Chris Lynn, David Miller, Jaydev Unadkat and Chris Morris were among the 71 players released by their respective franchisees on Friday ahead of next month’s IPL 2020 auction. Friday was the deadline for releasing, trading and retaining players. A total of 127 players have been retained including 35 foreigners.

Lynn, the big-hitting Australian opener, was released by Kolkata Knight Riders after five fruitful seasons when he got the team off to a flying start on umpteen occasions. Kings XI Punjab go into the auction on Dec.19 with a purse of Rs.42.70 crore, the biggest among the eight teams after they released eight players including South Africa’s David Miller, Englishman Sam Curran and mystery Tamil Nadu spinner Varun Chakravarthy. Miller went on to become one of the batting mainstays for Kings XI Punjab over the past eight seasons, scoring 1850 runs in 79 games at a strike rate of 138.78.

Defending champions Mumbai Indians have retained 18 players including veteran Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga despite his fitness issues while releasing 12.

Three-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings have released England cricketers Sam Billings and David Willey besides three Indian players including 2015 World Cupper Mohit Sharma. With 20 players already in their squad, CSK go into the auction with a meagre purse of Rs.14.60 crore.

Delhi Capitals (DC), who had traded in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane from KXIP and Rajasthan Royals respectively, have retained young Prithvi Shaw whose doping ban ends on Friday. The Delhi franchise has released nine players including two South Africans, all-rounder Morris and power-hitter Colin Ingram.

Rajasthan Royals have released 11 players including pacer Jaydev Unadkat, whom they had bought back for Rs.8.4 crore last year after paying Rs.11.5 crore for him in the previous season.

Sunrisers Hyderabad have released the least number of players — five — and they include Shakib Al Hasan, who has been banned by the ICC, New Zealand opener Martin Guptill, Deepak Hooda and Yusuf Pathan.