Ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), franchises have adopted various strategies before the auction. As long as the trade window was open, quite a few players were constantly moving around. Like they usually do, all eight franchises were smart about how they went about things ahead of the next season.

However, some of these moves were not as good as the others. For instance, teams released players whom they shouldn&#8217;t have and retained players who they should have released. It is understood that several parameters are considered before making any sort of a decision. But, a few decisions taken by some of the franchises seemed much better than what the other IPL franchises did.

Here are the ratings for the IPL teams based on their releases and retentions:

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-357997" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/CT_344178.jpg" alt="IPL" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-357997" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians&#8217; pose with the trophy. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption>

The Mumbai Indians (MI) have got great strategists and did a great job yet again. They have possibly run out of patience with Evin Lewis and thus released him. However, that decision won&#8217;t impact them as they are anyways not able to fit him in the top order. The likes of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/5-indian-legends-who-back-rohit-sharma-as-indias-captain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rohit Sharma</a>, Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav have done a great job so far.

Also, they released a number of bowlers including the likes of Jason Behrendorff, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/photos/a.601832999847425/3064431620254205/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Alzarri Joseph</a> and Adam Milne. Since MI has already got Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult and Mitchell McClenaghan in its ranks, there was possibly no requirement of so many options. With all these bowling options released, they can now go for an aggressive batsman who operates in the top order.

Moreover, Ben Cutting is gone now and they should look at more of an impactful all-rounder in the upcoming auction. Whatever they have done with the releases, Mumbai has retained its core and the side that will get on to the field in the upcoming edition should look almost the same as it was last season.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-340206" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals-1.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-340206" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption>

Delhi Capitals was possibly best during the trade window and the releases. The team, for a couple of years now, has had too many openers or players who bat in the top-order. Thus, they have successfully managed to clear all the clutter by releasing the likes of Colin Ingram and Colin Munro. The track at the Feroz Shah Kotla hasn&#8217;t suited these two players anyways.

Now, they have a solid Indian top-order with the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/dhoniwemissyouonfield-indian-fans-start-a-trend-on-twitter-as-rishabh-pant-continues-to-fail/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rishabh Pant</a>. If required, they can slot in Prithvi Shaw in between as well. With five overseas slots left now, one could expect the Capitals to invest heavily on their bowling as well as the all-rounders.

It shouldn&#8217;t come as a surprise even if they buy back Chris Morris in case they don&#8217;t find a better option. They might have felt that they were investing way too much on the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/south-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">South Africa</a> cricketer. The releases of Hanuma Vihari, Bandaru Ayyappa and Jalaj Saxena were on the expected lines.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339193" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kings-XI-Punjab.jpg" alt="Kings XI Punjab" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339193" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption>

Like they so often do, Kings XI Punjab didn&#8217;t go with a clean slate this time. Instead, they have rightly identified their core players and decided to back them. Maybe they would have felt that David Miller is no longer the cricketer he was and so released him. However, a couple of their releases are quite puzzling.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/australia-pacer-andrew-tye-ruled-out-for-up-to-four-months-to-undergo-elbow-surgery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Andrew Tye</a> is one of the most-sought T20 bowlers all around the world when fit. Even Sam Curran can be a match-winner on a given day. These two releases might not have been the best to say the least. Varun Chakravarthy is another player they should have backed at least for one more season given his potential.

At the same time, there are also a couple of other players who they could have released and looked out for better options. Their middle order is quite fragile and that will be one of their key focus in the upcoming auction. Also, they will need more reliable options in the bowling department.

4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) &#8211; 7/10

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-337144" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-5.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2020 Auction" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-337144" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)</figcaption>

If there is one team which might have puzzled you, it should be the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Two of their integral members &#8211; <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/vinay-kumar-is-the-man-behind-the-success-of-mayank-agarwal-says-robin-uthappa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Robin Uthappa</a> and Piyush Chawla were left out. Both of them have been associated with the franchise for a very long time and had a role on both the occasions when they won the championship.

