IPL Retention Insights from Varun Aaron

As the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) nears its conclusion, former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron has shared his thoughts on which players franchises should consider retaining or letting go. The competition is heating up, with teams like Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, and Mumbai Indians vying for the championship title.

Aaron expressed his opinions on the Chennai Super Kings, who faced a disappointing season, finishing last for the first time ever. In a video shared by ESPNcricinfo on X, he suggested that seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, along with New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway, should be released. Despite a hefty price tag of Rs 9.75 crore, Ashwin's performance was underwhelming, yielding only 33 runs and seven wickets across nine matches.

Rachin, who has shown promise in international cricket, managed just 191 runs in eight games, while Conway scored 156 runs in six appearances. Moving on to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Aaron felt that Ishan Kishan's two standout innings weren't enough to secure his place on the retention list. Although he had a couple of impressive scores, his overall tally of 354 runs in 14 matches at an average of 35.40 fell short.

Aaron also pointed out that Mohammed Shami's performance was lackluster, as he took only six wickets in nine matches at an average of 56.16 after being signed for Rs 10 crore. He recommended that Sunrisers focus on nurturing young talent, suggesting that 22-year-old Nitish Kumar Reddy should be retained despite not having a stellar season.

For Kolkata Knight Riders, Aaron believes that captain Ajinkya Rahane, who was the team's top scorer with 390 runs in 13 matches, should be kept. However, he advised against retaining Venkatesh Iyer, who, despite being signed for Rs 23.75 crore, only managed 142 runs at an average of 20.28, making him one of the season's disappointments.

Lastly, Aaron suggested that the Lucknow Super Giants should consider releasing several of their key players. Mayank Yadav, who had a record-breaking debut last season, was retained for Rs 11 crore but struggled with injuries this season. Ravi Bishnoi, LSG's main spinner, also had a tough time, taking just nine wickets in 11 matches with a high economy rate.

Regarding Rishabh Pant, the IPL's highest auction signing, Aaron does not believe he should be retained. After being dropped from India's ODI squad, Pant's season was marred by poor performances, scoring only 151 runs in 13 matches at an average of 13.72. His best performance came against Chennai Super Kings, where he scored 63 runs off 49 balls.