Mohammed Siraj remains one of the most improved players in Indian cricket. Siraj didn't have a great run in IPL till the 2019 edition but the picture changed from the 2020 season, held in the UAE. Since then, Siraj's swinging deliveries and much-controlled bowling in the death overs saw him rise up the ladder and slowly become a part of the Test line-up.

At present, he isn't a regular in the limited-overs format but has found a place in the Rohit Sharma-led Indian ODI team for the ongoing three-match series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies at home. Siraj recalled his struggles and harsh criticism after bowling two beamers versus the then Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) face-off against the two-time winners in IPL 2019.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-suresh-raina-aakash-chopra-names-players-csk-might-target-in-ipl-2022-mega-auction-451398">Not Suresh Raina! Aakash Chopra names players CSK might target in IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

"When I bowled two beamers against KKR in 2018 (2019), I received a lot of criticism. People even told me to leave cricket and ‘go drive auto with your father’. There were so many comments," the pacer had said.

Recalling how he recovered from the poor outings in 2019, Siraj dwelled&nbsp;on the team management's support&nbsp;on the RCB Podcast and&nbsp;said, "2019 the performance with RCB was so bad that I thought that's the end of my IPL career. But then I realised that I still have age on my side. So I decided to trust myself a bit and thankfully the RCB management also backed me a lot at that time. I almost thought any franchise in their position would have let go of a bowler after that kind of performance, but they backed me and then 2020 the game against KKR was a life-changing game for me."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/that-will-be-the-easiest-solution-ajit-agarkar-urges-virat-kohli-to-reconsider-captaining-rcb-in-ipl-2022-451328">That will be the easiest solution: Ajit Agarkar urges Virat Kohli to reconsider captaining RCB in IPL 2022</a>

After IPL 2020, Siraj went to Australia and was part of India's historic 2-1 Test series win Down Under; claiming 13 scalps (most by an Indian). Back then, Virat Kohli had lavished praise on the Hyderabad pacer and the speedster recalled his words as well. "Virat Kohli told me something I'd never be able to forget. After returning from Australia, he said 'Miyan, well bowled, what you've done in Australia is unbelievable. Nobody will be able to forget what you've done there. Keep at it and keep your focus on fitness and keep putting in the hard work',"&nbsp;revealed Siraj.

Siraj has been retained by the Kohli-starrer RCB franchise ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, set to be held on&nbsp;February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru.

Mohammed Siraj remains one of the most improved players in Indian cricket. Siraj didn't have a great run in IPL till the 2019 edition but the picture changed from the 2020 season, held in the UAE.

Mohammed Siraj remains one of the most improved players in Indian cricket. Siraj didn't have a great run in IPL till the 2019 edition but the picture changed from the 2020 season, held in the UAE. Since then, Siraj's swinging deliveries and much-controlled bowling in the death overs saw him rise up the ladder and slowly become a part of the Test line-up. At present, he isn't a regular in the limited-overs format but has found a place in the Rohit Sharma-led Indian ODI team for the ongoing three-match series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies at home. Siraj recalled his struggles and harsh criticism after bowling two beamers versus the then Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) face-off against the two-time winners in IPL 2019. ALSO READ | Not Suresh Raina! Aakash Chopra names players CSK might target in IPL 2022 mega auction "When I bowled two beamers against KKR in 2018 (2019), I received a lot of criticism. People even told me to leave cricket and ‘go drive auto with your father’. There were so many comments," the pacer had said. Recalling how he recovered from the poor outings in 2019, Siraj dwelled on the team management's support on the RCB Podcast and said, "2019 the performance with RCB was so bad that I thought that's the end of my IPL career. But then I realised that I still have age on my side. So I decided to trust myself a bit and thankfully the RCB management also backed me a lot at that time. I almost thought any franchise in their position would have let go of a bowler after that kind of performance, but they backed me and then 2020 the game against KKR was a life-changing game for me." ALSO READ | That will be the easiest solution: Ajit Agarkar urges Virat Kohli to reconsider captaining RCB in IPL 2022 After IPL 2020, Siraj went to Australia and was part of India's historic 2-1 Test series win Down Under; claiming 13 scalps (most by an Indian). Back then, Virat Kohli had lavished praise on the Hyderabad pacer and the speedster recalled his words as well. "Virat Kohli told me something I'd never be able to forget. After returning from Australia, he said 'Miyan, well bowled, what you've done in Australia is unbelievable. Nobody will be able to forget what you've done there. Keep at it and keep your focus on fitness and keep putting in the hard work'," revealed Siraj. Siraj has been retained by the Kohli-starrer RCB franchise ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, set to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru.

'Drive auto with your father' - RCB's Md Siraj recalls criticism for bowling two beamers vs KKR in IPL 2019

Former Indian fast-bowling all-rounder Ajit Agarkar has urged Virat Kohli to reconsider captaining the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition. Ahead of the mega auction, to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru, the ex-pacer Agarkar feels Kohli remains RCB's best bet to captain the three-time runners-up.

Prior to the mega auction, RCB retained the likes of former skipper Kohli INR 150 million, Glenn Maxwell (INR 110 million) and Md Siraj (for INR 70 million). With Kohli having resigned from the captaincy post after IPL 2021, the Bengaluru-based franchise will have to shop for a captain as well during the auction proceedings (which will likely be a costly buy). However, Agarkar feels if Kohli can reconsider his decision and reclaim the captaincy post, it will be the easiest solution for the franchise.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-not-rcb-mi-dinesh-karthik-reveals-which-franchise-he-will-feel-great-to-play-for-451298">IPL 2022 mega auction: Not RCB, MI! Dinesh Karthik reveals which franchise he will feel 'great to play for'</a>

"If Virat Kohli can take over the captaincy and if he is happy to do it and if he has the energy to do it, I think that will be the easiest solution for them," Agarkar told Star Sports show Game Plan ahead of the auction.

"At the end of the day, we have seen RCB over the years they haven't invested enough money in making a proper team of 12, 13 or 14 players with enough depth.&nbsp;It's always been dependent on the top three, not enough middle order players and if you don't have the money, you can't do that again. So, if you break the bank for one player, doesn't matter how good he is - will win you games but will never win you competitions," he further added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-sachin-tendulkar-make-the-cut-in-venkatesh-prasads-all-time-indian-odi-xi-451324">Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar make the cut in Venkatesh Prasad's all-time Indian ODI XI</a>

Under Kohli, RCB won 64 games in 140 matches, losing as many as 69 fixtures. The 33-year-old captained the franchise from 2011-2021 (becoming the full-time skipper since 2013) but couldn't lead them to the coveted title. In 2016, Kohli-led RCB played the season-finale where they lost to David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderbad (SRH).

Former Indian fast-bowling all-rounder Ajit Agarkar has urged Virat Kohli to reconsider captaining the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition.

Former Indian fast-bowling all-rounder Ajit Agarkar has urged Virat Kohli to reconsider captaining the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition. Ahead of the mega auction, to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru, the ex-pacer Agarkar feels Kohli remains RCB's best bet to captain the three-time runners-up. Prior to the mega auction, RCB retained the likes of former skipper Kohli INR 150 million, Glenn Maxwell (INR 110 million) and Md Siraj (for INR 70 million). With Kohli having resigned from the captaincy post after IPL 2021, the Bengaluru-based franchise will have to shop for a captain as well during the auction proceedings (which will likely be a costly buy). However, Agarkar feels if Kohli can reconsider his decision and reclaim the captaincy post, it will be the easiest solution for the franchise. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 mega auction: Not RCB, MI! Dinesh Karthik reveals which franchise he will feel 'great to play for' "If Virat Kohli can take over the captaincy and if he is happy to do it and if he has the energy to do it, I think that will be the easiest solution for them," Agarkar told Star Sports show Game Plan ahead of the auction. "At the end of the day, we have seen RCB over the years they haven't invested enough money in making a proper team of 12, 13 or 14 players with enough depth. It's always been dependent on the top three, not enough middle order players and if you don't have the money, you can't do that again. So, if you break the bank for one player, doesn't matter how good he is - will win you games but will never win you competitions," he further added. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar make the cut in Venkatesh Prasad's all-time Indian ODI XI Under Kohli, RCB won 64 games in 140 matches, losing as many as 69 fixtures. The 33-year-old captained the franchise from 2011-2021 (becoming the full-time skipper since 2013) but couldn't lead them to the coveted title. In 2016, Kohli-led RCB played the season-finale where they lost to David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderbad (SRH).

That will be the easiest solution: Ajit Agarkar urges Virat Kohli to reconsider captaining RCB in IPL 2022

Dinesh Karthik's international career has been a topsy-turvy ride. While he has never been a regular in Team India setup for a long period, Karthik has always found ways to keep reinventing himself and stage a comeback in the national setup at regular intervals.

