IPL 2018: Big-money players who are likely to miss out on a starting spot 

Mujeeb Zadran/Chris Gayle/Aaron Finch

Could the 16-year-old Mujeeb cost both the Melbourne Renegades openers their starting spot?

Prior to the auction, Kings XI Punjab surprised us all by retaining just one player - India all-rounder Axar Patel. In the auction, they sprang yet another surprise by splashing the cash. In the process, they bought Karnataka batsmen KL Rahul, Karun Nair and Mayank Agarwal, overseas openers Aaron Finch and Chris Gayle, Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuvraj Singh, Australian fast bowler Andrew Tye and 16-year-old sensation Mujeeb Zadran.

They also used their right-to-match cards on Marcus Stoinis, David Miller and Mohit Sharma.

With Ashwin announced as the captain and Axar the only retention prior to the auction, Kings 11 have 2 spinners on a seam-friendly track at Indore where they are to play this year. With Tye, Stoinis and Miller being their lone specialist overseas T20 pacer, fast bowling all-rounder and finisher in the team respectively, there is just one overseas spot up for grabs.

Mayank Agarwal is in the form of his life and Rahul would walk into any IPL 11. If the team chooses to open with the two former RCB batsmen, the other spot would surely go to mystery spinner Zadran.

However, 12 overs of spin seems far too many for the track at Indore. This means Kings 11 could either sacrifice Agarwal for one of Finch or Gayle, or start with Agarwal and use Rahul or Finch in the middle order. In any case, two of Finch, Gayle and Zadran are sure to miss out.