The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is not scheduled to take place before April 2020, but the league is now becoming like the premier league. When the matches are not taking place, the talk of transfers and auction takes over. November 15th 2019, marked the deadline for player extension contracts. A total of 127 players were retained by franchises.

Post-deadline, Kings XI Punjab are left with the biggest purse of 42.70 Crores and Royal Challengers Bangalore with the most number of player slots (12). The pre-season auction, which takes place every year where teams look to fill the gaps in their squads, is set to take place on December 19th in Kolkata. Let&#8217;s take a look at how teams stack up after transfers and what bases do they need to cover heading into the auction this year.

Players to look out for in the auction: Robin Uthappa, David Miller, Chris Morris, Jason Behrendorff, Mitchell Starc, Aaron Finch, Martin Guptill, Colin Munro

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-341161" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MI.jpg" alt="Mumbai Indians" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-341161" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption>

The defending champions have now acquired the services of Trent Boult, Dhawal Kulkarni, and Sherfane Rutherford through the trade window. Boult and Kulkarni will further strengthen their pace bowling attack, which already has <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/you-sound-like-a-pressure-cooker-jasprit-bumrah-brutally-roasts-hardik-pandya-over-his-pilates-tweet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jasprit Bumrah</a> and Lasith Malinga at the helm. Heading into the auction they will look to acquire a backup opening batsman. Someone like a Martin Guptill, Shimron Hetmyer or Colin Munro would be a good pick.

Current Squad: Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Quinton de Kock, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, Krunal Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Trent Boult (T), Rahul Chahar, Ishan Kishan, Anukul Roy, Dhawal Kulkarni (T), Aditya Tare, Sherfane Rutherford (T), Jayant Yadav

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-340710" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-1.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-340710" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption>

Chennai Super Kings have decided to stick to their core and look the most settled squad heading into the mini auction. Dhoni&#8217;s yellow army looks balanced, but death bowling is an area that needs some attention. Dwayne Bravo managed to bag just 11 wickets last season in the 12 matches that he played. Deepak Chahar is a useful bowler in the fag end of the innings, but a specialist like Nathan Coulter Nile or Mitchell Starc could do wonders for them.

Current Squad: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, M Vijay, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, Kedar Jadhav, Lungi Ngidi, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Monu Kumar, N Jagadeesan, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Imran Tahir, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-338823" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-338823" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption>

Delhi Capitals have probably benefited the most from the transfer window. With Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane. They have a rock-solid Indian core (Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw). What they will now focus upon is their pool of foreign players, with 5 open slots.

Two batting all-rounders and two frontline pacers will provide a great balance to their squad. Don&#8217;t be surprised if you see them enter into a bidding war for Marcus Stoinis or Colin De Grandhomme. Stoinis had a very productive year for RCB last year, amassing 533 runs and picking up 14 wickets.

Current Squad: Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane, Kagiso Rabada, Keemo Paul, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, R Ashwin (T), Ajinkya Rahane (T)

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339381" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kuldeep-Yadav.jpg" alt="Kuldeep Yadav" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339381" class="wp-caption-text">Kuldeep Yadav. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

Kolkata Knight Riders grabbed the headlines as they decided to let go of two of their most experienced campaigners, Robin Uthappa and Piyush Chawla. Uthappa and Chawla were vital cogs in their winning campaign 2012 and 2014. Another surprise release came in the form of Chris Lynn. The franchise had earlier spent a fortune on the explosive Australian batsman. But all this could very well be a strategy to buy them at a more economical price.

Heading into the auction they will be looking for an explosive opening batsman like Aaron Finch or Shimron Hetmyer. There is no like-for-like replacement for Andre Russell, but last season saw an over-reliance on the Jamaican all-rounder to bail them out of tricky situations. A finisher like David Miller or Marcus Stoinis could help them solve this problem. They would also want to strengthen their fast bowling battery with Mitchell Starc or Jason Beherendorff.