With the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup to be held later this year, the 36-year-old Karthik will be eager to make a strong claim for a return to the T20I side with consistent performances in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, to be held in India. Karthik is set to be under the hammer in the upcoming IPL 2022 mega auction, to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru, after the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) didn't retain&nbsp;him last year.

Karthik, with 4,046 runs in 213 matches and 147 dismissals behind the stumps (second-most overall) in IPL, will once again be in demand among the franchises in the auction proceedings. Ahead of the auction, he revealed which franchise will he feel great to be a part of.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ms-dhoni-to-virat-kohli-a-look-at-first-ipl-salaries-of-superstar-cricketers-450783">MS Dhoni to Virat Kohli: A look at first IPL salaries of superstar cricketers</a>

"It's very hard for me to answer this question because it will be a very cliched answer. I'll try and do everything that I can, not only to do well for the franchisee I play for but for myself also," Karthik said to&nbsp;PTI.&nbsp;

"Look, it's great if I can play for CSK. I'm from Chennai. But at the end of the day, what's important for me is whichever team that I get to play in, it will be an absolute honour&nbsp;because as I said, all this practice that I've been doing these days is to try and do well in a tournament like the IPL,"&nbsp;the Tamil Nadu wicket-keeper further added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/remember-ms-dhoni-saying-very-clearly-dinesh-karthik-reacts-to-virat-kohlis-captaincy-saga-449603">'Remember MS Dhoni saying very clearly...' Dinesh Karthik reacts to Virat Kohli's captaincy saga</a>

Over the years, Karthik has represented the likes of&nbsp;Delhi Capitals (DC), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Gujarat Lions (GL), and the KKR franchise. He won the IPL with MI in 2013. While he has never represented his home franchise, it will be interesting to see if the MS Dhoni-led team bid for him in the forthcoming auction.

Karthik has a base price of INR 20 million&nbsp;(Rs 2 crore) in the mega auction.

Dinesh Karthik's international career has been a topsy-turvy ride. While he has never been a regular in Team India setup for a long period, Karthik has always found ways to keep reinventing himself and stage a comeback in the national setup at regular intervals.

Dinesh Karthik's international career has been a topsy-turvy ride. While he has never been a regular in Team India setup for a long period, Karthik has always found ways to keep reinventing himself and stage a comeback in the national setup at regular intervals. With the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup to be held later this year, the 36-year-old Karthik will be eager to make a strong claim for a return to the T20I side with consistent performances in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, to be held in India. Karthik is set to be under the hammer in the upcoming IPL 2022 mega auction, to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru, after the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) didn't retain him last year. Karthik, with 4,046 runs in 213 matches and 147 dismissals behind the stumps (second-most overall) in IPL, will once again be in demand among the franchises in the auction proceedings. Ahead of the auction, he revealed which franchise will he feel great to be a part of. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni to Virat Kohli: A look at first IPL salaries of superstar cricketers "It's very hard for me to answer this question because it will be a very cliched answer. I'll try and do everything that I can, not only to do well for the franchisee I play for but for myself also," Karthik said to PTI. "Look, it's great if I can play for CSK. I'm from Chennai. But at the end of the day, what's important for me is whichever team that I get to play in, it will be an absolute honour because as I said, all this practice that I've been doing these days is to try and do well in a tournament like the IPL," the Tamil Nadu wicket-keeper further added. ALSO READ | 'Remember MS Dhoni saying very clearly...' Dinesh Karthik reacts to Virat Kohli's captaincy saga Over the years, Karthik has represented the likes of Delhi Capitals (DC), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Gujarat Lions (GL), and the KKR franchise. He won the IPL with MI in 2013. While he has never represented his home franchise, it will be interesting to see if the MS Dhoni-led team bid for him in the forthcoming auction. Karthik has a base price of INR 20 million (Rs 2 crore) in the mega auction.

IPL 2022 mega auction: Not RCB, MI! Dinesh Karthik reveals which franchise he will feel 'great to play for'

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction 2022 has already begun with as many as 590 players set to go under the hammer at the two-day event in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. A number of top players from India and overseas will be part of the auction pool with ten teams competing against each other to rope in the best players.

There are a total of 370 Indian and 220 overseas players who will be going under the hammer at the IPL 2022 mega auction. 228 out of the 590 players are capped international stars and many of them have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) at the mega auction.

There are some IPL veterans as well as some fresh new talent who have opted to place their name in their Rs 2 crore-category at the mega auction. While most of them are likely to be in demand among the ten teams, some might fail to draw a bid. Here is a look at some of the players from the top base price bracket who might go unsold at the IPL 2022 mega auction.

1) Suresh Raina&nbsp;

Suresh Raina has been one of the best players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the years. He was the all-time leading run-getter of the league for several years before being surpassed by Virat Kohli in 2019. Raina has been instrumental in Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s success in the IPL and is currently the 4th highest run-getter of the league.

However, he has not been on top of his game for quite a while now and has had to deal with fitness issues as well. He was released by CSK ahead of the mega auction this year and might find it difficult to find a buyer at the IPL 2022 mega auction.

2) Imran Tahir&nbsp;

Imran Tahir enjoyed a stunning season with CSK in the year 2019 where he picked up 26 wickets to finish as the highest wicket-taker of the season. However, he managed to make only four appearances for CSK in the next two seasons, scalping only three wickets across both seasons.

At 41, Tahir is one of the oldest players available at the IPL 2022 mega auction and has opted for the base price of Rs 2 crore. While there is no doubt Tahir still has the energy levels of a youngster, any team might find it tough to invest him as the South Africa spinner is past his best at the top level.

3)&nbsp;Ashton Agar

Australian left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, who has never featured in the Indian Premier League before, has set his base price at Rs 2 crore ahead for the IPL 2022 mega auction. While he has failed to cement his spot in the Australian side across formats, Agar has done well in the Big Bash League.

However, the spin all-rounder had gone unsold in the IPL mega auction 2018 where he had a base price of just Rs 50 lakh (INR 5 million). This time around, he had oped to increase his base price a whopping four times the last one but is unlikely to get a buyer at the IPL 2022 mega auction due to the plethora of top spinners available in the pool.

4)&nbsp;Robin Uthappa&nbsp;

Another IPL veteran Robin Uthappa&nbsp;has opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore but might find it difficult to secure a deal at the IPL 2022 mega auction. Uthappa was part of CSK's IPL 2021 title-winning squad last season but managed to play only a handful of matches for the MS Dhoni-led side.&nbsp;

He played four matches in IPL 2021, amassing 115 runs. The 36-year-old has been one of the most prolific Indian batters in the league over the years but doesn't have age on his side and is unlikely to be roped in by any franchise. Uthappa has&nbsp;4722 runs to his name in 193 IPL matches.

5) Adil Rashid&nbsp;

England spinner Adil Rashid had gone unsold at the IPL 2021 player auction where his base price was Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million). He was later roped in as a replacement for Jhye Richardson at Punjab Kings. However, he managed to play just one game for the side and ended up conceding 35 runs in 3 overs while going wicket-less.

Rashid has been impressive for England in limited-overs cricket for a while now but he is unlikely to land an IPL deal this year as well.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction 2022 has already begun with as many as 590 players set to go under the hammer at the two-day event in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction 2022 has already begun with as many as 590 players set to go under the hammer at the two-day event in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. A number of top players from India and overseas will be part of the auction pool with ten teams competing against each other to rope in the best players. There are a total of 370 Indian and 220 overseas players who will be going under the hammer at the IPL 2022 mega auction. 228 out of the 590 players are capped international stars and many of them have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) at the mega auction. There are some IPL veterans as well as some fresh new talent who have opted to place their name in their Rs 2 crore-category at the mega auction. While most of them are likely to be in demand among the ten teams, some might fail to draw a bid. Here is a look at some of the players from the top base price bracket who might go unsold at the IPL 2022 mega auction. 1) Suresh Raina Suresh Raina has been one of the best players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the years. He was the all-time leading run-getter of the league for several years before being surpassed by Virat Kohli in 2019. Raina has been instrumental in Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s success in the IPL and is currently the 4th highest run-getter of the league. However, he has not been on top of his game for quite a while now and has had to deal with fitness issues as well. He was released by CSK ahead of the mega auction this year and might find it difficult to find a buyer at the IPL 2022 mega auction. 2) Imran Tahir Imran Tahir enjoyed a stunning season with CSK in the year 2019 where he picked up 26 wickets to finish as the highest wicket-taker of the season. However, he managed to make only four appearances for CSK in the next two seasons, scalping only three wickets across both seasons. At 41, Tahir is one of the oldest players available at the IPL 2022 mega auction and has opted for the base price of Rs 2 crore. While there is no doubt Tahir still has the energy levels of a youngster, any team might find it tough to invest him as the South Africa spinner is past his best at the top level. 3) Ashton Agar Australian left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, who has never featured in the Indian Premier League before, has set his base price at Rs 2 crore ahead for the IPL 2022 mega auction. While he has failed to cement his spot in the Australian side across formats, Agar has done well in the Big Bash League. However, the spin all-rounder had gone unsold in the IPL mega auction 2018 where he had a base price of just Rs 50 lakh (INR 5 million). This time around, he had oped to increase his base price a whopping four times the last one but is unlikely to get a buyer at the IPL 2022 mega auction due to the plethora of top spinners available in the pool. 4) Robin Uthappa Another IPL veteran Robin Uthappa has opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore but might find it difficult to secure a deal at the IPL 2022 mega auction. Uthappa was part of CSK's IPL 2021 title-winning squad last season but managed to play only a handful of matches for the MS Dhoni-led side. He played four matches in IPL 2021, amassing 115 runs. The 36-year-old has been one of the most prolific Indian batters in the league over the years but doesn't have age on his side and is unlikely to be roped in by any franchise. Uthappa has 4722 runs to his name in 193 IPL matches. 5) Adil Rashid England spinner Adil Rashid had gone unsold at the IPL 2021 player auction where his base price was Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million). He was later roped in as a replacement for Jhye Richardson at Punjab Kings. However, he managed to play just one game for the side and ended up conceding 35 runs in 3 overs while going wicket-less. Rashid has been impressive for England in limited-overs cricket for a while now but he is unlikely to land an IPL deal this year as well.