Anrich Nortje could be another costly miss if he goes to some other franchise. He is still young and learning constantly. The pacer has improved his game from what we saw him in the last season &#8211; at least in the T20 format. He understands different situations better and could have done well next year had KKR retained him.

Chris Lynn is also that sort of player who can win you matches on his own. But consistency has been a slight problem with him. The rest of the releases by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/kkr-kolkata-knight-riders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Knights</a> aren&#8217;t a surprise and many could see them coming.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-334566" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals-4.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334566" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

There&#8217;s been a lot of revamping in the Rajasthan Royals (RR) side. Former captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2020-ajinkya-rahane-trent-boult-mayank-markande-get-pay-hikes-after-being-traded/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ajinkya Rahane</a> is no longer a part of this side given they have a few other good top-order options. That will surely help clear the ambiguity around a few batting positions but still, there is a huge hole created over there. Rahane will be representing the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020.

The trades that they have done &#8211; <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/idhar-chala-main-udhar-chala-fans-hilariously-trolls-mayank-markande-for-getting-traded-twice-in-the-ipl-transfer-window/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mayank Markande</a>, Rahul Tewatia and Ankit Rajpoot &#8211; aren&#8217;t really the best and surely not the kind of options they&#8217;ve been looking for. Also, the Royals could have been a little more patient with Liam Livingstone and they should have given him a long run in the middle order.

Other than these two releases, the franchise has done well. Jaydev Unadkat might get another opportunity if he comes at a cheaper price but the chances are very bleak. Clearly, the team has run out of patience with the likes of Rahul Tripathi, Ish Sodhi and Ashton Turner.

6. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) &#8211; 6/10

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-349892" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/CT_364365.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-349892" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) disappointed the most with their choices. They might have released 12 players from their squad. But the question is whether they&#8217;d be able to acquire the kind of players they want with the purse that they have. AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali are the only two overseas options left for them now.

More than Shimron Hetmyer or Marcus Stoinis, Colin de Grandhomme could be a costly miss. They haven&#8217;t utilised the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/new-zealand/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Zealand</a> all-rounder really well and there is now a huge void in the middle-order should they not get the kind of replacements who can make up for these players. There could be a few concerns around the injuries with Nathan Coulter-Nile.

But he could possibly be a solution to their bowling woes and this release didn&#8217;t make much sense. Same goes with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/do-you-like-to-play-for-mumbai-indians-a-fan-asks-dale-steyn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dale Steyn</a> as well who was roped in as a replacement in IPL 2019. Moreover, the franchise&#8217;s choice to retain players like Pawan Negi, Mohammed Siraj and a couple of others have surely raised many eyebrows.

7. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) &#8211; 9/10

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-334898" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334898" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

As usual, the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/srh-sunrisers-hyderabad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> were extremely clinical with the way they went about their releases. There was no fuss whatsoever and most of the core is as it is. Even though many of them haven&#8217;t been getting a lot of chances, the team has decided to keep all of its pace battery.

Martin Guptill was anyways a replacement player during the last IPL edition and was bound to go considering all of his performances in the IPL. With so many options around, they might have anyways wanted to leave or trade Shakib Al Hasan. His ban made things that much easier for the franchise.

Deepak Hooda was backed immensely and didn&#8217;t churn out the results. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/former-kkr-team-director-joy-bhattacharya-posts-a-heartfelt-message-for-yusuf-pathan-on-his-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Yusuf Pathan</a>, on the other hand, is at the twilight of his career. Thus, the onus is now on a couple of things in the auction next month. The team will want a solid all-rounder in the middle order who can mainly contribute with the bat. They might also look for a good overseas option in the bowling department, just in case.

8. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) &#8211; 8/10

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-340710" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-1.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-340710" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption>

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) just got a year older and there is nothing else that is changed except the average age of the squad. With youngsters like <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/sam-billings-thanks-chennai-super-kings-after-being-released-ahead-of-ipl-2020-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sam Billings</a>, David Willey, Dhruv Shorey, Scott Kuggeleijn and Chaitanya Bishnoi released, the average age has only increased. All of these players haven&#8217;t been able to contribute to the overall benefit of the side.

Billings wasn&#8217;t getting many chances at batting positions he&#8217;d like. David Willey didn&#8217;t prove to be a really handy bowler in the Indian conditions. Scott Kuggeleijn was anyways a replacement. While the team might have made its options compact, it is surprising that they chose not to leave a few players.

It usually that way with CSK. But, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ms-dhoni-unlikely-to-play-the-upcoming-west-indies-series/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MS Dhoni</a> somehow manages to get the most out of them. But evidently, there doesn&#8217;t seem to be much planning about the future. The likes of Harbhajan Singh, Murali Vijay and Karn Sharma are still with the franchise despite their not-so-good performances. CSK will like to strengthen their bowling for this season but might have to go ahead with a clean slate for the mega-auction for IPL 2021.

Ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), franchises have adopted various strategies before the auction. As long as the trade window was open, quite a few players were constantly moving around. Like they usually do, all eight franchises were smart about how they went about things ahead of the next season.
However, some of these moves were not as good as the others. For instance, teams released players whom they shouldn’t have and retained players who they should have released. It is understood that several parameters are considered before making any sort of a decision. But, a few decisions taken by some of the franchises seemed much better than what the other IPL franchises did.
<h3>Here are the ratings for the IPL teams based on their releases and retentions:</h3>
<h3>1. Mumbai Indians (MI) – 9/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_357997" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-357997" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-357997" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/CT_344178.jpg" alt="IPL" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-357997" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians’ pose with the trophy. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The Mumbai Indians (MI) have got great strategists and did a great job yet again. They have possibly run out of patience with Evin Lewis and thus released him. However, that decision won’t impact them as they are anyways not able to fit him in the top order. The likes of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/5-indian-legends-who-back-rohit-sharma-as-indias-captain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rohit Sharma</a>, Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav have done a great job so far.
Also, they released a number of bowlers including the likes of Jason Behrendorff, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/photos/a.601832999847425/3064431620254205/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Alzarri Joseph</a> and Adam Milne. Since MI has already got Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult and Mitchell McClenaghan in its ranks, there was possibly no requirement of so many options. With all these bowling options released, they can now go for an aggressive batsman who operates in the top order.
Moreover, Ben Cutting is gone now and they should look at more of an impactful all-rounder in the upcoming auction. Whatever they have done with the releases, Mumbai has retained its core and the side that will get on to the field in the upcoming edition should look almost the same as it was last season.
<h3>2. Delhi Capitals (DC) – 9.5/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_340206" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-340206" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-340206" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals-1.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-340206" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Delhi Capitals was possibly best during the trade window and the releases. The team, for a couple of years now, has had too many openers or players who bat in the top-order. Thus, they have successfully managed to clear all the clutter by releasing the likes of Colin Ingram and Colin Munro. The track at the Feroz Shah Kotla hasn’t suited these two players anyways.
