KXIP is one of the only three currently active teams which have never won an IPL trophy and while there are a lot of reasons behind it, one of the main reasons is that they have released the players at the wrong time as well and that has cost them big because those same players have gone to other teams and have delivered the goods for them.
Here are the 5 players KXIP should never have released –
1. Sandeep Sharma
Sandeep Sharma, who is currently excelling for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2020, started his career playing for Kings XI Punjab and put on wonderful performances for them, but for some reason, KXIP lost the faith in Sandeep as the coaching staff changed and the medium pacer was released.
Currently, KXIP is lacking a domestic Indian seamer who can not only deliver for them with the new ball, but can deliver in the death as well. They used Arshdeep in a few games this season and while he did well, Sandeep could probably have been more effective.
Sandeep is not only a quality swing bowler, he has got enough variations to be effective towards the end of the innings as well.
2. T Natarajan
T Natarajan was another Indian pacer who was released by KXIP after just one poor season and he also went to SRH after that and is currently turning out to be one of the best yorker bowlers in the tournament.
Natarajan might not have been someone who has got a lot of pace, but he can hit the yorker length time and time again which is an excellent quality to have for a bowler in the IPL.
3. Sam Curran
Releasing Sam Curran was probably the most surprising decision by KXIP because he is a quality all-rounder and had done well in the limited opportunities he got in IPL 2019.
Also, the players who replaced Curran in the KXIP set-up didn’t come to the party at all. The likes of Glenn Maxwell and Jimmy Neesham, apart from a couple of performances here and there, were not consistent throughout the tournament and they were Curran’s replacement in the side.
4. Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin captained KXIP in IPL 2018 and 2019, but just as the new support staff took over, not only was Ashwin removed as captain, he was traded away as well to Delhi Capitals.
But, the way Ashwin has performed for Delhi Capitals this season, KXIP might look back and regret that decision now because he could have been the finger spinner who could have given them the control in the middle overs.
KXIP played in IPL 2020 with two leg spinners and while they were both attacking options, sometimes they didn’t give the captain the control that he needed at the crucial junctures of the game and that proved to be really costly in a couple of games.
5. Marcus Stoinis
Marcus Stoinis is another all-rounder who used to be a part of the KXIP set-up, but currently plays for Delhi Capitals and if the Capitals are in the playoffs of IPL 2020, Stoinis has a lot to do with that because he has won them 2 or 3 games single-handedly in this tournament.
Stoinis could have been the ideal seam bowling all-rounder KXIP would have needed down the order at no. 6. Apart from providing them a world class finishing option with the bat, Stoinis could have offered a lot of value with the ball as well.