Raina to Tahir: 5 players with highest base price who are likely to go unsold at IPL 2022 mega auction

Virat Kohli recently shared an interesting anecdote from his early days with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli was roped in by RCB ahead of the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. Kohli had led India to a memorable triumph at the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2008 before being roped in by RCB in IPL 2008.

Kohli has since become one of the best batters o have graced the competition and is currently the leading run-getter of all time in IPL history. Kohli has also established his credentials as one of the best batters of all time and is among the highest-earning players in the IPL.

However, at the start of his IPL career things were not as good as Kohli had expected them to be. Speaking on the RCB podcast, Kohli revealed how he had a not so great experience after his first season with the franchise. While the other RCB players were getting 'decent' cars to head back to the airport at the end of the 2008 season, Kohli said he was sent to the airport in an 'Omni van' which was not in a great condition.

"After the season, because I was an Under-19 boy, I was sent to the airport in an Omni van. Everyone else was getting a decent car to go, and I was the only one that was left, and they probably would have said just give him anything and just get him to the airport," Kohli said on the podcast.

The former RCB captain revealed it was not a good car and he didn't like being asked to travel in the van. Kohli said it is not a good memory for him as he shared an interesting anecdote.

"And that was not a good car, I'm sorry to say, but I would have loved at least a decent car which was not broken, something through which I could see the road, this one was on its last leg. So, not a good memory," Kohli added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-was-unhappy-with-anil-kumble-for-not-standing-up-for-players-claims-former-bcci-official-450649">Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official</a>

Kohli has come a long way since then and is currently one of the biggest stars in world cricket. He led RCB from the 2013 season to the 2021 season last year before stepping down from captaincy. He had announced his resignation from captainc y last year after leading RCB to the playoffs of IPL 2021.

Kohli has been with RCB right from the inception of the IPL in 2008 but is yet to win his maiden IPL title with the franchise.

Virat Kohli recently shared an interesting anecdote from his early days with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli was roped in by RCB ahead of the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008.

Virat Kohli recently shared an interesting anecdote from his early days with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli was roped in by RCB ahead of the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. Kohli had led India to a memorable triumph at the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2008 before being roped in by RCB in IPL 2008. Kohli has since become one of the best batters o have graced the competition and is currently the leading run-getter of all time in IPL history. Kohli has also established his credentials as one of the best batters of all time and is among the highest-earning players in the IPL. However, at the start of his IPL career things were not as good as Kohli had expected them to be. Speaking on the RCB podcast, Kohli revealed how he had a not so great experience after his first season with the franchise. While the other RCB players were getting 'decent' cars to head back to the airport at the end of the 2008 season, Kohli said he was sent to the airport in an 'Omni van' which was not in a great condition. "After the season, because I was an Under-19 boy, I was sent to the airport in an Omni van. Everyone else was getting a decent car to go, and I was the only one that was left, and they probably would have said just give him anything and just get him to the airport," Kohli said on the podcast. The former RCB captain revealed it was not a good car and he didn't like being asked to travel in the van. Kohli said it is not a good memory for him as he shared an interesting anecdote. "And that was not a good car, I'm sorry to say, but I would have loved at least a decent car which was not broken, something through which I could see the road, this one was on its last leg. So, not a good memory," Kohli added. Also Read: Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official Kohli has come a long way since then and is currently one of the biggest stars in world cricket. He led RCB from the 2013 season to the 2021 season last year before stepping down from captaincy. He had announced his resignation from captainc y last year after leading RCB to the playoffs of IPL 2021. Kohli has been with RCB right from the inception of the IPL in 2008 but is yet to win his maiden IPL title with the franchise.

'Everyone else was getting a decent car': When Virat Kohli was left disappointed by RCB's treatment

Australian opener David Warner is one of the most loved overseas stars in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has established his credentials as one of the greats of the league with his brilliant performances over the years and continues to be a prolific run-getter in the league. The former Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain has called the IPL the best tournament in the world.

In a conversation with former Australia pacer Brett Lee, Warner opened up on playing in the IPL and insisted it has helped him improve his game. The veteran left-hand batter said his experience of playing in the IPL helps him when Australia are touring India for a series.

"When I go to India, I see it as playing the best tournament in the world. But I am getting a lot of practice and insight for when I have to go there for Australia, whether it is for Tests or ODIs," Warner said on 'The Brett Lee podcast'.

Warner has been one of the best performers in the IPL over the years and his numbers speak for themselves. He is the leading run-scorer in the history of the league among overseas players with 5449 runs from 150 matches and is the fifth-highest run-getter overall. Warner also holds the record for smashing the most number of half-centuries in the history of the competition.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-planning-to-start-full-fledged-womens-ipl-by-2023-confirms-sourav-ganguly-450487">BCCI planning to start full-fledged women's IPL by 2023, confirms Sourav Ganguly</a>

<h2>We owe India a lot: Warner&nbsp;</h2>

The star Australian batter has been blessed with immense love from his Indian fans, who enjoy his funny Instagram videos trying to copy famous dialogues and scenes from various popular Indian movies and songs. Warner has been part of the IPL since 2008 and he received amazing support from the home crowd during his stint with SRH.

Warner said he loves going to India and meeting fans despite the fact that it creat security issues at times. The Australian batter believes cricketers owe a lot to India and that he would like to be involved in some sort of a cricket program in the country post his retirement.

"The number one thing for me is how humble everyone is there (in India). They have welcomed my family with open arms and obviously me for the last decade."I love going out and meeting people there. I know it can be a security risk at times because we can create a bit of a crowd. I love mixing with the locals. They have given me so much. I think we owe India a lot. I'd love to be involved in some of their programs with cricket."

Warner will be one of the marquee players to go under the hammer at the upcoming IPL 2022 mega auction this month. He was released by SRH following the end of the IPL 2021 season and is likely to find a new team this time around.

&nbsp;

Australian opener David Warner is one of the most loved overseas stars in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has established his credentials as one of the greats of the league with his brilliant performances over the years and continues to be a prolific run-getter in the league.

Australian opener David Warner is one of the most loved overseas stars in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has established his credentials as one of the greats of the league with his brilliant performances over the years and continues to be a prolific run-getter in the league. The former Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain has called the IPL the best tournament in the world. In a conversation with former Australia pacer Brett Lee, Warner opened up on playing in the IPL and insisted it has helped him improve his game. The veteran left-hand batter said his experience of playing in the IPL helps him when Australia are touring India for a series. "When I go to India, I see it as playing the best tournament in the world. But I am getting a lot of practice and insight for when I have to go there for Australia, whether it is for Tests or ODIs," Warner said on 'The Brett Lee podcast'. Warner has been one of the best performers in the IPL over the years and his numbers speak for themselves. He is the leading run-scorer in the history of the league among overseas players with 5449 runs from 150 matches and is the fifth-highest run-getter overall. Warner also holds the record for smashing the most number of half-centuries in the history of the competition. Also Read: BCCI planning to start full-fledged women's IPL by 2023, confirms Sourav Ganguly We owe India a lot: Warner The star Australian batter has been blessed with immense love from his Indian fans, who enjoy his funny Instagram videos trying to copy famous dialogues and scenes from various popular Indian movies and songs. Warner has been part of the IPL since 2008 and he received amazing support from the home crowd during his stint with SRH. Warner said he loves going to India and meeting fans despite the fact that it creat security issues at times. The Australian batter believes cricketers owe a lot to India and that he would like to be involved in some sort of a cricket program in the country post his retirement. "The number one thing for me is how humble everyone is there (in India). They have welcomed my family with open arms and obviously me for the last decade."I love going out and meeting people there. I know it can be a security risk at times because we can create a bit of a crowd. I love mixing with the locals. They have given me so much. I think we owe India a lot. I'd love to be involved in some of their programs with cricket." Warner will be one of the marquee players to go under the hammer at the upcoming IPL 2022 mega auction this month. He was released by SRH following the end of the IPL 2021 season and is likely to find a new team this time around.