Current Squad: Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, Shubman Gill, Lockie Ferguson, Nitish Rana, Sandeep Warrier, Harry Gurney, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Siddhesh Lad (T).

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-334566" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals-4.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334566" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

Rajasthan Royals released many Indian players, including former captain Ajinkya Rahane, Krishnappa Gowtham. Building a robust Indian core should be their focus heading into the auction. The Royals managed good trades in the form of Mayank Markande and Ankit Rajpoot. Rajasthan has a strong pool of foreign players in Steve Smith, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, and Jofra Archer.

Heading into the auction, they will eye Indian middle-order batsman in Robin Uthappa, Deepak Hooda, Ricky Bhui or Akshdeep Nath and back up options for their foreign players.

Current squad: Steve Smith, Sanju Samson, Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Riyan Parag, Shashank Singh, Shreyas Gopal, Mahipal Lomror, Varun Aaron, Manan Vohra, Mayank Markande (T), Rahul Tewatia (T), Ankit Rajpoot (T)

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-334898" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334898" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

Sunrisers Hyderabad have released Yusuf Pathan, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/shakib-al-hasan-turns-to-football-after-being-suspended-from-playing-cricket-by-icc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shakib Al Hasan</a>, and Deepak Hooda before the 2019 auction. So it is clear that they are eyeing finishers. Marcus Stoinis and Carlos Brathwaite will be on their radar. David Miller could be a perfect fit for the Hyderabad middle order. The Proteas Batsman is not experiencing the best of forms, but the southpaw is a bona fide match-winner.

Current Squad: Kane Williamson, David Warner, Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Abhishek Sharma, Jonny Bairstow, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul, Shahbaz Nadeem, Billy Stanlake, Basil Thampi, T Natarajan.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339193" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kings-XI-Punjab.jpg" alt="Kings XI Punjab" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339193" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption>

Punjab decided to part ways with their captain Ravi Ashwin. Along with Ashwin Punjab also released Sam Curran and David Miller. Punjab will look to strengthen their bowling line up. Mitchell Starc or Adam Milne or Jason Behrendorff would be a good buy for them and will go well with Mohammed Shami. The trade window enabled them to acquire Krishnappa Gowtham and Jagadeesha Suchith.

The Punjab-based franchise also needs to find a captain amongst them after the void created by Ravichandran Ashwin. Chris Gayle is the first name that comes to mind as the 40-year-old &#8216;Universe Boss&#8217; is a former captain of West Indies, but the Jamaican is on the final leg of his career.

Current Squad: KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, K Gowtham (T), Mohammed Shami, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Arshdeep Singh, Hardus Viljoen, M Ashwin, J Suchith (T), Harpreet Brar, Darshan Nalkande

Royal Challengers Bangalore

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-335883" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-5.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-335883" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

RCB are looking for a complete overhaul as they released the maximum number of players. AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali are the only two foreign players retained in the squad. Bangalore will be looking for an explosive top-order batsman and a stable Indian middle order. Chris Lynn, Martin Guptill, or Colin Munro will be a good fit.

The Virat Kohli-led side should also focus on building a strong Indian batting core. Robin Uthappa and Deepak Hooda will be great additions too if Bangalore manages to nab them in the auction. Death bowling has always been their Achilles Heel, and someone like Chris Morris or Mitchell Starc can solve those worries.

