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8 IPL franchises announced their retained players on November 30th. Although many retention choices were along expected lines, some teams surprised their fans with their final decisions.
MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant, Jos Buttler, and Sanju Samson are the major wicket-keepers who will be unavailable in the mega auction or the draft picks for the two new teams.
These retentions mean that a lot of wicket-keeping options will be up for grabs at the mega auction in January 2022. At the moment, only Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings, and Rajasthan Royals are locked in with their keepers for the upcoming season.
Apart from the obvious picks, there are a lot of potential options that will be available. KL Rahul (likely to be picked in the drafts by the two new teams), Nicholas Pooran, Dinesh Karthik, Devon Conway and Wriddhiman Saha are among the big names on that list.
On that note, let's take a look at the 3 major keeping options ahead of the auction.
#1 Jonny Bairstow
Jonny Bairstow is quite comfortably one of the most aggressive and versatile T20 batters in the world right now. Besides his batting prowess, he is also an excellent keeper as well as a sharp fielder. He represented Sunrisers Hyderabad for 3 seasons: 2019, 2020, and 2021. However, they decided to retain New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson as their only overseas option.
Bairstow has scored 1038 runs in 28 IPL matches at a healthy average of 42 and a lethal strike rate of 142. The 32-year old has notched up seven half-centuries and a single hundred. Not only does he offer consistency at the top of the order, he also scores runs quickly for his team. His opening partnership with IPL legend David Warner was iconic.
Bairstow has also batted well for England at No. 3 and 4 after they pushed Buttler up to open with Roy. He is equally adept at facing pace and spin, and he can dominate the crease during all phases of the game.
#2 Quinton de Kock
Quinton de Kock has been one of the pivotal reasons for Mumbai's success in their last 2 IPL title wins. However, Mumbai retained Kieron Pollard as their only overseas player. Their focus is primarily on building an Indian core ahead of the mega auctions.
The 28-year old has scored 2256 runs in 77 matches at an average of 31 and a strike rate of 130. The South African international also has 10 half-centuries for Mumbai. His opening partnership with Rohit at the top of the order was a major reason for Mumbai's success as a T20 side.
de Kock is a quick starter in the Powerplay and a consistent run-getter. Teams that are be looking for an established opener and keeper would certainly have him on their radar. Although de Kock's performances at the T20 World Cup were middling, he will be in high demand because of his impressive record in Indian conditions.
#3 Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan was the other major wicket-keeper batsman released by Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL 2022 auction. He performed well for MI during his time there— 1133 runs in 45 IPL matches at an average of 32 and a strike rate of 139, with 8 half-centuries. Suryakumar Yadav pipped him and Hardik Pandya in the battle for the 3rd Indian player spot on Mumbai's retention list after Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah.
Kishan has now represented the Indian national team too. He was also a part of the World Cup squad, where he featured in the game against New Zealand. His international experience will undoubtedly increase his market value in the auction.
Many teams would be happy to have a sensational talent like Kishan in their squad. He is also a flexible batter who can both open and bat in the middle order as per the requirements of the team.
The 23-year old is rated by many experts as a potential captaincy option in the near future, if groomed well. A new IPL team could provide him with the opportunity to grow into a leadership role.