IPL is the best tournament in the world, I think we owe India a lot: David Warner

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has said the board is planning to launch a full-fledged women's Indian Premier League (IPL) from 2023. The BCCI currently hosts the men's version of the IPL which is one of the biggest T20 leagues in the world and will now consist of a total of ten teams from the 2022 season onwards.

The BCCI also organises the Women's T20 Challenge with three teams featuring in the tournament. The Women's T20 Challenge is not a full-fledged tournament and consists of a handful of matches between the three sides. It was not conducted by the BCCI last year despite the board hosting the IPL in two phases in India and the UAE.

With calls growing stronger over the start of a full-fledged women's IPL, BCCI president Ganguly has said the board is in the process of planning to start the tournament from 2023. Ganguly believes the women's IPL will be as big and grand a success as the men's IPL.

"We are at the level of formulation to have a full-fledged WIPL. It is certainly going to happen. I strongly believe that next year i.e. 2023 will be a very good time to start a full-fledged women's IPL which will be as big and grand a success as the men's IPL," Ganguly was quoted as saying by PTI.

Cricket Australia organises the Women's Big Bash League along with the men's edition of the tournament while the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had organised the Women's Hundred competition along with the Men's Hundred edition last year. A number of Indian women's team stars were part of both the tournaments in Australia and England.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ive-played-424-internationals-sourav-ganguly-slams-accusations-of-him-interfering-in-selections-450455">I've played 424 internationals: Sourav Ganguly slams accusations of him interfering in selections</a>

The likes of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and the other members of the Indian women's team have often spoken about the importance of having a women's IPL for the growth of the women's game in India. Ganguly said the board will also organise the Women's T20 Challenge this year which will be held during the IPL 2022 playoffs.

“The Women’s T20 Challenge will again be back this year in the month of May. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs,” said the BCCI president, as quoted by Sportstar.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has said the board is planning to launch a full-fledged women's Indian Premier League (IPL) from 2023.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has said the board is planning to launch a full-fledged women's Indian Premier League (IPL) from 2023. The BCCI currently hosts the men's version of the IPL which is one of the biggest T20 leagues in the world and will now consist of a total of ten teams from the 2022 season onwards. The BCCI also organises the Women's T20 Challenge with three teams featuring in the tournament. The Women's T20 Challenge is not a full-fledged tournament and consists of a handful of matches between the three sides. It was not conducted by the BCCI last year despite the board hosting the IPL in two phases in India and the UAE. With calls growing stronger over the start of a full-fledged women's IPL, BCCI president Ganguly has said the board is in the process of planning to start the tournament from 2023. Ganguly believes the women's IPL will be as big and grand a success as the men's IPL. "We are at the level of formulation to have a full-fledged WIPL. It is certainly going to happen. I strongly believe that next year i.e. 2023 will be a very good time to start a full-fledged women's IPL which will be as big and grand a success as the men's IPL," Ganguly was quoted as saying by PTI. Cricket Australia organises the Women's Big Bash League along with the men's edition of the tournament while the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had organised the Women's Hundred competition along with the Men's Hundred edition last year. A number of Indian women's team stars were part of both the tournaments in Australia and England. Also Read: I've played 424 internationals: Sourav Ganguly slams accusations of him interfering in selections The likes of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and the other members of the Indian women's team have often spoken about the importance of having a women's IPL for the growth of the women's game in India. Ganguly said the board will also organise the Women's T20 Challenge this year which will be held during the IPL 2022 playoffs. “The Women’s T20 Challenge will again be back this year in the month of May. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs,” said the BCCI president, as quoted by Sportstar.

BCCI planning to start full-fledged women's IPL by 2023, confirms Sourav Ganguly

MS Dhoni is regarded as one of the greatest captains of all time in world cricket. While Dhoni led India to greater hieghts in international cricket during his stint as the captain of the team across formats, the former wicket-keeper batter has also proved the mettle of his leadership in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Dhoni is one of the most successful captains in the history of the IPL with fur trophies under his belt with his current team Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Dhoni has been leading CSK since the inaugural edition of IPL in 2008 and played for the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in the 2016 and 2017 seasons when CSK were banned from the league.

Dhoni had led the Pune outfit in the 2016 edition of the tournament when Thisara Perera was also part of the franchise. The former Sri Lanka all-rounder recently recalled an incident that made him feel Dhoni was like a brother to him. Perera revealed advice from Dhoni during a game where Pune were struggling after having lost five wickets cheaply.

When Perera walked in to bat, he wanted to play cautiously but Dhoni gave him the license to 'explode' and asked him to take the bowlers to the cleaners despite his team not being in a great situation at the time. Dhoni's trust in Perera's abilities gave him the confidence to go after the bowlers.

“I remember a special incident with MS Dhoni for Rising Pune Supergiants, in 2016, and that is where I felt that Dhoni is like my brother. In one of the matches, we were 35-5, and I came down to bat. MS was the non-striker," Perera recalled in an interview with News9.

"He walked up to me and said, ‘Hi, TP. Let’s just bat’. I defended my first ball and he comes to me knocking the pitch – ‘Hey, TP. What are you doing?’ I said, ‘I am just watching the ball.’ The reply from him was very special, something which I didn’t expect with the sort of scorecard we were having at that time. ‘No, no. I picked you because you can hit the ball miles away. Go explode,” the former Sri Lanka all-rounder went on to reveal.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/that-was-dhoni-and-kohlis-strength-ajit-agarkar-on-rohit-sharmas-biggest-challenge-as-indias-captain-450395">That was Dhoni and Kohli's strength: Ajit Agarkar on Rohit Sharma's biggest challenge as India's captain</a>

Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in 2020, continues to lead CSK in the IPL and led them to a memorable title triumph last year. Dhoni has led CSK to a stunning nine finals in just twelve seasons, a testament to his remarkable leadership qualities.

Perera said Dhoni is one of the best captains he has played under and it was special to play under his captaincy for the Pune franchise in IPL.

“And from there on, I was just hitting every ball. I got around 18-ball 40 or something, which took the momentum away from the opposition. MS played until the 20th over and we scored around 170 or 180 from 35-5. And that is why it is always special to play under MS. He is one of the best captains, I have played under in my career,” said the former Sri Lanka all-rounder.

Dhoni has been retained by CSK ahead of the IPL mega auction this year and will be back leading the franchise in the new season.

MS Dhoni is regarded as one of the greatest captains of all time in world cricket. While Dhoni led India to greater hieghts in international cricket during his stint as the captain of the team across formats, the former wicket-keeper batter has also proved the mettle of his leadership in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

MS Dhoni is regarded as one of the greatest captains of all time in world cricket. While Dhoni led India to greater hieghts in international cricket during his stint as the captain of the team across formats, the former wicket-keeper batter has also proved the mettle of his leadership in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Dhoni is one of the most successful captains in the history of the IPL with fur trophies under his belt with his current team Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Dhoni has been leading CSK since the inaugural edition of IPL in 2008 and played for the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in the 2016 and 2017 seasons when CSK were banned from the league. Dhoni had led the Pune outfit in the 2016 edition of the tournament when Thisara Perera was also part of the franchise. The former Sri Lanka all-rounder recently recalled an incident that made him feel Dhoni was like a brother to him. Perera revealed advice from Dhoni during a game where Pune were struggling after having lost five wickets cheaply. When Perera walked in to bat, he wanted to play cautiously but Dhoni gave him the license to 'explode' and asked him to take the bowlers to the cleaners despite his team not being in a great situation at the time. Dhoni's trust in Perera's abilities gave him the confidence to go after the bowlers. “I remember a special incident with MS Dhoni for Rising Pune Supergiants, in 2016, and that is where I felt that Dhoni is like my brother. In one of the matches, we were 35-5, and I came down to bat. MS was the non-striker," Perera recalled in an interview with News9. "He walked up to me and said, ‘Hi, TP. Let’s just bat’. I defended my first ball and he comes to me knocking the pitch – ‘Hey, TP. What are you doing?’ I said, ‘I am just watching the ball.’ The reply from him was very special, something which I didn’t expect with the sort of scorecard we were having at that time. ‘No, no. I picked you because you can hit the ball miles away. Go explode,” the former Sri Lanka all-rounder went on to reveal. Also Read: That was Dhoni and Kohli's strength: Ajit Agarkar on Rohit Sharma's biggest challenge as India's captain Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in 2020, continues to lead CSK in the IPL and led them to a memorable title triumph last year. Dhoni has led CSK to a stunning nine finals in just twelve seasons, a testament to his remarkable leadership qualities. Perera said Dhoni is one of the best captains he has played under and it was special to play under his captaincy for the Pune franchise in IPL. “And from there on, I was just hitting every ball. I got around 18-ball 40 or something, which took the momentum away from the opposition. MS played until the 20th over and we scored around 170 or 180 from 35-5. And that is why it is always special to play under MS. He is one of the best captains, I have played under in my career,” said the former Sri Lanka all-rounder. Dhoni has been retained by CSK ahead of the IPL mega auction this year and will be back leading the franchise in the new season.