Current Squad: Virat Kohli, Moeen Ali, Yuzvendra Chahal, AB de Villiers, Parthiv Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Pawan Negi, Umesh Yadav, Gurkeerat Mann, Devdutt Padikkal, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini

~Written by Anmol Ahuja

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is not scheduled to take place before April 2020, but the league is now becoming like the premier league. When the matches are not taking place, the talk of transfers and auction takes over. November 15th 2019, marked the deadline for player extension contracts. A total of 127 players were retained by franchises.
Post-deadline, Kings XI Punjab are left with the biggest purse of 42.70 Crores and Royal Challengers Bangalore with the most number of player slots (12). The pre-season auction, which takes place every year where teams look to fill the gaps in their squads, is set to take place on December 19th in Kolkata. Let’s take a look at how teams stack up after transfers and what bases do they need to cover heading into the auction this year.
Players to look out for in the auction: Robin Uthappa, David Miller, Chris Morris, Jason Behrendorff, Mitchell Starc, Aaron Finch, Martin Guptill, Colin Munro
<h3>Mumbai Indians</h3>
<figure id="attachment_341161" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-341161" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-341161" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MI.jpg" alt="Mumbai Indians" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-341161" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The defending champions have now acquired the services of Trent Boult, Dhawal Kulkarni, and Sherfane Rutherford through the trade window. Boult and Kulkarni will further strengthen their pace bowling attack, which already has <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/you-sound-like-a-pressure-cooker-jasprit-bumrah-brutally-roasts-hardik-pandya-over-his-pilates-tweet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jasprit Bumrah</a> and Lasith Malinga at the helm. Heading into the auction they will look to acquire a backup opening batsman. Someone like a Martin Guptill, Shimron Hetmyer or Colin Munro would be a good pick.
Current Squad: Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Quinton de Kock, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, Krunal Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Trent Boult (T), Rahul Chahar, Ishan Kishan, Anukul Roy, Dhawal Kulkarni (T), Aditya Tare, Sherfane Rutherford (T), Jayant Yadav
<hr>
<h3>Chennai Super Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_340710" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-340710" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-340710" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-1.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-340710" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Chennai Super Kings have decided to stick to their core and look the most settled squad heading into the mini auction. Dhoni’s yellow army looks balanced, but death bowling is an area that needs some attention. Dwayne Bravo managed to bag just 11 wickets last season in the 12 matches that he played. Deepak Chahar is a useful bowler in the fag end of the innings, but a specialist like Nathan Coulter Nile or Mitchell Starc could do wonders for them.
Current Squad: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, M Vijay, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, Kedar Jadhav, Lungi Ngidi, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Monu Kumar, N Jagadeesan, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Imran Tahir, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif.

<h3>Delhi Capitals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_338823" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-338823" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-338823" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-338823" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Delhi Capitals have probably benefited the most from the transfer window. With Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane. They have a rock-solid Indian core (Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw). What they will now focus upon is their pool of foreign players, with 5 open slots.
Two batting all-rounders and two frontline pacers will provide a great balance to their squad. Don’t be surprised if you see them enter into a bidding war for Marcus Stoinis or Colin De Grandhomme. Stoinis had a very productive year for RCB last year, amassing 533 runs and picking up 14 wickets.
Current Squad: Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane, Kagiso Rabada, Keemo Paul, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, R Ashwin (T), Ajinkya Rahane (T)
<hr>
<h3>Kolkata Knight Riders</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339381" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339381" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-339381" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kuldeep-Yadav.jpg" alt="Kuldeep Yadav" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339381" class="wp-caption-text">Kuldeep Yadav. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Kolkata Knight Riders grabbed the headlines as they decided to let go of two of their most experienced campaigners, Robin Uthappa and Piyush Chawla. Uthappa and Chawla were vital cogs in their winning campaign 2012 and 2014. Another surprise release came in the form of Chris Lynn. The franchise had earlier spent a fortune on the explosive Australian batsman. But all this could very well be a strategy to buy them at a more economical price.
Heading into the auction they will be looking for an explosive opening batsman like Aaron Finch or Shimron Hetmyer. There is no like-for-like replacement for Andre Russell, but last season saw an over-reliance on the Jamaican all-rounder to bail them out of tricky situations. A finisher like David Miller or Marcus Stoinis could help them solve this problem. They would also want to strengthen their fast bowling battery with Mitchell Starc or Jason Beherendorff.
Current Squad: Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, Shubman Gill, Lockie Ferguson, Nitish Rana, Sandeep Warrier, Harry Gurney, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Siddhesh Lad (T).

