PBKS Released Players List: Mayank Agarwal RELEASED, Shahrukh Khan RETAINED, Odean Smith released, Follow IPL 2023 Retention LIVE

PBKS Released Players List: IPL 2023 Retention LIVE: PBKS Retention: It is official, Punjab Kings have released Mayank Agarwal on the IPL Retention deadline day. PBKS made some key changes as expensive flops Shahrukh Khan and Odean Smith were shown the door under new head coach Trevor Bayliss. Shikhar Dhawan has been named as the new captain, replacing a struggling Mayank Agarwal. Shahrukh Khan has been retained which costs 9 Cr. PBKS now has a remaining purse of 32.2 crores. Follow IPL 2023 live updates on Insidesport.IN

IPL 2023: Retention Deadline ends November 15, 5PM, check latest developments in CSK, DC, RCB, SRH, KKR, PBKS, LSG, RR, MI, GT teams: Follow LIVE Updates

PBKS Released Players List: Mayank Agarwal RELEASED, Shahrukh Khan RETAINED, Expensive flop Odean Smith follows former PBKS skipper, Follow IPL 2023 Retention LIVE

IPL 2022 marked the eighth successive season that Punjab Kings failed to make it to the playoffs. The franchise have once again opted for a rebuild with a new coaching staff arriving following the departure of Anil Kumble. Trevor Bayliss comes in, alongside Charles Langveldt and Brad Haddin. Shikhar Dhawan has been named captain, ending Mayank Agarwal’s tenure.

With the team management viewing Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow as their first choice partnership, Agarwal was released. The Karnataka opener was retained for Rs 14 crore ahead of last season, and Punjab Kings could very well look to recoup their investment and focus on other areas of the squad.

PBKS Released Players List: Why Punjab Kings RELEASED Mayank Agarwal?

Mayank Agarwal was one of the two players retained before the mega auction, costing a whopping Rs 14 crore
He was captain last season, but the team and his own form dovetailed in a forgettable campaign.
The new coaching staff have already appointed Dhawan as captain.
Jonny Bairstow is another opening option the franchise have and are keen to try him out with Dhawan.
Mayank has struggled for runs in recent times and was dropped from the Indian test team as well.

PBKS Released Players List: Mayank Agarwal RELEASED, Shahrukh Khan RETAINED, Expensive flop Odean Smith follows former PBKS skipper, Follow IPL 2023 Retention LIVE

Alongside Agarwal, other expensive flops like Odean Smith has been shown their way out. Shah Rukh has starred in the domestic circuit which prompted PBKS to splash a whopping 9.0 Cr but was retained on the deadline day. Shahrukh could not do justice to the price tag and had a miserable campaign where he scored just 117 runs in eight matches at a poor strike rate of 108.33.

Odean Smith was also bought for Rs 6 crore but failed to live up to his reputation. In the six games Smith played, he could only manage 51 runs at a strike rate of 115.91. With the ball, he leaked runs at an alarming rate of 11.87. The West Indian recently went unsold in the SA20 Auction as well, and was subsequently released.