IPL 2024 Auction: Best XI of players released by teams ahead of the auction

Wanindu-Hasaranga-and-Harry-Brook. (Photo Source: X/Twitter)

There was a lot of chaos and surprises as all ten Indian Premier League franchises confirmed their lists of released and retained players ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. The auction will be held on December 19 in Dubai. A total of 85 individuals were released from their respective franchises.

There are options for franchises to trade players whom they have retained in their squads. The player trade window remains open until a week before the IPL 2024 auction. Several notable players, including England pacer Jofra Archer, were released by the Mumbai Indians due to ongoing injury concerns.

High-flying Harry Brook was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) due to a substantial price of Rs 13.25 crore. In contrast, Sam Curran was retained by Punjab Kings. 

Keeping these dynamic changes in every franchise, here is a look at the best XI that can be formed from the players who were released ahead of the IPL 2024 auction.

Here is the best XI from released players ahead of the IPL 2024 auction:

1. Harry Brook

Harry-Brook. (Photo Source: X/Twitter)

Sunrisers Hyderabad broke the bank in the IPL 2023 auction to get their hands on Harry Brook. They paid INR 13.25 crore to get him in their squad. The team had faith in the young Englishman, expecting he would add firepower to their batting lineup. 

Despite an amazing century in his debut season, Brook’s overall performance fell short of expectations, with the English batter scoring 190 runs in 11 matches at an average of 21.11. However, his potential is known to everyone and if he enters the IPL 2024 auction again, Brook will be once again a target for a bidding war.

2. N Jagadeesan (wk)

N Jagadeesan. (Photo Source: Twitter/IPL)

N Jagadeesan was with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the IPL 2023. In a team filled with wicket-keepers and openers, the Tamil Nadu cricketer barely got any games. He played six games to score 89 runs. However, he has a very good record in domestic white-ball cricket with 1195 runs in 59 T20s.

In addition, he has spent time with MS Dhoni in CSK and gathered valuable knowledge from the great man. He is also a safe keeper behind the stumps and there are franchises, that would need a keeper who can open the innings, giving Jagadeesan a chance to showcase his wares consistently.  

3. Manish Pandey (c)

Manish Pandey. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)

Manish Pandey is an IPL veteran, being the first Indian batter to score a century in the tournament way back in 2009. Pandey has played for a lot of franchises, but Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad have been his home for the most part of his career. 

However, in the recent past, his numbers have dwindled a lot in IPL. Overall in 170 matches, Pandey has 3808 runs with one century and 22 fifties. But in the last three seasons in IPL, he’s had 540 runs in 24 matches with an average of under 30. But he still has a wealth of experience and might get picked by a franchise that needs that experience. 

4. Rovman Powell

Rovman Powell. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)

West Indies’ Rovman Powell was picked by Delhi Capitals in IPL 2022 and had an outstanding season for them with 250 runs at a strike rate of almost 150. But in the last season, Powell couldn’t get much game time as Mitchell Marsh was preferred over him and he could manage only seven runs in three matches. But given his hitting power and leadership abilities, Powell will be in demand in the upcoming IPL 2024 auction.

5. Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz Khan

Enormously talented Sarfaraz Khan fell prey to Delhi Capitals (DC) doing a washout of talent in their squad after their disastrous IPL 2023 performance. With Rishabh Pant out of action, DC gave the keeping gloves to Sarfaraz Khan and asked him to do a dual role. But his performance was very poor with 53 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 85.48.

He got bounced out and his technique was found out as well. However, someone who is so proficient in scoring runs in domestic cricket, Sarfaraz Khan has never cracked the code in IPL, mostly due to a lack of consistent chances.

6. Shahrukh Khan

Sharukh Khan. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)

Shahrukh Khan was a project in which the Punjab Kings invested heavily, paying INR 9 crore in the IPL 2022 auction. He played 33 matches in IPL so far, scoring 426 runs at a strike rate of 134.81. He was a consistent part of PBKS XI, but his performance as a finisher with 156 runs in 14 matches proved to be his undoing. PBKS decided to let him go to free up their purse and might even go for him again in the IPL 2024 auction, at a far lesser price. 

7. Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)

Shardul Thakur was let go by the Kolkata Knight Riders who had traded him in from Delhi Capitals for INR 10.75 crore. However, in the IPL 2023, Thakur made 113 runs in 11 matches and picked just seven wickets at an economy of 10.48. This performance led to KKR freeing up the money by releasing Thakur ahead of IPL 2024 auction.

8. Wanindu Hasaranga

Wanindu Hasaranga. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)

Wanindu Hasaranga was picked by RCB in the IPL 2022 auction for INR 10.75 crore. In two seasons for them, the Sri Lankan spinner picked 35 wickets in 24 matches. In IPL 2023, he wasn’t available for the whole season for them and this potentially cost RCB a berth in the knockouts as well. Ahead of IPL 2024, RCB decided, surprisingly, to release Hasaranga. This might help them free u some money and they can go for him, at a cheaper price.

9. Harshal Patel

Harshal Patel. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)

Harshal Patel had picked 65 wickets in 43 matches in the last three IPL editions for RCB. However, his economy and impact with the ball decreased with each match and given his hefty INR 10.75 crore plus price tag meant that RCB felt it economically viable to release him ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. Patel might very likely find a new home with some other franchise.

10. Murugan Ashwin

Murugan-Ashwin

M Ashwin has not gotten proper chances in the IPL, despite some good performances in the tournament. Overall in 44 matches, Ashwin has 35 wickets at an economy of 8.01. His best season was IPL 2020, where he picked ten wickets in nine matches, Amidst the plethora of so many Indian spinners, Ashwin has found it hard to carve a space for himself in the IPL.

11. Josh Hazlewood

Virat Kohli and Josh Hazlewood. (Photo Source : Twitter)

One of the most surprising releases by RCB was Josh Hazlewood. He had picked 20 wickets in IPL 2022 and in three IPL 2023 games, he picked three wickets. He had to go back home due to his issues with Achilles injury. For a bowler of his talent and stature, Josh Hazlewood will see a bidding war for himself in the upcoming IPL 2024 auction.