'Go explode': Sri Lanka's Thisara Perera recalls special advise from 'brother' MS Dhoni during IPL 2016

The Indian Premier League (IPL)'s birth has been a gamechanger for cricket. In 2008, the IPL kicked off which led to the start of various T20 leagues across the globe. The likes of Australia, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, etc. have started their own respective leagues in the shortest format.

Moreover, the likes of Australia and England have gone a step ahead in also running women's T20 leagues simultaneously, in the form of Women's Big Bash League (BBL), The Hundred, respectively. Such leagues have also gained eyeballs and led to the overall popularity of women's cricket worldwide.&nbsp;

On the other hand, the&nbsp;BCCI have managed to consolidate IPL's growth over the years and also start the Women's T20 Challenge. However, the women's version remains limited to only a few games.&nbsp; Amid the growing pressure on the Indian cricket board to start a full-fledged Women's IPL, former England captain Michael Vaughan has joined the bandwagon&nbsp;and urged BCCI President Sourav Ganguly to make the Women's IPL top priority.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/upto-you-all-to-judge-my-legacy-sourav-ganguly-on-his-tenure-as-bcci-president-450365">'Upto you all to judge my legacy' - Sourav Ganguly on his tenure as BCCI President</a>

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Vaughan wrote, "A Women's #IPL should be top priority now @SGanguly99&nbsp;!! Let’s get it sorted .."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A Womens <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL</a> should be top priority now <a href="https://twitter.com/SGanguly99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SGanguly99</a> !! Let’s get it sorted .. 👍👍
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1489280382998622217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-chief-sourav-ganguly-confirms-indias-pink-ball-test-vs-sri-lanka-to-be-held-in-bengaluru-450123">BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly confirms India's pink-ball Test vs Sri Lanka to be held in Bengaluru</a>

India have quite a few popular women's cricketers, such as&nbsp;Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jhulan Goswami, etc. Harman, Smriti, Jemimah have also been a part of WBBL, The Hundred and made heads turn with their performances and overall presence. Thus, BCCI have&nbsp; a good base ready and a platform to cash in and make a sizeable T20 league focusing on women's cricket.

Recently, Ganguly spilled the beans on BCCI's plan regarding Women's IPL.&nbsp;"Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players [player pool] goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs,” said Ganguly while talking to&nbsp;Sportstar.&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL)'s birth has been a gamechanger for cricket. In 2008, the IPL kicked off which led to the start of various T20 leagues across the globe.

The Indian Premier League (IPL)'s birth has been a gamechanger for cricket. In 2008, the IPL kicked off which led to the start of various T20 leagues across the globe. The likes of Australia, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, etc. have started their own respective leagues in the shortest format. Moreover, the likes of Australia and England have gone a step ahead in also running women's T20 leagues simultaneously, in the form of Women's Big Bash League (BBL), The Hundred, respectively. Such leagues have also gained eyeballs and led to the overall popularity of women's cricket worldwide. On the other hand, the BCCI have managed to consolidate IPL's growth over the years and also start the Women's T20 Challenge. However, the women's version remains limited to only a few games. Amid the growing pressure on the Indian cricket board to start a full-fledged Women's IPL, former England captain Michael Vaughan has joined the bandwagon and urged BCCI President Sourav Ganguly to make the Women's IPL top priority. ALSO READ | 'Upto you all to judge my legacy' - Sourav Ganguly on his tenure as BCCI President Taking to his official Twitter handle, Vaughan wrote, "A Women's #IPL should be top priority now @SGanguly99 !! Let’s get it sorted .." A Womens #IPL should be top priority now @SGanguly99 !! Let’s get it sorted .. 👍👍 — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 3, 2022 × ALSO READ | BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly confirms India's pink-ball Test vs Sri Lanka to be held in Bengaluru India have quite a few popular women's cricketers, such as Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jhulan Goswami, etc. Harman, Smriti, Jemimah have also been a part of WBBL, The Hundred and made heads turn with their performances and overall presence. Thus, BCCI have a good base ready and a platform to cash in and make a sizeable T20 league focusing on women's cricket. Recently, Ganguly spilled the beans on BCCI's plan regarding Women's IPL. "Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players [player pool] goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs,” said Ganguly while talking to Sportstar.

Women's IPL should be top priority: Michael Vaughan tells BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly

The former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly took over as the BCCI chief in late 2019, after India's ODI World Cup campaign. In September 2022, Ganguly is set to complete three years of his tenure. During his rein as the BCCI chief, a lot of things have transpired&nbsp;in Indian cricket.

Ganguly's tenure has been hit by the Covid-19 virus wreaking havoc in the cricketing calendar worldwide. While BCCI have managed to host the last two IPL seasons despite various Covid challenges, questions over Women's IPL's implementation at a bigger level and his recent fall-out with Virat Kohli have dented his image as the BCCI President of&nbsp;late.

During a recent interaction with Sportstar, the 49-year-old opined on his legacy as BCCI chief. "I don't think it's more challenging. What's my legacy? Well, I won't be able to tell it now. Let's see what happens. It is up to you all to judge my legacy, it is what it is. But it has been under tough circumstances due to Covid-19 over the last two years. The pandemic has wreaked havoc all over the world and we are fortunate that we could still manage to get a majority of cricket done," Ganguly told the portal in an interview.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-maharashtra-to-host-league-stage-call-on-playoffs-venues-not-taken-says-sourav-ganguly-450052">IPL 2022: Maharashtra to host league stage, call on playoffs' venues not taken, says Sourav Ganguly</a>

For now, the Ganguly-led Indian cricket board is looking to smoothly&nbsp;host India's white-ball series versus West Indies, starting on February 6,&nbsp;following the various Covid cases cropping up in the Rohit Sharma-led Indian camp on Wednesday (February 2).

Recently, Ganguly also revealed that the group stage of IPL 2022 will be held in Maharashtra whereas a call on playoffs' venues will be taken later. Regarding Women's IPL, he told in the same portal, "The Women’s T20 Challenge will again be back this year in the month of May. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs."

The former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly took over as the BCCI chief in late 2019, after India's ODI World Cup campaign. In September 2022, Ganguly is set to complete three years of his tenure.

The former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly took over as the BCCI chief in late 2019, after India's ODI World Cup campaign. In September 2022, Ganguly is set to complete three years of his tenure. During his rein as the BCCI chief, a lot of things have transpired in Indian cricket. Ganguly's tenure has been hit by the Covid-19 virus wreaking havoc in the cricketing calendar worldwide. While BCCI have managed to host the last two IPL seasons despite various Covid challenges, questions over Women's IPL's implementation at a bigger level and his recent fall-out with Virat Kohli have dented his image as the BCCI President of late. During a recent interaction with Sportstar, the 49-year-old opined on his legacy as BCCI chief. "I don't think it's more challenging. What's my legacy? Well, I won't be able to tell it now. Let's see what happens. It is up to you all to judge my legacy, it is what it is. But it has been under tough circumstances due to Covid-19 over the last two years. The pandemic has wreaked havoc all over the world and we are fortunate that we could still manage to get a majority of cricket done," Ganguly told the portal in an interview. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Maharashtra to host league stage, call on playoffs' venues not taken, says Sourav Ganguly For now, the Ganguly-led Indian cricket board is looking to smoothly host India's white-ball series versus West Indies, starting on February 6, following the various Covid cases cropping up in the Rohit Sharma-led Indian camp on Wednesday (February 2). Recently, Ganguly also revealed that the group stage of IPL 2022 will be held in Maharashtra whereas a call on playoffs' venues will be taken later. Regarding Women's IPL, he told in the same portal, "The Women’s T20 Challenge will again be back this year in the month of May. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs."

