It is that time of year once more when we look at data from the IPL and determine the ideal and best retentions for each team. This article is divided into three segments, including Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Rajasthan.
Using the latest cricket data from Spoda we perform data analytics in cricket and this articles intends to complete a deep dive into the possible retentions and why they should be retained for this season.
Kolkata Knight Riders – Retentions
The most obvious pick from the retentions for the Kolkata Knight Riders would be Sunil Narine, who averages 24.2 and has a strike rate of 172.5 with bat in hand, and his bowling impact remains critical with an average of 26.82 and an economy of 7.29, keeping things incredibly tight, even while the run-scoring rates in the IPL having increased.
Their second retention should be their captain, Shreyas Iyer who did not play in 2023 and has been in incredible form this year, his ability to take down spin remains his most attractive option and his leadership skills are not to be doubted. In 2024, Iyer averaged 39 and struck at 146.9, but his average against spin shot up to 129 with a strike rate of 151.76.
Their third retention must be Andre Russell, who has averaged a touch under 25 and struck at 162.7, but his bowling has flown under the radar, where he has 26 wickets at just 18 since the start of 2023.
Their fourth retention should be Varun Chakravarty who has been the most successful spin bowler in the IPL since the beginning of 2023, having taken 41 wickets at an average of 20.3, forming a potent spin bowling duo with Sunil Narine.
Harshit Rana is a straightforward pick, with KKR able to retain him as an uncapped player, he has been very impressive. Having taken 24 wickets since 2023 at an economy under 9! The most successful uncapped pacer in the country.
Their final retention being, another uncapped player in Ramandeep Singh, possibly the best-uncapped seam bowling all-rounder in the country, Ramandeep is a brilliant fielder, a handy batted down the order and can bowl 2-3 each game. With a strike rate of 170.6 with the bat and an average of 16 with the ball, he has done well in the chances he has had.
Sunrisers Hyderabad - Players to Retain
Heinrich Klaasen is a must have for the Sunrisers Hyderabad with his 2839 runs scored since the start of 2022, at a strike rate of 168.3, which scoring a boundary once every 4.7 balls, and his strike rate soars higher against spin, with a strike rate of 185.98, almost scoring two runs a ball.
Pat Cummins is an obvious second retention for Hyderabad, with his 53 wickets since 2022, with an economy of 8.9, and his batting skills, where he has struck at 139.2 with bat, and his leadership skills are not to be questioned having seen his success with SRH this season. His bowling has gotten better this year, with 29 wickets at 26, economy of just 8.8!
Abhishek Sharma has been a great scouting find for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, and he forms a part of a destructive opening duo, with Travis Head. Abhishek demolishes spin, with the highest strike rate against spin since 2023, going at 197.32!
Travis Head is a no-brainer, you simply can not let go of Head, who has won games for the Sunrisers Hyderabad very quickly and can chip in with the ball! The most destructive batter going around, Head scores a boundary once every 3.3 balls, striking at 184.3 in the Powerplay!
Mayank Markande is the ideal uncapped retention pick for the Sunrisers Hyderabad with him providing a great frontline option for a leg spinner, having taken his wickets at 26.4 since 2023, dismissing batters once every 17.9 balls with an economy of 8.8!
T Natarajan should be picked using an RTM pick for the simple reason that he offers an option at the death unlike any other, with 65.52% of his wickets having come in the death overs! Bowling 42.27% of his overs in the death, he has the second-best economy amongst the death bowlers with at least 20 overs since 2023!
Rajasthan Royals - Retentions
Sanju Samson is an obvious pick from the retentions, with runs under his belt, coupled with consistency this season, he has done well, offering a captaincy option as well, since 2022 he has struck at 168.3 while scoring a boundary once every 4.7 balls. He has been particularly severe against spin, striking at 183.2 against that type.
Yashasvi Jaiswal is the find the Rajasthan Royals have always looked for, his aggression coupled with his penchant for a big shot makes him an ideal retention, he averages 35 and strikes at 153.6 in all T20s since 2022, with a balls per boundary of just 4 balls!
Riyan Parag would have been an uncapped option, but he's finally hit gold, and having an Indian Middle Order batter would free up space for another overseas spot in the team elsewhere! Averaging 45.6 and striking at 157.5 since 2022, he is a rare commodity.
Jos Buttler may have struggled in this season of the IPL, with his injury issues prevalent and his age, but having played a crucial role in their Dream Runs of the past, it is worth exploring an RTM option with Buttler, with auction dynamics making sure he won't be as expensive. He still averages 40 in T20s and strikes at 150 across all of them!
Yuzvendra Chahal is another pick they should look to use the RTM on, with auction dynamics making sure he won't go past 7-8 crore, especially with his age in mind. Having picked 39 wickets since 2023 at 25, he has the second most wickets for a spinner!
The final uncapped retention is one to build for the future, Young Tanush Kotian may not have had the best IPL debut, but his numbers speak for themselves having picked up 13 T20 wickets at a miserly economy of 6.37, he averages 14.5 with the ball and has a massive ceiling with the bat!
Data for this article was collected from spoda.ai, the world's first cricket intelligence tool that uses data and makes cricket analytics simple and offers you an all-in-one cricket analytics solution.
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