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On the retention deadline day for the highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, major roster adjustments were witnessed as all 10 franchises made strategic decisions. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), in particular, opted to release 11 players, including notable overseas talent.
The release of Josh Hazlewood
Among the high-profile players released by RCB was Australian cricketer Josh Hazlewood, a key figure in Chennai Super Kings’ triumphant 2021 campaign. Despite his impactful performance with 11 wickets and an economy rate of 8.37, Hazlewood found himself on the released list.
Securing Hazlewood for INR 7.75 crore in the 2022 mega auction, RCB benefited from his skills over the next two seasons. Amassing 23 wickets at an average of 19.69 and an economy of 8.16, Hazlewood’s contributions were noteworthy. However, his 2023 season was marred by a limited appearance due to an Achilles heel injury.
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Andy Flower explains why RCB did not retain Josh Hazlewood
RCB’s decision to release Hazlewood was explained by head coach Andy Flower. The coach revealed in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) that Hazlewood, shortly after the announcement, informed the team about an upcoming personal milestone. Flower explained, “Josh Hazlewood…very pleasingly, has a baby on the way, due in March. So Josh won’t be with us, certainly not for the first half of the season.”
Comprehensive list of RCB releases
Hazlewood was not the sole departure from RCB; other players released include Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, Indian pacer Harshal Patel, New Zealand duo Finn Allen and Michael Bracewell, England fast bowler David Willey, South African veteran Wayne Parnell, and Indian players Sonu Yadav, Avinash Singh, Siddharth Kaul and Kedar Jadhav. Additionally, RCB had traded Shahbaz Ahmed to Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the retention deadline in exchange for Mayank Dagar.
