It is that time of the year again! The bids going up and the hammer going down. Yes, it is the IPL mega auction 2022. The IPL has become bigger with 2 new teams added, Lucknow and Ahmedabad. Some players have already been retained or bought but the excitement for the auction remains the same. 1214 players have registered for the auction, and 590 have been shortlisted. It will be exciting to see who gets sold and who does not. Here is a list of 5 players from India and 5 players from around the world to look out for –
Indian Players:
1. Shreyas Iyer –
Shreyas Iyer has been touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket and is even considered a future leader. His stint with Delhi Capitals was very fruitful and he definitely will go for a big amount in the auction. Iyer was injured for the first half of IPL 2021 and was not retained before the auctions. He is looking for a leadership role and thus has decided to go to the auction. In his 41 games as captain in the IPL, Delhi has won 21 games which is good. Considering his record in IPL as a leader, a lot of eyes will be on Iyer this time around. Don’t be surprised if he is the highest paid player in the auction!
2. Shardul Thakur –
Known as the ‘Lord’, Shardul Thakur has risen from the ranks pretty quickly. His batting and bowling has done wonders for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and for India in recent times. It was a surprise that he was not retained by Chennai. He has a tendency of taking wickets at crucial times and being an all-rounder gives him an edge. Hence, it won’t be a surprise if the franchises spend big on him.
3. Ishan Kishan –
Young, energetic and charismatic, Ishan Kishan is all of those things and even when he gets going, good luck bowlers! Kishan had a brilliant start to 2021 as he was called up to the Indian squad and impressed. But, a tough start to IPL 2021 demoralized him before he fought back with a blistering knock in Mumbai Indians’ final league game. Many teams will be looking for a batter like him and there is no doubt he will be sought after.
4. Yuzvendra Chahal –
Yuzvendra Chahal has made rapid strides in cricket, especially the IPL. It was this tournament that gave him a chance in India colours and he made full use of it. His record with RCB is brilliant and many wondered why he wasn’t retained. But it is what it is and it gives other franchises to bid for him. He is a wily bowler and there is a good chance that he will go for over 10 cr. Will RCB go for him again? We will just have to wait and see.
5. Shahrukh Khan –
Don’t go by the name, we don’t mean SRK, but Shahrukh Khan from Tamil Nadu. He played for Punjab Kings in 2021 and in whatever opportunities he got, he did well. But it was after IPL, that he made the world take notice. In the Vijay Hazare trophy, Shahrukh played some blistering knocks, including in the final to help Tamil Nadu win the title. He has kept his base price quite low and don’t be surprised if all the teams bid for him.
Overseas Players:
1. David Warner –
Were you shocked at how David Warner was treated at Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2021? I definitely was. He had led SRH to the title in 2016 and was also the highest run-scorer for them for many seasons. One bad season and he was dropped. Then, came the brutal Warner. In the T20 World Cup, Warner proved everyone wrong with a performance like none other. Many teams are on the lookout for a captain and Warner is one definite choice.
2. Jason Holder –
A few months ago, Jason Holder was not picked up in the West Indies squad for the T20 World Cup in UAE and now, has picked up 4 wickets in 4 balls against England. There was never any doubt that Holder is a terrific player and he has just taken it up a notch. Not only a handy bowler and a batsman, Holder is a brilliant captain as well. He most definitely will be a hot pick in the auction.
3. Dewald Brevis –
Until a few days ago, nobody had heard of him and here he is, a new sensation from South Africa. Called Baby AB, he bats like AB de Villiers and had an amazing time in the Under-19 World Cup, scoring 4 fifties in a row. Considering, not many IPL teams buy Under-19 players from outside India, is this the time that trend breaks? I certainly think so.
4. Kagiso Rabada –
An amazing bowler who delivers whenever the team needs the most, Kagiso Rabada had some wonderful years in the IPL but Delhi opted to release him before the 2022 season and many franchises will be eyeing him to add to their bowling stocks. He had a good series against India and when he is at his best, the batters more often than not struggle.
5. Jonny Bairstow-
England players are usually in demand in the IPL and this time it is no different. One player to look forward to is Jonny Bairstow. He had a couple of good seasons and he is up for grabs. One thing which might go against him is that England players might not be available for the whole season due to international commitments and that can cause a problem. Nonetheless, Bairstow is a hot property and many teams will be looking at him.
The IPL auction is not too far away and I am pretty sure that everyone is excited about it. There are many other players to look out for and there certainly will be surprises. What will happen? We will find out sooner than later.
