Players who were retained in IPL 2018 as well as ahead of 2022 mega auction

The Indian Premier League is known for the quality of matches it showcases. Players from all over the world wish to take part in the competition to showcase their skills. This has fostered the growth of cricket from all around the world.

A major part of the IPL is the retention policy. Once in a while, the teams have to select a few players to retain and they have to build a team from scratch. This provides a chance for other teams to strengthen their lineup.

After 2018, the teams have released numerous players. This time, the retentions are a bit surprising and the teams will be hoping that their selections pay off. Let us have a look at the-

Players who were retained in IPL 2018 as well as in 2022

9. Sunil Narine

Since his debut season, Sunil Narine has been an integral part of the KKR side. He has an excellent ability to contribute to every aspect of the game. He can bat, he can bowl, and he is a safe fielder as well.

Over the years, Sunil has played 134 IPL games so far. With 143 wickets to his name, he is arguably KKR’s greatest performer. His economy rate of 6.74 showcases his effectiveness as a bowler.

Adding on, he has a batting strike rate of 161.69. He can be used as a pinch-hitter on any occasion. Imagine having someone who can play with freedom and can destroy bowling attacks for fun, well, Sunil is the man to look after.

8. Andre Russell

It is a well-known fact that the West Indies have produced the most iconic players in the shortest format of the game. Given the fact that West Indies were a dominant force in the past decade, Andre Russell was one of the players who could contribute in every department. Hence, he has been one of the most valuable players for the squad.

Since his transfer to Kolkata, Russell has been nothing but spectacular. With the bat, he has a strike rate of 178.51. A batting average of 29.31 shows that he can score consistently. The only thing that has hampered his performances is the batting order of Kolkata.

Russell can bowl some decent overs as well. Even though his economy rate is nearly 9, he can fill in the gap when required. Adding on, he is a safe fielder as well, and this makes him an integral member of Kolkata.

7. Axar Patel

Axar Patel has been silently growing as a cricketer over the years. There is no doubt that he is the secondary left-handed all-rounder after Jadeja in the national team, but in the domestic tournaments, he has been excellent. This made Delhi retain an all-rounder like Axar.

In 109 IPL games, he has picked 95 wickets. An economy rate of 7.22 shows that he can choke the batter at one end. Adding on, he has the best bowling figures of 4/21, hence he is unplayable when on song.

Talking about his batting, he has a strike rate of 125.23. This means that he can smash the ball during the death overs. Over the years, Axar is a proven performer and hence, the Delhi Capitals management has shown faith in him.

6. Jasprit Bumrah

It was a young Jasprit Bumrah with an unorthodox action who dismissed Virat Kohli at Chinnaswamy during the 2013 season of the IPL. After three years, he made it to the national team as India faced Australia in 2016. Since then, he has not seen back, and now, he is the most lethal bowler in the world.

There was no doubt that Mumbai Indians will retain Bumrah. Over the years, he has picked 130 wickets at an economy rate of 7.42. With the best bowling figure of 4/14, he has shown that he can destroy any attack.

Bumrah formed a formidable bowling attack with Boult. But, this retention policy means that the management had to let Boult go. It will be interesting to see who joins Bumrah as the second pacer in the squad.

5. MS Dhoni

There is no doubt that MS Dhoni is one of the biggest names in the circuit. But this retention has to be a bit controversial. The Chennai Super Kings managed to lift the trophy in 2021, but Dhoni’s form has dipped to its lowest form.

The only reason Dhoni has been retained is because of his ability to influence and guide youngsters. Given the fact that he has been retained over Faf and Bravo, he has to prove his worth. The fans will be wishing that he finds his form at least for the last time.

In 220 IPL games, Dhoni has scored 4746 runs with a strike rate of 135.83. But his main contribution comes in the form of a wicketkeeper and a captain. It will be interesting to see how the plans come out this time.

4. Rohit Sharma

Just like Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma’s retention was way too predictable. The Mumbai-based captain is the most successful player in the history of the tournament. He has made Mumbai the most successful franchise in the history of this format.

In 213 IPL games, Rohit has scored 5611 runs at an average of 31.17. A strike rate of 130.4 is decent for an opener in this format. And Rohit has played some spectacular innings over the years to establish himself as one of the modern-day greats.

With a new phase coming up, Rohit has a lot to do. He will be crucial as Mumbai will go into the auctions hoping to buy back a few players from their former squad. The presence of Pollard will help him as well.

3. Rishabh Pant

Since last year, everything Rishabh Pant has touched has turned into gold. Just when he was about to be dropped, he contributed heavily Down Under and later on, was made the captain of Delhi Capitals. A strong performance as a captain has enabled him to be retained by the franchise.

With Shaw, Axar, and Anrich being retained, the Capitals will be looking to make a formidable team once again. Pant as a skipper was decent for the Capitals and the management will be looking to make him the face of the team for the future as well. They will be hoping that Pant will contribute with the bat heavily.

In 84 IPL games, he has scored 2498 runs at an average of 35.18. Adding on, a strike rate of 147.46 is excellent in this format. Apart from that, his keeping skills have improved significantly which makes him a great asset for his team.

2. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja has been the most valuable player for the national side since 2019. It has been an inspirational transformation from a laughing stock in 2009 to an MVP status in 2021. In the retention policy, he was the first player to be retained by CSK.

This time, he will receive a salary of INR 16 crores, a huge amount in any league. His performance with the bat and the ball have made him a crowd favorite. Last time, he smashed Harshal Patel for 37 runs in an over, this shows that he can be lethal when on song.

The best thing about Jadeja is his consistency. In 200 IPL games, he has picked 127 wickets and scored 2386 runs. An economy rate of 7.61 shows his ability to tighten the screws at one end. Lastly, his status as the best fielder in the world makes him the greatest asset for any team.

1. Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has been an integral member of the RCB since 2008. He was roped in as a teenager and now, is the highest run-scorer in the history of the tournament. With three retentions for RCB, he will be vital to create an impact along with the new captain of the squad.

As Kohli has given up the role of captaincy and AB de Villiers has retired, the fans will be excited to see who takes up the role of the captain. However, Virat will surely be a part of the decision-making group. It will be interesting to see who joins the Virat in the batting order for the Bangalore-based franchise.

Talking about his performances, Kohli has scored 6283 runs in 207 games. With a strike rate of 129. 95, he has been iconic with the bat. RCB will be hoping that he gets back to form as soon as possible as he needs to perform consistently to allow others to take their time.