The list of retained and released players is out for all the teams playing in IPL. With the T20 World Cup just getting finished, the countdown to the mega cricketing event has already started, and it will be interesting to see which of those players get picked up by any other franchisee.
In this article, we will look at three such players who have been released by their respective teams but could be valuable additions to any other team next year.
#1 Chris Jordan (Released by CSK)
Jordan, who won the World T20 title with England last Sunday, did not make it to the playing eleven in the initial matches for them in the tournament. Only Mark Wood’s injury enabled him to play for England in the semifinal and final, and he did not do a bad job at that by picking up crucial wickets and not conceding too many runs.
Jordan has pace and the knack for picking up crucial wickets for his team. However, he will have to curb the tendency to bowl too many full-tosses on Indian grounds, as the latter is on the smaller side and hence, can be cleared with relative ease by the batters.
In addition, Jordan is also a reliable lower-order batter and an outstanding fielder on the outfield. Hence, we can safely conclude that he should be a good addition to any side and might get picked by one of them. Chennai Super Kings decided to release him, and they might regret it.
#2 Alex Hales (Released by KKR)
At 33, Hales still should have a few years left at the top and vindicated the selectors’ faith in him by scoring 212 runs in the tournament. He has the ability to annihilate any bowling attack on his day, as he demonstrated in the semifinal against India, and might enjoy batting on the batter-friendly tracks in India. He plays the sweep shot well against the spinners and can also hit big shots down the ground.
Kolkata Knight Riders released a plethora of players, including Hales, and the latter might turn out to be a prized catch for one of the other teams. However, since Hales opens the batting, he will have to be cautious against the swinging delivery that comes back into him, as his shortcomings against such deliveries were exposed in the World Cup.
The ball will swing considerably during the initial overs in India, which might work against the swashbuckling opener. Still, we believe the destructive Hales can be a good addition for any side.
#3 Lockie Ferguson (Released by GT)
Ferguson often gets overshadowed by his more famous Kiwi teammates, Tim Southee and Trent Boult. Still, his ability to generate raw pace and stay economical at the same time should not be overlooked.
He was released by the Gujarat Titans and might manage to find a new suitor next year. Ferguson is one of the few pacers in world cricket capable of bowling at 150 kmph, and his cutters should also come in handy in India.
He picked up seven wickets in the recently concluded World Cup, and his economy rate in T20 internationals is a shade over seven. He typically goes for more runs in the IPL, but there is no reason he cannot turn things around next year.
Comment below the names of players who you think can be a costly miss for the released teams.
