The big auction for IPL 2018 is around the corner and by this time all franchises have come up with the list of players they’d like to take home at the end of the auction.
One of the biggest surprises during the IPL player retention event was Kings XI Punjab’s decision to retain just one player. They opted to go with Axar Patel ahead of several T20 superstars as they look to build a team that could help them claim their maiden IPL title.
One of the advantages that they have is that they will have the option of using their Right to Match (RTM) card to get back some of their star players.
KXIP had some world class foreigners in the squad – an explosive T20 specialist in Glenn Maxwell, a sound opener in Hashim Amla, a handy all-rounder in Marcus Stoinis, and a hard-hitting middle-order batsman in David Miller.
And former India cricketer and now a TV commentator Aakash Chopra do believe that Punjab could use their RTM for Australia’s left-handed opener Shaun March, who has been phenomenal with the bat for the franchise.
Chopra also added if consistency is taken into account, Punjab should look to retain Hashim Amla, who scored two centuries last year but unluckily ended up on the losing side.
Among Indians, KXIP has the options for retaining Sandeep Sharma, Mohit Sharma or uncapped Manon Vohra, told the former cricketer to Star Sports host Mayanti Langer.