the four-time IPL champions. In SMAT 2021, Deshpande emerged as the second-leading wicket-taker for Mumbai by bagging eight scalps in four games at an economy rate of 7.00. Based on those figures, CSK included him in the first two games, but the youngster couldn’t do much with the ball. Noticing his ability to clock over 140 km/h, the team also provided him with a chance to bowl in the initial phase. But in two games, he could only bag one wicket at an expensive economy of 9.00. With such disheartening figures, CSK didn’t play him again in the whole season and it was expected that the franchise could also release him ahead of the mini-auction in December. But for the next edition, Deshpande has made it to the CSK retention list despite delivering an underwhelming show. 2. Lalit Yadav (Delhi Capitals) Delhi Capitals have retained Lalit Yadav for the next season. This year, at the mega auction in February, his ability to deliver with both bat and ball attracted the franchise, and he was bought at INR 65 lakhs. With just four wickets in 12 games with an economy rate of 8.33, he came out as a disappointment for the team in the bowling department. In batting too, he scored only 161 runs at a strike rate of 110.27. Despite delivering a string of underwhelming performances, he has been retained by the DC management for the next year’s edition of the IPL. He will be under a lot of pressure to repay the trust that the franchise has shown in him. 3. Riyan Parag (Rajasthan Royals) Riyan Parag has been playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR) for quite some time now. With INR 3.80 crore, he became a part of the franchise again in the 2022 edition, and in all the games of the season, the team included him in the playing XI too. As a lower-order batter, he was given the responsibility to deliver match-finishing performances, but in 17 games, by scoring just 183 runs at a strike rate of 138.64 he let the Royals down. After the last year’s final game, the Assam batter also faced heat from the RR supporters due to his poor show with the bat. In the next season, he will be seen in the Royals jersey again as the franchise has included him in its retention list. And it might turn out to be his last opportunity to represent the Royals if he fails to cash in yet again. 4. Abdul Samad (Sunrisers Hyderabad) At the previous auction, the Jammu & Kashmir player Abdul Samad was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad at a price of INR four crore due to his batting skills. The cricketer is known for playing aggressive innings in the lower middle order. Trusting his abilities, SRH played him in two games to reinforce their batting line-up. In those matches, he was unsuccessful and scored only four runs. Against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the second contest, he could’ve become a hero of the match by taking his team home while chasing 170 but the young gun crumbled under pressure and couldn't deliver. Based on his forgettable displays with the bat, SRH had a chance to get a credible batter in the middle at the mini-auction 2022 after getting rid of him. But the franchise’s surprising decision to keep him in the squad for the 2023 season came out as a shocking move. 5. Vijay Shankar (Gujarat Titans) Ahead of the mini-auction, it was speculated that Vijay Shankar could be released by Gujarat Titans (GT) due to his ineffective performances in the last IPL season. Shankar’s failure with boththe bat and ball was enough to exclude him from the retention list, but the Titans’ decision to keep him with the squad has flabbergasted fans. With only 19 runs in four matches, at a strike rate of 54.29, he was dropped from the XI. His below-par performances also agitated the GT fans as he was brutally criticised for not delivering anything solid to the team in back-to-back matches. Going through these scenarios, fans and analysts were expecting him to feature in the release list but GT by taking one of the most shocking decisions this year created headlines.

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5 shocking retentions ahead of IPL 2023 auction

Let's check out some names that turned out to be the most shocking retentions ahead of the upcoming auction.

5. Vijay Shankar (Gujarat Titans)

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