Now, they have a solid Indian top-order with the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/dhoniwemissyouonfield-indian-fans-start-a-trend-on-twitter-as-rishabh-pant-continues-to-fail/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rishabh Pant</a>. If required, they can slot in Prithvi Shaw in between as well. With five overseas slots left now, one could expect the Capitals to invest heavily on their bowling as well as the all-rounders.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise even if they buy back Chris Morris in case they don’t find a better option. They might have felt that they were investing way too much on the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/south-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">South Africa</a> cricketer. The releases of Hanuma Vihari, Bandaru Ayyappa and Jalaj Saxena were on the expected lines.
<h3>3. Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) – 7/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339193" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339193" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-339193" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kings-XI-Punjab.jpg" alt="Kings XI Punjab" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339193" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Like they so often do, Kings XI Punjab didn’t go with a clean slate this time. Instead, they have rightly identified their core players and decided to back them. Maybe they would have felt that David Miller is no longer the cricketer he was and so released him. However, a couple of their releases are quite puzzling.
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/australia-pacer-andrew-tye-ruled-out-for-up-to-four-months-to-undergo-elbow-surgery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Andrew Tye</a> is one of the most-sought T20 bowlers all around the world when fit. Even Sam Curran can be a match-winner on a given day. These two releases might not have been the best to say the least. Varun Chakravarthy is another player they should have backed at least for one more season given his potential.
At the same time, there are also a couple of other players who they could have released and looked out for better options. Their middle order is quite fragile and that will be one of their key focus in the upcoming auction. Also, they will need more reliable options in the bowling department.
<h3>4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – 7/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_337144" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-337144" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-337144" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-5.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2020 Auction" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-337144" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
If there is one team which might have puzzled you, it should be the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Two of their integral members – <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/vinay-kumar-is-the-man-behind-the-success-of-mayank-agarwal-says-robin-uthappa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Robin Uthappa</a> and Piyush Chawla were left out. Both of them have been associated with the franchise for a very long time and had a role on both the occasions when they won the championship.
Anrich Nortje could be another costly miss if he goes to some other franchise. He is still young and learning constantly. The pacer has improved his game from what we saw him in the last season – at least in the T20 format. He understands different situations better and could have done well next year had KKR retained him.
Chris Lynn is also that sort of player who can win you matches on his own. But consistency has been a slight problem with him. The rest of the releases by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/kkr-kolkata-knight-riders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Knights</a> aren’t a surprise and many could see them coming.
<h3>5. Rajasthan Royals (RR) – 8/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_334566" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-334566" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-334566" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals-4.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334566" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
There’s been a lot of revamping in the Rajasthan Royals (RR) side. Former captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2020-ajinkya-rahane-trent-boult-mayank-markande-get-pay-hikes-after-being-traded/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ajinkya Rahane</a> is no longer a part of this side given they have a few other good top-order options. That will surely help clear the ambiguity around a few batting positions but still, there is a huge hole created over there. Rahane will be representing the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020.
The trades that they have done – <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/idhar-chala-main-udhar-chala-fans-hilariously-trolls-mayank-markande-for-getting-traded-twice-in-the-ipl-transfer-window/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mayank Markande</a>, Rahul Tewatia and Ankit Rajpoot – aren’t really the best and surely not the kind of options they’ve been looking for. Also, the Royals could have been a little more patient with Liam Livingstone and they should have given him a long run in the middle order.