'Upto you all to judge my legacy' - Sourav Ganguly on his tenure as BCCI President

Harbhajan Singh dropped a bomb by announcing his international retirement before the end of 2021. Bhajji represented Team India for 18 years, with his career spanning from 1998-2016 (when he last represented India). The veteran spinner made a big name in world cricket, ending with 711 wickets at the highest level.

During his glorious run for Team India, the 41-year-old played under various captains. He started under Mohammad Azharuddin and was led by the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli (along with also being captained by Virender Sehwag and Anil Kumble for a brief period). In the IPL, Bhajji played under Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Eoin Morgan, Dhoni whereas he himself captained the Mumbai Indians (MI) -- where he played for 10 years -- and led them to the 2011 Champions League title.

Despite him being in the leadership group for Team India and the Mumbai-based IPL franchise, he was never considered for captaining India. Before the 2007 T20 World Cup, he was being considered as one of the contenders for leading the Men in Blue in the showpiece event before Dhoni got the top post. &nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-i-was-scared-of-short-balls-i-wouldnt-have-scored-fifty-in-lords-test-vs-england-md-shami-slams-critics-450217">If I was scared of short balls, I wouldn’t have scored fifty in Lord's Test vs England: Md Shami slams critics</a>

As per the former India spinner, those who aren't favourites don't get the captaincy honour. "Oh yes! That is also an achievement that no one talks about - my captaincy. I didn’t know anyone in the BCCI; someone who could push my case because it is required (for national captaincy). If you are not among the favourites of someone (powerful), you don’t get such honours. But, let’s leave that topic. I know I was capable enough (to lead) as we used to guide a lot of captains. No big deal if I was an India captain or not. No regrets either if I didn’t become the captain for my country. I was always happy to serve the nation as a player," he told Cricketnext.com.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-am-not-married-to-him-harbhajan-singh-gives-cheeky-response-clears-air-on-rumoured-rift-with-ms-dhoni-449222">'I am not married to him': Harbhajan Singh gives cheeky response, clears air on rumoured rift with MS Dhoni</a>

Harbhajan's last international appearance came during the 2016 Asia Cup. He was part of India's victorious run in the 2007 T20 WC, 2011 ODI World Cup, Asia Cup win in 2010 and many other significant wins across the globe. He signed off being the fourth-highest Test wicket-taker in the purest format (417 scalps).&nbsp;

Harbhajan Singh dropped a bomb by announcing his international retirement before the end of 2021. Bhajji represented Team India for 18 years, with his career spanning from 1998-2016 (when he last represented India).

Harbhajan Singh dropped a bomb by announcing his international retirement before the end of 2021. Bhajji represented Team India for 18 years, with his career spanning from 1998-2016 (when he last represented India). The veteran spinner made a big name in world cricket, ending with 711 wickets at the highest level. During his glorious run for Team India, the 41-year-old played under various captains. He started under Mohammad Azharuddin and was led by the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli (along with also being captained by Virender Sehwag and Anil Kumble for a brief period). In the IPL, Bhajji played under Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Eoin Morgan, Dhoni whereas he himself captained the Mumbai Indians (MI) -- where he played for 10 years -- and led them to the 2011 Champions League title. Despite him being in the leadership group for Team India and the Mumbai-based IPL franchise, he was never considered for captaining India. Before the 2007 T20 World Cup, he was being considered as one of the contenders for leading the Men in Blue in the showpiece event before Dhoni got the top post. ALSO READ | If I was scared of short balls, I wouldn’t have scored fifty in Lord's Test vs England: Md Shami slams critics As per the former India spinner, those who aren't favourites don't get the captaincy honour. "Oh yes! That is also an achievement that no one talks about - my captaincy. I didn’t know anyone in the BCCI; someone who could push my case because it is required (for national captaincy). If you are not among the favourites of someone (powerful), you don’t get such honours. But, let’s leave that topic. I know I was capable enough (to lead) as we used to guide a lot of captains. No big deal if I was an India captain or not. No regrets either if I didn’t become the captain for my country. I was always happy to serve the nation as a player," he told Cricketnext.com. ALSO READ | 'I am not married to him': Harbhajan Singh gives cheeky response, clears air on rumoured rift with MS Dhoni Harbhajan's last international appearance came during the 2016 Asia Cup. He was part of India's victorious run in the 2007 T20 WC, 2011 ODI World Cup, Asia Cup win in 2010 and many other significant wins across the globe. He signed off being the fourth-highest Test wicket-taker in the purest format (417 scalps).

Didn't know anyone in BCCI: Harbhajan Singh opines on not being considered for India captaincy

The mega auction for the IPL 2022 edition is just a few days away. All eyes are on the ten teams and how they will form their respective sides heading into the 15th edition. While the auction strategies are being laid down by all the ten teams, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly has confirmed that the IPL 2022 season will take place in India itself.

Ahead of the mega auction, to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February, BCCI President Ganguly has stated that Maharastra will be conducting the league stage of the 15th edition whereas no final call has been made regarding the playoffs' venues.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcb-has-kept-whopping-amount-aside-for-shreyas-iyer-in-ipl-2022-mega-auction-reveals-aakash-chopra-449807">RCB has kept whopping amount aside for Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022 mega auction, reveals Aakash Chopra</a>

"It will be held in India this year, until and unless COVID-19 hits the roof. As far as venues are concerned, we are looking at hosting the matches in Maharashtra – Mumbai, and Pune. We will take a call on the venues for the knockout stages later," Ganguly has told Sportstar.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kohli-opens-up-on-delhi-franchises-decision-to-choose-pradeep-sangwan-over-him-in-maiden-ipl-auction-449482">Kohli opens up on Delhi franchise's decision to choose Pradeep Sangwan over him in maiden IPL auction</a>

In the last two years, i.e. the Covid-era, BCCI have had their fair share of struggles in hosting the cash-rich league smoothly. After more a five-month delay, the IPL 2020 edition took place in the UAE amid the bio-bubble restrictions. While the IPL 2021 season started in India, only the first half of the marquee event (i.e. 29 games) was held in the country before the second wave of the Covid-19 virus led to its indefinite postponement. Finally, the season was completed with the remainder of the games being held in the Middle East.&nbsp;BCCI will, thus, have their task cut-out to host the 15th season smoothly, without any fuss.

At present, Covid crisis has hit Team India ahead of their white-ball series, at home, versus West Indies. The ODIs get underway on February 6.

The mega auction for the IPL 2022 edition is just a few days away. All eyes are on the ten teams and how they will form their respective sides heading into the 15th edition.

The mega auction for the IPL 2022 edition is just a few days away. All eyes are on the ten teams and how they will form their respective sides heading into the 15th edition. While the auction strategies are being laid down by all the ten teams, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly has confirmed that the IPL 2022 season will take place in India itself. Ahead of the mega auction, to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February, BCCI President Ganguly has stated that Maharastra will be conducting the league stage of the 15th edition whereas no final call has been made regarding the playoffs' venues. ALSO READ | RCB has kept whopping amount aside for Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022 mega auction, reveals Aakash Chopra "It will be held in India this year, until and unless COVID-19 hits the roof. As far as venues are concerned, we are looking at hosting the matches in Maharashtra – Mumbai, and Pune. We will take a call on the venues for the knockout stages later," Ganguly has told Sportstar. ALSO READ | Kohli opens up on Delhi franchise's decision to choose Pradeep Sangwan over him in maiden IPL auction In the last two years, i.e. the Covid-era, BCCI have had their fair share of struggles in hosting the cash-rich league smoothly. After more a five-month delay, the IPL 2020 edition took place in the UAE amid the bio-bubble restrictions. While the IPL 2021 season started in India, only the first half of the marquee event (i.e. 29 games) was held in the country before the second wave of the Covid-19 virus led to its indefinite postponement. Finally, the season was completed with the remainder of the games being held in the Middle East. BCCI will, thus, have their task cut-out to host the 15th season smoothly, without any fuss. At present, Covid crisis has hit Team India ahead of their white-ball series, at home, versus West Indies. The ODIs get underway on February 6.

IPL 2022: Maharashtra to host league stage, call on playoffs' venues not taken, says Sourav Ganguly

Hardik Pandya isn't a part of the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team's forthcoming white-ball series versus West Indies, at home, as the national selectors are still not sure of his all-round abilities. Hardik is, meanwhile, keeping himself fit ahead of the IPL 2022 edition, which is reportedly set to be held entirely in India.

