Ranking all 8 teams based on their retentions ahead of IPL 2021 auction

7. Kings XI Punjab

At the seventh place, we have the Kings XI Punjab outfit. In spite of KL Rahul blazing away to 670 runs at the top of the order in the 2020 edition and winning the Orange Cap, the side once again continued with their ‘underachievers’ tag and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

And, before the IPL auctions, Punjab have released some big names. The likes of Glenn Maxwell, Sheldon Cottrell, Mujeeb ur Rehman and Jimmy Neesham were some of the big foreign recruits that were let go by the Punjab franchise.

One look at the Punjab squad can help us understand that their middle order is a little weak. While they are indeed top-heavy, with the likes of KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, and Chris Gayle, the middle order needs to be bolstered. Apart from the mercurial Nicholas Pooran, Punjab does not have a reliable finisher as far the batting department is concerned. Even on the bowling front, they do not have many experienced heads.

While Mohammed Shami is a seasoned campaigner and Chris Jordan can be handy with the ball, the other names in the Punjab squad on the bowling front are inexperienced. It remains to be seen what tactics the KL Rahul led side will adopt in the auctions.