Other than these two releases, the franchise has done well. Jaydev Unadkat might get another opportunity if he comes at a cheaper price but the chances are very bleak. Clearly, the team has run out of patience with the likes of Rahul Tripathi, Ish Sodhi and Ashton Turner.
<h3>6. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) – 6/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_349892" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-349892" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-349892" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/CT_364365.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-349892" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) disappointed the most with their choices. They might have released 12 players from their squad. But the question is whether they’d be able to acquire the kind of players they want with the purse that they have. AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali are the only two overseas options left for them now.
More than Shimron Hetmyer or Marcus Stoinis, Colin de Grandhomme could be a costly miss. They haven’t utilised the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/new-zealand/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Zealand</a> all-rounder really well and there is now a huge void in the middle-order should they not get the kind of replacements who can make up for these players. There could be a few concerns around the injuries with Nathan Coulter-Nile.
But he could possibly be a solution to their bowling woes and this release didn’t make much sense. Same goes with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/do-you-like-to-play-for-mumbai-indians-a-fan-asks-dale-steyn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dale Steyn</a> as well who was roped in as a replacement in IPL 2019. Moreover, the franchise’s choice to retain players like Pawan Negi, Mohammed Siraj and a couple of others have surely raised many eyebrows.
<h3>7. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – 9/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_334898" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-334898" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-334898" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334898" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
As usual, the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/srh-sunrisers-hyderabad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> were extremely clinical with the way they went about their releases. There was no fuss whatsoever and most of the core is as it is. Even though many of them haven’t been getting a lot of chances, the team has decided to keep all of its pace battery.
Martin Guptill was anyways a replacement player during the last IPL edition and was bound to go considering all of his performances in the IPL. With so many options around, they might have anyways wanted to leave or trade Shakib Al Hasan. His ban made things that much easier for the franchise.
Deepak Hooda was backed immensely and didn’t churn out the results. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/former-kkr-team-director-joy-bhattacharya-posts-a-heartfelt-message-for-yusuf-pathan-on-his-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Yusuf Pathan</a>, on the other hand, is at the twilight of his career. Thus, the onus is now on a couple of things in the auction next month. The team will want a solid all-rounder in the middle order who can mainly contribute with the bat. They might also look for a good overseas option in the bowling department, just in case.
<h3>8. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – 8/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_340710" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-340710" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-340710" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-1.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-340710" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) just got a year older and there is nothing else that is changed except the average age of the squad. With youngsters like <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/sam-billings-thanks-chennai-super-kings-after-being-released-ahead-of-ipl-2020-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sam Billings</a>, David Willey, Dhruv Shorey, Scott Kuggeleijn and Chaitanya Bishnoi released, the average age has only increased. All of these players haven’t been able to contribute to the overall benefit of the side.
Billings wasn’t getting many chances at batting positions he’d like. David Willey didn’t prove to be a really handy bowler in the Indian conditions. Scott Kuggeleijn was anyways a replacement. While the team might have made its options compact, it is surprising that they chose not to leave a few players.
It usually that way with CSK. But, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ms-dhoni-unlikely-to-play-the-upcoming-west-indies-series/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MS Dhoni</a> somehow manages to get the most out of them. But evidently, there doesn’t seem to be much planning about the future. The likes of Harbhajan Singh, Murali Vijay and Karn Sharma are still with the franchise despite their not-so-good performances. CSK will like to strengthen their bowling for this season but might have to go ahead with a clean slate for the mega-auction for IPL 2021.

Ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), franchises have adopted various strategies before the auction. As long as the trade window was open, quite a few players were constantly moving around. Like they usually do, all eight franchises were smart about how they went about things ahead of the next season.
However, some of these moves were not as good as the others. For instance, teams released players whom they shouldn&#8217;t have and retained players who they should have released. It is understood that several parameters are considered before making any sort of a decision. But, a few decisions taken by some of the franchises seemed much better than what the other IPL franchises did.
<h3>Here are the ratings for the IPL teams based on their releases and retentions:</h3>
<h3>1. Mumbai Indians (MI) &#8211; 9/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_357997" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-357997" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-357997" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/CT_344178.jpg" alt="IPL" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-357997" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians&#8217; pose with the trophy. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The Mumbai Indians (MI) have got great strategists and did a great job yet again. They have possibly run out of patience with Evin Lewis and thus released him. However, that decision won&#8217;t impact them as they are anyways not able to fit him in the top order. The likes of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/5-indian-legends-who-back-rohit-sharma-as-indias-captain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rohit Sharma</a>, Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav have done a great job so far.
Also, they released a number of bowlers including the likes of Jason Behrendorff, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/photos/a.601832999847425/3064431620254205/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Alzarri Joseph</a> and Adam Milne. Since MI has already got Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult and Mitchell McClenaghan in its ranks, there was possibly no requirement of so many options. With all these bowling options released, they can now go for an aggressive batsman who operates in the top order.
Moreover, Ben Cutting is gone now and they should look at more of an impactful all-rounder in the upcoming auction. Whatever they have done with the releases, Mumbai has retained its core and the side that will get on to the field in the upcoming edition should look almost the same as it was last season.
<h3>2. Delhi Capitals (DC) &#8211; 9.5/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_340206" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-340206" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-340206" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals-1.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-340206" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Delhi Capitals was possibly best during the trade window and the releases. The team, for a couple of years now, has had too many openers or players who bat in the top-order. Thus, they have successfully managed to clear all the clutter by releasing the likes of Colin Ingram and Colin Munro. The track at the Feroz Shah Kotla hasn&#8217;t suited these two players anyways.
Now, they have a solid Indian top-order with the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/dhoniwemissyouonfield-indian-fans-start-a-trend-on-twitter-as-rishabh-pant-continues-to-fail/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rishabh Pant</a>. If required, they can slot in Prithvi Shaw in between as well. With five overseas slots left now, one could expect the Capitals to invest heavily on their bowling as well as the all-rounders.
It shouldn&#8217;t come as a surprise even if they buy back Chris Morris in case they don&#8217;t find a better option. They might have felt that they were investing way too much on the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/south-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">South Africa</a> cricketer. The releases of Hanuma Vihari, Bandaru Ayyappa and Jalaj Saxena were on the expected lines.
<h3>3. Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) &#8211; 7/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339193" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339193" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339193" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kings-XI-Punjab.jpg" alt="Kings XI Punjab" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339193" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Like they so often do, Kings XI Punjab didn&#8217;t go with a clean slate this time. Instead, they have rightly identified their core players and decided to back them. Maybe they would have felt that David Miller is no longer the cricketer he was and so released him. However, a couple of their releases are quite puzzling.
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/australia-pacer-andrew-tye-ruled-out-for-up-to-four-months-to-undergo-elbow-surgery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Andrew Tye</a> is one of the most-sought T20 bowlers all around the world when fit. Even Sam Curran can be a match-winner on a given day. These two releases might not have been the best to say the least. Varun Chakravarthy is another player they should have backed at least for one more season given his potential.
At the same time, there are also a couple of other players who they could have released and looked out for better options. Their middle order is quite fragile and that will be one of their key focus in the upcoming auction. Also, they will need more reliable options in the bowling department.
<h3>4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) &#8211; 7/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_337144" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-337144" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-337144" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-5.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2020 Auction" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-337144" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
If there is one team which might have puzzled you, it should be the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Two of their integral members &#8211; <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/vinay-kumar-is-the-man-behind-the-success-of-mayank-agarwal-says-robin-uthappa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Robin Uthappa</a> and Piyush Chawla were left out. Both of them have been associated with the franchise for a very long time and had a role on both the occasions when they won the championship.
Anrich Nortje could be another costly miss if he goes to some other franchise. He is still young and learning constantly. The pacer has improved his game from what we saw him in the last season &#8211; at least in the T20 format. He understands different situations better and could have done well next year had KKR retained him.
Chris Lynn is also that sort of player who can win you matches on his own. But consistency has been a slight problem with him. The rest of the releases by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/kkr-kolkata-knight-riders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Knights</a> aren&#8217;t a surprise and many could see them coming.