<h3>Rajasthan Royals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_334566" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-334566" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-334566" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals-4.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334566" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Rajasthan Royals released many Indian players, including former captain Ajinkya Rahane, Krishnappa Gowtham. Building a robust Indian core should be their focus heading into the auction. The Royals managed good trades in the form of Mayank Markande and Ankit Rajpoot. Rajasthan has a strong pool of foreign players in Steve Smith, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, and Jofra Archer.
Heading into the auction, they will eye Indian middle-order batsman in Robin Uthappa, Deepak Hooda, Ricky Bhui or Akshdeep Nath and back up options for their foreign players.
Current squad: Steve Smith, Sanju Samson, Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Riyan Parag, Shashank Singh, Shreyas Gopal, Mahipal Lomror, Varun Aaron, Manan Vohra, Mayank Markande (T), Rahul Tewatia (T), Ankit Rajpoot (T)
<h3>Sunrisers Hyderabad</h3>
<figure id="attachment_334898" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-334898" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-334898" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334898" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Sunrisers Hyderabad have released Yusuf Pathan, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/shakib-al-hasan-turns-to-football-after-being-suspended-from-playing-cricket-by-icc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shakib Al Hasan</a>, and Deepak Hooda before the 2019 auction. So it is clear that they are eyeing finishers. Marcus Stoinis and Carlos Brathwaite will be on their radar. David Miller could be a perfect fit for the Hyderabad middle order. The Proteas Batsman is not experiencing the best of forms, but the southpaw is a bona fide match-winner.
Current Squad: Kane Williamson, David Warner, Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Abhishek Sharma, Jonny Bairstow, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul, Shahbaz Nadeem, Billy Stanlake, Basil Thampi, T Natarajan.

<h3>Kings XI Punjab</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339193" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339193" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-339193" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kings-XI-Punjab.jpg" alt="Kings XI Punjab" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339193" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Punjab decided to part ways with their captain Ravi Ashwin. Along with Ashwin Punjab also released Sam Curran and David Miller. Punjab will look to strengthen their bowling line up. Mitchell Starc or Adam Milne or Jason Behrendorff would be a good buy for them and will go well with Mohammed Shami. The trade window enabled them to acquire Krishnappa Gowtham and Jagadeesha Suchith.
The Punjab-based franchise also needs to find a captain amongst them after the void created by Ravichandran Ashwin. Chris Gayle is the first name that comes to mind as the 40-year-old ‘Universe Boss’ is a former captain of West Indies, but the Jamaican is on the final leg of his career.
Current Squad: KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, K Gowtham (T), Mohammed Shami, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Arshdeep Singh, Hardus Viljoen, M Ashwin, J Suchith (T), Harpreet Brar, Darshan Nalkande
<h3>Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_335883" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-335883" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-335883" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-5.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-335883" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
RCB are looking for a complete overhaul as they released the maximum number of players. AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali are the only two foreign players retained in the squad. Bangalore will be looking for an explosive top-order batsman and a stable Indian middle order. Chris Lynn, Martin Guptill, or Colin Munro will be a good fit.
The Virat Kohli-led side should also focus on building a strong Indian batting core. Robin Uthappa and Deepak Hooda will be great additions too if Bangalore manages to nab them in the auction. Death bowling has always been their Achilles Heel, and someone like Chris Morris or Mitchell Starc can solve those worries.
Current Squad: Virat Kohli, Moeen Ali, Yuzvendra Chahal, AB de Villiers, Parthiv Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Pawan Negi, Umesh Yadav, Gurkeerat Mann, Devdutt Padikkal, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini
~Written by Anmol Ahuja