Hardik is well aware that the upcoming IPL season holds great significance for him. After not being retained by the Mumbai Indians (MI), the 28-year-old all-rounder will try to impress one and all in all departments as he has fallen behind in the pecking order, and lost&nbsp;his place in Tests, in the limited-overs side&nbsp;largely due to his inability to bowl (due to back issues). Moreover, he will also get a chance to make heads turn with his captaincy skills as he will lead his home franchise, the newly-formed Ahmedabad IPL team.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-event-to-be-held-in-india-franchises-eager-for-bcci-to-finalise-venues-report-449770">IPL 2022: Mega event to be held in India; franchises eager for BCCI to finalise venues - Report</a>

Speaking ahead of IPL 2022, Hardik dissected the contrasting captaincy styles of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni and mentioned what he will pick from them. Hardik has played under the trio in IPL or for Team India. "From Virat, I will pick his aggression and passion, his energy which is tremendous. From Mahi bhai it's the composure, calmness, remaining same in every situation, trying to see what new things he can add," Hardik said on Tuesday (February 1) during an interaction facilitated by the Ahmedabad franchise.

"...and from Rohit, I would pick the freedom as he lets the player decide what he wants to do. These three qualities if I can pick up, it will be a very good combination," he further added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcb-has-kept-whopping-amount-aside-for-shreyas-iyer-in-ipl-2022-mega-auction-reveals-aakash-chopra-449807">RCB has kept whopping amount aside for Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022 mega auction, reveals Aakash Chopra</a>

On him returning as an all-rounder, with an aim to&nbsp;mainly roll&nbsp;his arms, Hardik pointed out, "It's a good start as IPL gives the platform to test myself in the new role as pressure is very similar. Not saying you are expected to win but everyone wants to win. It's a right step to go ahead and eventually get captaincy for your country but you don't look for that. If it's supposed to come it will come."

Hardik Pandya isn't a part of the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team's forthcoming white-ball series versus West Indies, at home, as the national selectors are still not sure of his all-round abilities.

Hardik Pandya isn't a part of the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team's forthcoming white-ball series versus West Indies, at home, as the national selectors are still not sure of his all-round abilities. Hardik is, meanwhile, keeping himself fit ahead of the IPL 2022 edition, which is reportedly set to be held entirely in India. Hardik is well aware that the upcoming IPL season holds great significance for him. After not being retained by the Mumbai Indians (MI), the 28-year-old all-rounder will try to impress one and all in all departments as he has fallen behind in the pecking order, and lost his place in Tests, in the limited-overs side largely due to his inability to bowl (due to back issues). Moreover, he will also get a chance to make heads turn with his captaincy skills as he will lead his home franchise, the newly-formed Ahmedabad IPL team. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Mega event to be held in India; franchises eager for BCCI to finalise venues - Report Speaking ahead of IPL 2022, Hardik dissected the contrasting captaincy styles of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni and mentioned what he will pick from them. Hardik has played under the trio in IPL or for Team India. "From Virat, I will pick his aggression and passion, his energy which is tremendous. From Mahi bhai it's the composure, calmness, remaining same in every situation, trying to see what new things he can add," Hardik said on Tuesday (February 1) during an interaction facilitated by the Ahmedabad franchise. "...and from Rohit, I would pick the freedom as he lets the player decide what he wants to do. These three qualities if I can pick up, it will be a very good combination," he further added. ALSO READ | RCB has kept whopping amount aside for Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022 mega auction, reveals Aakash Chopra On him returning as an all-rounder, with an aim to mainly roll his arms, Hardik pointed out, "It's a good start as IPL gives the platform to test myself in the new role as pressure is very similar. Not saying you are expected to win but everyone wants to win. It's a right step to go ahead and eventually get captaincy for your country but you don't look for that. If it's supposed to come it will come."

IPL 2022: Ahmedabad captain Hardik Pandya mentions qualities he'll pick from Virat Kohli, Dhoni, Rohit

The BCCI has had a tough time to host the last two IPL seasons. IPL 2020 was held entirely in the UAE whereas the IPL 2021 season took place in two halves, in India and the Middle East. While the 2020 edition was delayed by over five&nbsp;months due to the Covid-19 virus, the previous edition was also severely affected when at mid-way the tournament was postponed indefinitely due to the second wave of Covid-19 in India.

The second half of IPL 14 finally took place in late 2021 in the UAE. Hence, all eyes are on the BCCI as to where they will host the 15th edition. Amid the current Covid-19 wave slowing down in the country and restrictions being lifted nationwide, BCCI is all but set to host the upcoming season in India.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ishan-kishan-to-pat-cummins-final-list-of-players-with-highest-base-price-of-rs-2-crore-for-ipl-mega-auction-449664">Ishan Kishan to Pat Cummins: Final list of players with highest base price of Rs 2 crore for IPL mega auction</a>

A BCCI official, on the matter, confirmed that the league will 100% be held in the country. The official told the&nbsp;Indian Express, "It will be in India,” on being asked the burning question. On the other hand, the ten franchises have urged the board to finalise the venue of the league ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. For the unversed, the auction will be held in mid-February in Bengaluru.

Regarding the venus of IPL 2022, many reports&nbsp;suggested that BCCI have kept Maharashtra as an option for the league stages&nbsp;-- taking two or three venues into account -- along with Ahmedabad to host the playoffs.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-warner-or-dhawan-chopra-predicts-indian-youngster-as-most-expensive-opener-in-ipl-2022-auction-449533">Not Warner or Dhawan! Chopra predicts Indian youngster as 'most expensive opener' in IPL 2022 auction</a>

Earlier, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah had stated that the board will leave 'no stone unturned'&nbsp;to host the entire forthcoming season in the country.

"I can tell you that we will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that IPL stays in India. The BCCI has not compromised on the health and safety of its stakeholders in the past and will concurrently work on Plan B since the COVID-19 situation with new variants remains fluid. The mega IPL Auction will take place on February 12-13th and we will lock in venues before that," BCCI secretary Jay Shah had earlier confirmed in a statement.

The BCCI has had a tough time to host the last two IPL seasons. IPL 2020 was held entirely in the UAE whereas the IPL 2021 season took place in two halves, in India and the Middle East.

The BCCI has had a tough time to host the last two IPL seasons. IPL 2020 was held entirely in the UAE whereas the IPL 2021 season took place in two halves, in India and the Middle East. While the 2020 edition was delayed by over five months due to the Covid-19 virus, the previous edition was also severely affected when at mid-way the tournament was postponed indefinitely due to the second wave of Covid-19 in India. The second half of IPL 14 finally took place in late 2021 in the UAE. Hence, all eyes are on the BCCI as to where they will host the 15th edition. Amid the current Covid-19 wave slowing down in the country and restrictions being lifted nationwide, BCCI is all but set to host the upcoming season in India. ALSO READ | Ishan Kishan to Pat Cummins: Final list of players with highest base price of Rs 2 crore for IPL mega auction A BCCI official, on the matter, confirmed that the league will 100% be held in the country. The official told the Indian Express, "It will be in India,” on being asked the burning question. On the other hand, the ten franchises have urged the board to finalise the venue of the league ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. For the unversed, the auction will be held in mid-February in Bengaluru. Regarding the venus of IPL 2022, many reports suggested that BCCI have kept Maharashtra as an option for the league stages -- taking two or three venues into account -- along with Ahmedabad to host the playoffs. ALSO READ | Not Warner or Dhawan! Chopra predicts Indian youngster as 'most expensive opener' in IPL 2022 auction Earlier, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah had stated that the board will leave 'no stone unturned' to host the entire forthcoming season in the country. "I can tell you that we will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that IPL stays in India. The BCCI has not compromised on the health and safety of its stakeholders in the past and will concurrently work on Plan B since the COVID-19 situation with new variants remains fluid. The mega IPL Auction will take place on February 12-13th and we will lock in venues before that," BCCI secretary Jay Shah had earlier confirmed in a statement.

IPL 2022: Mega event to be held in India; franchises eager for BCCI to finalise venues - Report

Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all set to embark on a new journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he gears up to lead the Ahmedabad franchise in the upcoming 2022 edition of the tournament. Hardik was released by Mumbai Indians last year before being picked by the Ahmedabad franchise as one of their three picks from the player draft.

Hardik will be turning up for a new team for the first time in his IPL career since making his debut in the T20 league in 2015. The all-rounder has not enjoyed the best of form over the past couple of years owing to his fitness issues. Pandya has faced a lot of struggles ever since undergoing a back surgery in 2019 and has refrained from bowling.

He didn't bowl at all for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021 last year and bowled only a handful of overs for the Indian team during the T20 World Cup 2021. However, the all-rounder has been working hard on his fitness after opting for a break post the T20 World Cup last year and is looking to make a strong return to the pitch.

