Steve Smith has been released by Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2021 and this has ended his long association with the franchise.
Steve Smith has been released by Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021 and this has ended the former Australia skipper's long association with the franchise. Steve Smith was associated with Rajasthan Royals for the first time in IPL 2013 to IPL 2015 while he was picked by Rising Pune Supergiant in IPL 2016 and IPL 2017. After missing out on IPL 2018 due to the ball-tampering scandal, Steve Smith was picked up by Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2019 and he decided to lead the team mid-way through the tournament after Ajinkya Rahane's captaincy stint failed. However, in IPL 2020, Rajasthan Royals finished at the bottom of the table and Steve Smith's captaincy was criticised. In IPL 2021, it will be interesting to see whether Steve Smith will be picked by any franchise.
Earlier in the day, Harbhajan Singh's contract was not renewed by Chennai Super Kings while there is speculation that Murali Vijay, Kedar Jadhav and Piyush Chawla might not be retained by the Chennai Super Kings franchise. According to an ESPNCricinfo report, Daniel Sams became the first trade of IPL 2021 when he was traded from Delhi Capitals to Royal Challengers Bangalore in all-cash trade. Chris Morris, the South African allrounder who was bought by RCB for Rs 10 crore, has also been released while Harshal Patel has also been traded to Royal Challengers Bangalore from Delhi Capitals.
Chennai Super Kings, Kings XI Punjab major changes
Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab are expected to make some big changes in the IPL 2021 after their dismal performances in IPL 2020. Chennai Super Kings finished in seventh position while Rajasthan Royals also struggled with Kings XI Punjab. Kings XI Punjab might release players like Glenn Maxwell and Sheldon Cottrell after they underperformed in IPL 2020. Mumbai Indians, the five-time IPL champions, might retain the core of the squad which won the record title.
In 95 matches in Steve Smith's near-decade-long association with IPL, he has 2333 runs with one hundred which he made for Rising Pune Supergiant. Steve Smith averages in excess of 35 with a middling strike-rate of 129 with 11 half-centuries.
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