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is not scheduled to take place before April 2020, but the league is now becoming like the premier league. When the matches are not taking place, the talk of transfers and auction takes over. November 15th 2019, marked the deadline for player extension contracts. A total of 127 players were retained by franchises.
Post-deadline, Kings XI Punjab are left with the biggest purse of 42.70 Crores and Royal Challengers Bangalore with the most number of player slots (12). The pre-season auction, which takes place every year where teams look to fill the gaps in their squads, is set to take place on December 19th in Kolkata. Let&#8217;s take a look at how teams stack up after transfers and what bases do they need to cover heading into the auction this year.
Players to look out for in the auction: Robin Uthappa, David Miller, Chris Morris, Jason Behrendorff, Mitchell Starc, Aaron Finch, Martin Guptill, Colin Munro
<h3>Mumbai Indians</h3>
<figure id="attachment_341161" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-341161" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-341161" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MI.jpg" alt="Mumbai Indians" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-341161" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The defending champions have now acquired the services of Trent Boult, Dhawal Kulkarni, and Sherfane Rutherford through the trade window. Boult and Kulkarni will further strengthen their pace bowling attack, which already has <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/you-sound-like-a-pressure-cooker-jasprit-bumrah-brutally-roasts-hardik-pandya-over-his-pilates-tweet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jasprit Bumrah</a> and Lasith Malinga at the helm. Heading into the auction they will look to acquire a backup opening batsman. Someone like a Martin Guptill, Shimron Hetmyer or Colin Munro would be a good pick.
Current Squad: Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Quinton de Kock, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, Krunal Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Trent Boult (T), Rahul Chahar, Ishan Kishan, Anukul Roy, Dhawal Kulkarni (T), Aditya Tare, Sherfane Rutherford (T), Jayant Yadav
<hr>
<h3>Chennai Super Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_340710" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-340710" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-340710" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-1.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-340710" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Chennai Super Kings have decided to stick to their core and look the most settled squad heading into the mini auction. Dhoni&#8217;s yellow army looks balanced, but death bowling is an area that needs some attention. Dwayne Bravo managed to bag just 11 wickets last season in the 12 matches that he played. Deepak Chahar is a useful bowler in the fag end of the innings, but a specialist like Nathan Coulter Nile or Mitchell Starc could do wonders for them.
Current Squad: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, M Vijay, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, Kedar Jadhav, Lungi Ngidi, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Monu Kumar, N Jagadeesan, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Imran Tahir, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif.

<h3>Delhi Capitals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_338823" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-338823" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-338823" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-338823" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Delhi Capitals have probably benefited the most from the transfer window. With Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane. They have a rock-solid Indian core (Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw). What they will now focus upon is their pool of foreign players, with 5 open slots.
Two batting all-rounders and two frontline pacers will provide a great balance to their squad. Don&#8217;t be surprised if you see them enter into a bidding war for Marcus Stoinis or Colin De Grandhomme. Stoinis had a very productive year for RCB last year, amassing 533 runs and picking up 14 wickets.
Current Squad: Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane, Kagiso Rabada, Keemo Paul, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, R Ashwin (T), Ajinkya Rahane (T)
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<h3>Kolkata Knight Riders</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339381" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339381" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339381" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kuldeep-Yadav.jpg" alt="Kuldeep Yadav" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339381" class="wp-caption-text">Kuldeep Yadav. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Kolkata Knight Riders grabbed the headlines as they decided to let go of two of their most experienced campaigners, Robin Uthappa and Piyush Chawla. Uthappa and Chawla were vital cogs in their winning campaign 2012 and 2014. Another surprise release came in the form of Chris Lynn. The franchise had earlier spent a fortune on the explosive Australian batsman. But all this could very well be a strategy to buy them at a more economical price.
Heading into the auction they will be looking for an explosive opening batsman like Aaron Finch or Shimron Hetmyer. There is no like-for-like replacement for Andre Russell, but last season saw an over-reliance on the Jamaican all-rounder to bail them out of tricky situations. A finisher like David Miller or Marcus Stoinis could help them solve this problem. They would also want to strengthen their fast bowling battery with Mitchell Starc or Jason Beherendorff.
Current Squad: Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, Shubman Gill, Lockie Ferguson, Nitish Rana, Sandeep Warrier, Harry Gurney, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Siddhesh Lad (T).