<h3>5. Rajasthan Royals (RR) &#8211; 8/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_334566" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-334566" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-334566" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals-4.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334566" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
There&#8217;s been a lot of revamping in the Rajasthan Royals (RR) side. Former captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2020-ajinkya-rahane-trent-boult-mayank-markande-get-pay-hikes-after-being-traded/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ajinkya Rahane</a> is no longer a part of this side given they have a few other good top-order options. That will surely help clear the ambiguity around a few batting positions but still, there is a huge hole created over there. Rahane will be representing the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020.
The trades that they have done &#8211; <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/idhar-chala-main-udhar-chala-fans-hilariously-trolls-mayank-markande-for-getting-traded-twice-in-the-ipl-transfer-window/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mayank Markande</a>, Rahul Tewatia and Ankit Rajpoot &#8211; aren&#8217;t really the best and surely not the kind of options they&#8217;ve been looking for. Also, the Royals could have been a little more patient with Liam Livingstone and they should have given him a long run in the middle order.
Other than these two releases, the franchise has done well. Jaydev Unadkat might get another opportunity if he comes at a cheaper price but the chances are very bleak. Clearly, the team has run out of patience with the likes of Rahul Tripathi, Ish Sodhi and Ashton Turner.
<h3>6. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) &#8211; 6/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_349892" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-349892" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-349892" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/CT_364365.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-349892" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) disappointed the most with their choices. They might have released 12 players from their squad. But the question is whether they&#8217;d be able to acquire the kind of players they want with the purse that they have. AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali are the only two overseas options left for them now.
More than Shimron Hetmyer or Marcus Stoinis, Colin de Grandhomme could be a costly miss. They haven&#8217;t utilised the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/new-zealand/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Zealand</a> all-rounder really well and there is now a huge void in the middle-order should they not get the kind of replacements who can make up for these players. There could be a few concerns around the injuries with Nathan Coulter-Nile.
But he could possibly be a solution to their bowling woes and this release didn&#8217;t make much sense. Same goes with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/do-you-like-to-play-for-mumbai-indians-a-fan-asks-dale-steyn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dale Steyn</a> as well who was roped in as a replacement in IPL 2019. Moreover, the franchise&#8217;s choice to retain players like Pawan Negi, Mohammed Siraj and a couple of others have surely raised many eyebrows.
<h3>7. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) &#8211; 9/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_334898" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-334898" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-334898" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334898" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
As usual, the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/srh-sunrisers-hyderabad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> were extremely clinical with the way they went about their releases. There was no fuss whatsoever and most of the core is as it is. Even though many of them haven&#8217;t been getting a lot of chances, the team has decided to keep all of its pace battery.
Martin Guptill was anyways a replacement player during the last IPL edition and was bound to go considering all of his performances in the IPL. With so many options around, they might have anyways wanted to leave or trade Shakib Al Hasan. His ban made things that much easier for the franchise.
Deepak Hooda was backed immensely and didn&#8217;t churn out the results. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/former-kkr-team-director-joy-bhattacharya-posts-a-heartfelt-message-for-yusuf-pathan-on-his-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Yusuf Pathan</a>, on the other hand, is at the twilight of his career. Thus, the onus is now on a couple of things in the auction next month. The team will want a solid all-rounder in the middle order who can mainly contribute with the bat. They might also look for a good overseas option in the bowling department, just in case.
<h3>8. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) &#8211; 8/10</h3>
<figure id="attachment_340710" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-340710" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-340710" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-1.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-340710" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) just got a year older and there is nothing else that is changed except the average age of the squad. With youngsters like <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/sam-billings-thanks-chennai-super-kings-after-being-released-ahead-of-ipl-2020-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sam Billings</a>, David Willey, Dhruv Shorey, Scott Kuggeleijn and Chaitanya Bishnoi released, the average age has only increased. All of these players haven&#8217;t been able to contribute to the overall benefit of the side.
Billings wasn&#8217;t getting many chances at batting positions he&#8217;d like. David Willey didn&#8217;t prove to be a really handy bowler in the Indian conditions. Scott Kuggeleijn was anyways a replacement. While the team might have made its options compact, it is surprising that they chose not to leave a few players.
It usually that way with CSK. But, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ms-dhoni-unlikely-to-play-the-upcoming-west-indies-series/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MS Dhoni</a> somehow manages to get the most out of them. But evidently, there doesn&#8217;t seem to be much planning about the future. The likes of Harbhajan Singh, Murali Vijay and Karn Sharma are still with the franchise despite their not-so-good performances. CSK will like to strengthen their bowling for this season but might have to go ahead with a clean slate for the mega-auction for IPL 2021.

Some franchises did better than the others.

Rating the IPL teams based on their player-releases ahead of IPL 2020 Auction

Here is the rating for each of the eight Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises based on the players who they have released.