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6. Yuzvendra Chahal
IPL’s highest wicket-taker was not retained by his former franchise, Rajasthan Royals, with PBKS splurging INR 18 crore at the mega auction to bag his services. Chahal picked up 18 wickets in 15 matches last season and has already claimed 13 from 10 contested matches for his new team thus far.
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5. Trent Boult
Another player Rajasthan Royals regretted losing is current Mumbai Indians pace spearhead Trent Boult. The left-arm quick is among the top three in the race for the purple cap with 16 wickets in 11 matches so far, leading his team closer to the playoff berth.
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4. Mitchell Starc
Kolkata Knight Riders made a blunder by letting go of their highest-paid player ever, Mitchell Starc, despite him playing a crucial role in helping them win their third IPL title. Playing for his new franchise, Delhi Capitals, Starc has so far picked 14 wickets in ten contested matches, keeping them afloat in the playoff race.
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3. KL Rahul
Considering the bad blood between Rahul and his former team LSG’s owner Sanjeev Goenka, the separation was always on the cards, but Rahul leaving is a bigger loss. He joined Delhi and is playing fearless cricket at his new home, having scored 371 runs in nine contested matches.
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2. Jos Buttler
Perhaps the biggest draw on the list is England’s Jos Buttler. Rajasthan Royals letting go of Buttler was more than a blunder, as the T20 specialist is now turning heads for his new franchise, Gujarat Titans, having already scored over 400 runs in nine innings played.
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1. Shreyas Iyer
The former captain of the defending IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders, Shreyas Iyer, was released ahead of the last mega auction in a shocker to the cricket world. Upon joining Punjab Kings this season, his new team, Iyer, has delivered gold, putting them close to a playoff spot, while KKR is languishing in the bottom half of the points table.