{"id":1876,"date":"2016-07-13T19:27:20","date_gmt":"2016-07-13T13:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/13.201.39.237\/?p=1876"},"modified":"2016-07-13T19:27:20","modified_gmt":"2016-07-13T13:57:20","slug":"ipl-retention-gambhir-sarfaraz-csk-rajasthan-royals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/13.207.105.184\/?p=1876","title":{"rendered":"SOLD OUT: Dhoni, Kohli and Other Big Winners from the IPL Retention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\u00a0\n

T<\/span>oward the end of January every year, the country\u2019s most privileged sports enthusiasts, aka the IPL team owners, get together to have their annual dick-measuring contest. Some also call this contest the IPL Players\u2019 Auction. The event involves a display of wealth that would put a Dilli wedding to shame, interspersed with cricketing banter from the game\u2019s veterans. Before this event however, a grocery list of sportsmen for sale is prepared for the owners. A short while ago, we learnt of the sportsmen who would be debarred from being on this list based on their level of talent *cough *starpower* cough* being too high. Let\u2019s analyse these folks:\n\n<\/p>Rohit Sharma<\/strong>, Hardik Pandya<\/strong>, and Jasprit Bumrah<\/strong>\nRetained by: Mumbai Indians<\/strong>\n\nThe crown prince of flat-track bullies, Rohit Sharma was a shoo-in to be retained by the Ambanis, given how he\u2019s led Mumbai Indians to their record three trophies. Hardik Pandya\u2019s reputation as a match-winner also helped his retention status, and this in no way had anything to do with his really dope haircut. Jasprit Bumrah was retained because opponents have become used to Malinga\u2019s bowling action, while Bumrah\u2019s is still too weird for them to figure out.\n\nMS Dhoni<\/strong>, Suresh Raina<\/strong>, and Ravindra Jadeja<\/strong>\nRetained by: Chennai Super Kings<\/strong>\n\nIt\u2019s the Return of the Kings.\n\nChennai Super Kings will be looking to demolish their opponents and recapture their dominant reputation as Whistle Podu-ers. Their retention choices are really no surprise since MS Dhoni is literally worshipped in the city. In fact, so revered is Dhoni by his CSK kin that they even took in his, ermmm, old running mates, Raina and Jadeja. Guess it pays to have a former Indian captain as your meal ticket, sorry, mentor.\n\nSteve Smith<\/strong>\nPicked up by: Rajasthan Royals<\/strong>\n\nRemember Rajasthan Royals? No, not the Padmavati haters. The dominant team that won the inaugural IPL a decade ago? Well, neither do we. Owners Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra seem keen on reshaping this unit and have only picked up former Pune and current Australian Captain, Steve Smith. His only condition was to not have to say embarrassing catchphrases like \u201cHalla Bol\u201d.\n\nRishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and Chris Morris<\/strong>\nRetained by: Delhi Daredevils<\/strong>\n\nNobody quite understands why the underachieving Delhi Daredevils do anything anymore. While they\u2019ve retained some talented names, they don\u2019t seem likely to retain their self-respect. With Iyer and Pant, DD are clearly banking on the exuberance of youth to take them through. Although, perhaps this move came a decade too late. It might have helped had they clinched Dailhi boy Virat Kohli a few years ago. Or maybe not. Going by his winless IPL record. Speaking of which..\n

Newly wed Captain Kohli has been the toast of Indian cricket and Sabyasachi enthusiasts the world over.<\/blockquote>\nVirat Kohli, AB De Villiers, and Sarfaraz Khan<\/strong>\nRetained by: Royal Challengers Bangalore<\/strong>\n\nOh RCB! Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Their newly wed Captain Kohli has been the toast of Indian cricket and Sabyasachi enthusiasts the world over. It helps that AB De Villiers and he have been known to wreak havoc on bowlers. So really, the only big surprise here is Sarfaraz being picked over the mighty Gayle. Though we expect them to do exactly what they do every year: Give us all a treat in the league stages with phenomenal batting and choke on their lacklustre bowling in the play-offs.\n\nSunil Narine<\/strong> and Andre Russell<\/strong>\nRetained by: Kolkata Knight Riders<\/strong>\n\nKing Khan\u2019s Kolkata Knight Riders clearly favours some Caribbean flava over Captain Gambhir\u2019s fiery disposition. We look forward to seeing both Narine and Russell being made to awkwardly dance to \u201cKorbo Lorbo Jeetbo Re\u201d behind King Khan at the IPL opening ceremony.\n\nDavid Warner<\/strong>, Deepak Hooda<\/strong>, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar<\/strong>\nRetained by: Sunrisers Hyderabad<\/strong>\n\nFormer IPL champions, Sunrisers Hyderabad have always had a solid team to back their chances at winning it all. Shikhar Dhawan\u2019s absence is almost as shocking as SRH\u2019s upset victory over RCB in the IPL 2016 Finals. Or this picture of Shikhar Dhawan without his moustache.\n\nAxar Patel<\/strong>\nRetained by: Kings XI Punjab<\/strong>\n\nVirender Sehwag, team director of Kings XI Punjab, is known to be a witty customer (and troller of young women) on Twitter. However, Kings XI Punjab\u2019s recent form has been no laughing matter. Just like the recent Gujarat elections, KXIP\u2019s play-offs hopes hinge around a Patel – Axar Patel. Also, Sehwag claims to like his sense of humour most among other hopefuls. You know what that says about him.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s comeback time for Whistle Podu-ers Chennai Super Kings and Halla Bolers Rajasthan Royals. Plus, Gautam Gambhir might be up for auction. Is IPL 2018 going to be full of surprises?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":1877,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[394],"tags":[3098,3691,3692,3693,2413,1751,3694,3695,1270,3696,3485,3697,880],"class_list":["post-1876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-ab-de-villiers","tag-chennai-super-kings","tag-chris-gayle","tag-hardik-pandya","tag-india-national-cricket-team","tag-indian-premier-league","tag-kolkata-knight-riders","tag-krunal-pandya","tag-ms-dhoni","tag-mumbai-indians","tag-rohit-sharma","tag-royal-challengers-bangalore","tag-virat-kohli"],"yoast_head":"\nSOLD OUT: Dhoni, Kohli and Other Big Winners from the IPL Retention<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It\u2019s comeback time for Whistle Podu-ers Chennai Super Kings and Halla Bolers Rajasthan Royals. 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