IPL 2018: 3 former players that Kolkata Knight Riders must have regretted releasing

Kolkata Knight Riders came into the tournament as the weakest team on paper. The team had a terrible time with most of their vital players getting injured ahead of the tournament. However, the team emerged as one of the most competitive teams in the tournament and finished third on the points table.

Kolkata Knight Riders crashed out of the tournament in the 2nd Qualifier match when they were defeated by the table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad. Here are the three players who were part of the Kolkata Knight Riders team in the 2017 season whom the team must have regretted letting go off after seeing their performance this year:

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#3 Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav, one of India's leading fast bowlers has been seen as a Test specialist even though he has an impressive record in limited-overs cricket. Yadav who played for Kolkata Knight Riders in the previous seasons was not retained by the team even after an impressive season in 2017.

Yadav was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore at a price of Rs. 4.2 crore which turned out to be one of the biggest steals in the auction this year. Yadav came back as a revamped T20 bowler and was soon rewarded with a call-up to the Indian T20 squad for the tour of England.

In the 14 matches that he played in the season, he took 20 wickets at an impressive economy of 7.86. He was one of the vital members of the team and won many of the matches single-handedly.

Yadav troubled the batsmen of his previous team in the opening game of his team this season and it must be the first time that Kolkata Knight Riders would have realized that they made a big mistake not retaining him.

#2 Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib Al Hasan, the greatest cricketer of Bangladesh was one of the vital members of the Kolkata Knight Riders over the years. He played a prominent role in Knight Riders winning the title in 2012 and 2014.

Shakib missed the last season of the IPL owing to his international commitments. Kolkata Knight Riders didn't retain him and neither did they showed any interest in him in the auction this season. Sunrisers Hyderabad struck a jackpot when they bought the world's no. 1 all-rounder for just Rs. 2 crores.

Shakib has been a vital member of the squad and has played a prominent role in his team reaching the final of the tournament. In the 17 matches that he played, he scored 239 runs and took 14 wickets at an economy of 8.00.

In the qualifier match against Kolkata Knight Riders, he scored a crucial 28 runs and took 1 wicket giving away just 16 runs in 3 overs, playing a major part in knocking his former team out of the tournament.

#1 Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav, the Mumbaikar was a mainstay in the Kolkata Knight Riders' squad over the years. His below average performance for the team led to his ouster. In the auction, Mumbai Indians bought him for a price of Rs. 3.2 crore which turned out to be a steal.

Suryakumar Yadav proved to be one of the best batsmen of the season. He was consistent throughout the season, providing his team head starts in most of the matches. He scored 512 runs in 14 matches at an average of 36.57 and a strike rate of 133.33.

Kolkata Knight Riders must definitely be regretting leaving out the player they honed over the years. Had he been part of the squad, Kolkata Knight Riders must have definitely finished higher on the points table and might have played the final of the tournament.