<h3>Rajasthan Royals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_334566" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-334566" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-334566" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals-4.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334566" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Rajasthan Royals released many Indian players, including former captain Ajinkya Rahane, Krishnappa Gowtham. Building a robust Indian core should be their focus heading into the auction. The Royals managed good trades in the form of Mayank Markande and Ankit Rajpoot. Rajasthan has a strong pool of foreign players in Steve Smith, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, and Jofra Archer.
Heading into the auction, they will eye Indian middle-order batsman in Robin Uthappa, Deepak Hooda, Ricky Bhui or Akshdeep Nath and back up options for their foreign players.
Current squad: Steve Smith, Sanju Samson, Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Riyan Parag, Shashank Singh, Shreyas Gopal, Mahipal Lomror, Varun Aaron, Manan Vohra, Mayank Markande (T), Rahul Tewatia (T), Ankit Rajpoot (T)
<h3>Sunrisers Hyderabad</h3>
<figure id="attachment_334898" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-334898" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-334898" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334898" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Sunrisers Hyderabad have released Yusuf Pathan, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/shakib-al-hasan-turns-to-football-after-being-suspended-from-playing-cricket-by-icc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shakib Al Hasan</a>, and Deepak Hooda before the 2019 auction. So it is clear that they are eyeing finishers. Marcus Stoinis and Carlos Brathwaite will be on their radar. David Miller could be a perfect fit for the Hyderabad middle order. The Proteas Batsman is not experiencing the best of forms, but the southpaw is a bona fide match-winner.
Current Squad: Kane Williamson, David Warner, Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Abhishek Sharma, Jonny Bairstow, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul, Shahbaz Nadeem, Billy Stanlake, Basil Thampi, T Natarajan.

<h3>Kings XI Punjab</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339193" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339193" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339193" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kings-XI-Punjab.jpg" alt="Kings XI Punjab" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339193" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Punjab decided to part ways with their captain Ravi Ashwin. Along with Ashwin Punjab also released Sam Curran and David Miller. Punjab will look to strengthen their bowling line up. Mitchell Starc or Adam Milne or Jason Behrendorff would be a good buy for them and will go well with Mohammed Shami. The trade window enabled them to acquire Krishnappa Gowtham and Jagadeesha Suchith.
The Punjab-based franchise also needs to find a captain amongst them after the void created by Ravichandran Ashwin. Chris Gayle is the first name that comes to mind as the 40-year-old &#8216;Universe Boss&#8217; is a former captain of West Indies, but the Jamaican is on the final leg of his career.
Current Squad: KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, K Gowtham (T), Mohammed Shami, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Arshdeep Singh, Hardus Viljoen, M Ashwin, J Suchith (T), Harpreet Brar, Darshan Nalkande
<h3>Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_335883" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-335883" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-335883" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-5.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-335883" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
RCB are looking for a complete overhaul as they released the maximum number of players. AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali are the only two foreign players retained in the squad. Bangalore will be looking for an explosive top-order batsman and a stable Indian middle order. Chris Lynn, Martin Guptill, or Colin Munro will be a good fit.
The Virat Kohli-led side should also focus on building a strong Indian batting core. Robin Uthappa and Deepak Hooda will be great additions too if Bangalore manages to nab them in the auction. Death bowling has always been their Achilles Heel, and someone like Chris Morris or Mitchell Starc can solve those worries.
Current Squad: Virat Kohli, Moeen Ali, Yuzvendra Chahal, AB de Villiers, Parthiv Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Pawan Negi, Umesh Yadav, Gurkeerat Mann, Devdutt Padikkal, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini
~Written by Anmol Ahuja

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