One has to feel sorry for RCB, ever since the IPL retentions were announced on Thursday. Yes, Virat Kohli was an automatic choice, who was retained for INR 21 Cr, followed by Rajat Patidar at 11 Cr, and Yash Dayal at 5 Cr, but them not retaining any other bowlers is “stupid” as well as surprising.
Mohammed Siraj Not Retained by RCB
For a team that has historically struggled with their bowling, for them to let go someone like Mohammed Siraj is just baffling. He is the third-highest wicket-take for RCB with 83 scalps in 87 matches. What were they even thinking, when did not go with their 2024 skipper Faf Du Plessis. Lockie Ferguson, who picked up 9 wickets for them last year, wasn’t picked up.
DC weren’t far behind in their stupidity. They did not retain one of the best format all-rounders Mitchell Marsh, In 42 matches, he has 37 wickets and has scored 666 runs as well. KKR did not retain Mitchell Starc, the most expensive player in IPL history. What explains that. After all, he had 17 wickets from 14 matches.
SRH threw in a massive surprise by retaining Pat Cummins, and Nitish Reddy, but not all season all-rounder like Washington Sundar, who is absolute great form, with the bat and the ball. GT isn’t far behind. Kane Williamson was not retained, while same was the case with David Miller.
PBKS Doesn’t Retain Arshdeep Singh
But somehow, PBKS takes the cake, when it comes to surprising or “stupid” releases. They did not retain their best bowler over the years, Arshdeep Singh, and Kagiso Rabada together. Can you beat that..For all you know, Punjab Kings might use an RTM for them in the IPL auction, but then they deserved to get money, and be retained.
For the record, in 65 matches, Arshdeep has 76 wickets for the team, and Rabada has 41 scalps in 30 matches. They have retained only Prabhsimran Singh and the “wrong” Shashank Singh, but it seems, they lost the plot in making team from the scratch.
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