Cricket: Black Cap Jimmy Neesham on the Indian Premier League market after being released ahead of mini auction

Jimmy Neesham has been released by Kings XI Punjab ahead of he 2021 IPL mini auction. Photo / Photosport

Black Caps all-rounder Jimmy Neesham is one of a host of players released by their respective Indian Premier League teams, ahead of the competition's player auction for the 2021 season.

Neesham who has made his name in white ball cricket, was let go by Kings XI Punjab at the January 21 deadline (New Zealand time).

The Wellington all-rounder failed to put up impressive numbers in his five matches in 2020, with an average of 9.50 runs while taking just two wickets with an economy of 9.86.

His best figures were 1/17.

Should Neesham be picked up in the mini auction, that will be his third IPL team, having previously played for the Delhi Capitals in 2014 (then known as the Daredevils) before joining Punjab last year.

Paceman Mitchell McClenaghan, who's made a combined 77 appearances for the Black Caps in one-day internationals and Twenty20 internationals, is the only other Kiwi to have been released, by the Mumbai Indians. He last played for the franchise in 2019 in a mere five matches, with best figures of three for 40.

However the Indians have kept some Kiwi blood in the system, keeping seamer Trent Boult for the 2021 season.

Kane Williamson (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Mitchell Santner (Chennai Super Kings) and Lockie Ferguson (Kolkata Knight Riders) are the other New Zealanders to have been retained.

The biggest culprit of deadline day is former Australian skipper and star batsman Steve Smith, who was let go by the Rajasthan Royals.

Smith's summer for his country has been a struggle so far, with an average of 27.30 in the three-match T20I series against India last year. That was followed up by an average of just 39.13 per innings in the recent test series losstto the same side.

Australians Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell are also without a team at this stage.

The mini auction is set to take place in early February with a date yet to be confirmed. The more players a team releases offers more financial wiggle room, and opens the door for the addition of bigger names should they be on the market.

Pace bowlers Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka), Dale Steyn (South Africa) and James Pattinson (Australia), along with English opening batsman Jason Roy are among the released players.