IPL 2018 : 5 players that Kings XI Punjab should retain to win the title

Kings XI Punjab may not have won the IPL till now but the entertainment and thrill they have provided to their fans is certainly unbeatable. The team from Punjab is one of the original franchises from the first auction and are yet to win the tournament.

For once, the flamboyance of Glenn Maxwell and David Miller took them to the finals of 2014 edition, but there have been times when they have been handed the wooden spoon as well. While on other occasions, they have struggled to secure their spot in the top 4.

The Preity Zinta owned side will be looking forward to the 2018 auctions to add new players to the squad. However, there are some jewels in her team that she would surely not want lose. Let us look at the 5 players that Kings XI Punjab should retain:

1) Glenn Maxwell

The only time Kings XI Punjab put up a solid show with the bat and as a team was the 2014 edition and Maxwell was their undisputed star.

He lit up the Abu Dhabi edition of the Indian Premier league by scoring 95, 89 and 95 runs in 3 consecutive matches. Bought for ?6 crore in 2014, Maxwell was the 3rd highest run getter in the tournament scoring 552 runs for his team in that edition. Overall, he has scored 1228 runs at an average of 25 and strike rate of 164.39 in 57 matches in the IPL.

Surprisingly, the Australian has disappointed of late.

Being continuously in and out of the national team did not help his cause. But one thing is or sure that on his day, Maxwell can tear apart any bowling lineup and the experience he has gained over the years can pave the way for a fruitful 2018.

2) David Miller

David Miller needs to up his game for KXIP this time around

David Miller was the only international player the Kings XI Punjab retained for the 2014 auctions. The big hitting left hander is currently one of the most ferocious strikers of the cricket ball, which is evident from the fact that he holds the record for the 3rd fastest century in the history of the tournament scoring 101* off just 38 balls against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Nonetheless, the form guide for a player of Miller's calibre has been disappointing ever since, a trend that he shares with his partner in crime, Glenn Maxwell.

But Miller has been in scintillating form as of late. He scored the fastest T20 century in the recent series against Bangladesh off just 35 balls, becoming the first player ever to score a T20 century coming at No 5 or lower in the batting order.

Miller's IPL stats look impressive too, as he has scored 1563 runs at an average of 35.52 with 8 half centuries and a century to his name.

3) Sandeep Sharma

The swing bowler is the centerpiece of the KXIP bowling attack

So much has been spoken of KXIP's batting that people often fail to recognize the brilliance of Sandeep Sharma in an otherwise ordinary bowling attack. The swing bowler from Punjab is capable of swinging the ball both ways has been one of the mainstays of the team.

Picking up 71 wickets in 56 IPL games at an economy of 7.7 runs per over speaks volumes about the consistency of a bowler who bowls predominantly in the power plays and at the death. His best figures were 4/20, which came only last season against the Delhi Daredevils.

And all this is even better considering he is only 24 years old. Retaining Sharma in this IPL could clearly be one of the most straightforward decisions the team management has to take.

4) Axar Patel

Axar has been highly consistent for Punjab over the years

The left hand batsman and slow left arm orthodox bowler is probably one of the most consistent all rounders in the IPL. Awarded as the "Emerging Player of the year" in 2014 edition for picking up 17 wickets, the Gujarat lad was rewarded for his performances with a maiden call up to the Indian Team.

With accuracy being his major weapon over spin, he has been highly effective in containing opponents when the situation demands.

Axar is no mug with the bat and has produced several late inning flourishes for his team. He has picked up 58 wickets in his IPL career at an economy of 7.4 runs per over while also scoring 606 runs in the process.

With so much depth in their ranks, KXIP can definitely be the dark horses in IPL 2018.

5) Murali Vijay

In a team filled with big hitters and strikers, Murali Vijay provides the perfect element of class and stability to the power hitting of Maxwell and Miller.

With more than 2500 runs in 100 IPL appearances at a strike rate of 123, Vijay can be the solution to the top order problems for Punjab which have haunted them since the days of Virender Sehwag. He is also one of the few players to have scored 2 centuries in the IPL.

Once a T20 regular, he toiled hard to be inducted into the test side and the current scenario cannot be more adverse with him being a regular presence in the Test side and vying for his place in the Kings XI team.

Vijay didn't play in the 2017 edition, nursing a shoulder injury, and so will be looking to make a strong comeback this season.