While Hardik is yet to make himself available for selection in the Indian team, he is all set to lead Ahmedabad in IPL 2022. When asked if he will be bowling for his new team in the upcoming season, the star all-rounder remained coy. "It's a surprise for everyone," he told Cricbuzz.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/warner-iyer-rabada-and-7-others-part-of-marquee-set-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-see-full-list-449521">Warner, Iyer, Rabada and 7 others part of marquee set at IPL 2022 mega auction, see full list</a>

Hardik has asked the selectors not to pick him as he has been working on returning to bowling regularly. The all-rounder said he has always liked to contribute with the bat and the ball and will not settle for playing purely as a batter going forward. With a T20 World Cup lined up later this year, Pandya's bowling will be crucial for his chances in the Indian team.

"It's been challenging. I've always been someone who contributes with the bat, ball and on the field. When I decided I will just bat, I wanted to spend some time on the ground. We all love challenges and I love to fight it out. Criticism is good and it doesn't really bother me. For me, results do matter but I work hard for the process," said Pandya.

"I've always realised that as an allrounder I give a lot of different options to the team. I'll try to work on being an allrounder and if something doesn't work out then my batting is always there. But Hardik Pandya combined with both bat and ball, it sounds better than just a batter," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/370-indians-220-overseas-stars-up-for-grabs-complete-list-of-590-players-for-ipl-2022-mega-auction-449547">Complete list of 590 players to go under the hammer at the&nbsp;IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Pandya also spoke about learning from the likes of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma having learned by playing under them in the Indian team and the Indian Premier League. Hardik wants to implement different qualities from the trio in his own captaincy style when he leads Ahmedabad in IPL 2022.

"From Virat, I would pick his aggression, passion and energy, which is tremendous. With Mahi bhai, I would pick the composed nature. From Rohit, I'll let the players decide what they want to do. These three qualities I'll take from them and bring here," Pandya told Cricbuzz.

Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all set to embark on a new journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he gears up to lead the Ahmedabad franchise in the upcoming 2022 edition of the tournament.

Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all set to embark on a new journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he gears up to lead the Ahmedabad franchise in the upcoming 2022 edition of the tournament. Hardik was released by Mumbai Indians last year before being picked by the Ahmedabad franchise as one of their three picks from the player draft. Hardik will be turning up for a new team for the first time in his IPL career since making his debut in the T20 league in 2015. The all-rounder has not enjoyed the best of form over the past couple of years owing to his fitness issues. Pandya has faced a lot of struggles ever since undergoing a back surgery in 2019 and has refrained from bowling. He didn't bowl at all for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021 last year and bowled only a handful of overs for the Indian team during the T20 World Cup 2021. However, the all-rounder has been working hard on his fitness after opting for a break post the T20 World Cup last year and is looking to make a strong return to the pitch. While Hardik is yet to make himself available for selection in the Indian team, he is all set to lead Ahmedabad in IPL 2022. When asked if he will be bowling for his new team in the upcoming season, the star all-rounder remained coy. "It's a surprise for everyone," he told Cricbuzz. Also Read: Warner, Iyer, Rabada and 7 others part of marquee set at IPL 2022 mega auction, see full list Hardik has asked the selectors not to pick him as he has been working on returning to bowling regularly. The all-rounder said he has always liked to contribute with the bat and the ball and will not settle for playing purely as a batter going forward. With a T20 World Cup lined up later this year, Pandya's bowling will be crucial for his chances in the Indian team. "It's been challenging. I've always been someone who contributes with the bat, ball and on the field. When I decided I will just bat, I wanted to spend some time on the ground. We all love challenges and I love to fight it out. Criticism is good and it doesn't really bother me. For me, results do matter but I work hard for the process," said Pandya. "I've always realised that as an allrounder I give a lot of different options to the team. I'll try to work on being an allrounder and if something doesn't work out then my batting is always there. But Hardik Pandya combined with both bat and ball, it sounds better than just a batter," he added. Also Read: Complete list of 590 players to go under the hammer at the IPL 2022 mega auction Pandya also spoke about learning from the likes of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma having learned by playing under them in the Indian team and the Indian Premier League. Hardik wants to implement different qualities from the trio in his own captaincy style when he leads Ahmedabad in IPL 2022. "From Virat, I would pick his aggression, passion and energy, which is tremendous. With Mahi bhai, I would pick the composed nature. From Rohit, I'll let the players decide what they want to do. These three qualities I'll take from them and bring here," Pandya told Cricbuzz.

'It's a surprise': Hardik Pandya on whether he will bowl or not for Ahmedabad franchise in IPL 2022

After the end of IPL 2021, AB de Villiers dropped a bomb by announcing his retirement from all forms of the game. De Villiers ended by being the sixth-highest run-getter, amassing&nbsp;5,162 runs in 184 matches at a whopping strike-rate of 151.68.

Being a big name in IPL, De Villiers signed off as one of the greatest of all-time&nbsp;in the tournament history. He represented Delhi Daredevils (DD) -- currently known as Delhi Capitals (DC) -- before being a mainstay in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp since IPL 2011. Apart from the runs and fielding heroics, which led RCB to the playoffs on five occasions, the former South African captain established a special bond with the Indian fans (especially with the Bengaluru fans). During a recent&nbsp;interaction, ABD revealed how he has been offered apartments to move to India.

To this, de&nbsp;Villiers said in the RCB podcast, "I hope it's a big apartment because I have three kids now and we need a lot of room! My relationship with RCB goes a lot deeper than just playing cricket for them. And I don't think it would have been the same for any other franchise and that's what I hold dearest to my heart - it's the fans and the city itself."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The RCB Podcast powered by Kotak Mahindra Bank: Trailer 
 
10 episodes, plenty of interesting and never heard before stories about the tournament that made them the superstars they are! 
(1/n)<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreChallengers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreChallengers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheRCBPodcast?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheRCBPodcast</a> <a href="https://t.co/MWPQG3IEwH">pic.twitter.com/MWPQG3IEwH</a>
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1488353914722291713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-was-an-internal-battle-gautam-gambhir-doesnt-mince-his-words-on-virat-kohli-vs-bcci-row-449610">It was an internal battle: Gautam Gambhir doesn't mince his words on Virat Kohli vs BCCI row</a>

He added, "I have always connected with the places I go to. It's a bit weird but I remember smells and visual stuff I see. The minute I get into Bangalore there's a certain freshness in the air, a certain something that I sort of connect with that feels familiar.

"And I would never pick that up in any (other city). I have thought about it long and hard - Mumbai, Delhi, if you put me in any other team I never would have had that kind of connection so that's one thing that I find special while playing for RCB."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/370-indians-220-overseas-stars-up-for-grabs-complete-list-of-590-players-for-ipl-2022-mega-auction-449547">370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Recently, De Villiers also hinted at taking up coaching role in the near future.&nbsp;"I still believe that I have a role to play in SA cricket and also over there in the IPL with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). I have no idea what will come next but I will take it one day at a time and see. I have been looking after and mentoring some youngsters with potential and ability for the last few years," he had recently told TimesLive.com.za.

Talking about IPL 2022, the mega auction is set to be held in mid-February. Virat Kohli-starrer RCB will look to revamp and build a strong team after retaining the likes of Kohli, Md Siraj and Glenn Maxwell.

After the end of IPL 2021, AB de Villiers dropped a bomb by announcing his retirement from all forms of the game. De Villiers ended by being the sixth-highest run-getter, amassing 5,162 runs in 184 matches at a whopping strike-rate of 151.

After the end of IPL 2021, AB de Villiers dropped a bomb by announcing his retirement from all forms of the game. De Villiers ended by being the sixth-highest run-getter, amassing 5,162 runs in 184 matches at a whopping strike-rate of 151.68. Being a big name in IPL, De Villiers signed off as one of the greatest of all-time in the tournament history. He represented Delhi Daredevils (DD) -- currently known as Delhi Capitals (DC) -- before being a mainstay in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp since IPL 2011. Apart from the runs and fielding heroics, which led RCB to the playoffs on five occasions, the former South African captain established a special bond with the Indian fans (especially with the Bengaluru fans). During a recent interaction, ABD revealed how he has been offered apartments to move to India. To this, de Villiers said in the RCB podcast, "I hope it's a big apartment because I have three kids now and we need a lot of room! My relationship with RCB goes a lot deeper than just playing cricket for them. And I don't think it would have been the same for any other franchise and that's what I hold dearest to my heart - it's the fans and the city itself." The RCB Podcast powered by Kotak Mahindra Bank: Trailer 10 episodes, plenty of interesting and never heard before stories about the tournament that made them the superstars they are! (1/n)#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #TheRCBPodcast pic.twitter.com/MWPQG3IEwH — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) February 1, 2022 × ALSO READ | It was an internal battle: Gautam Gambhir doesn't mince his words on Virat Kohli vs BCCI row He added, "I have always connected with the places I go to. It's a bit weird but I remember smells and visual stuff I see. The minute I get into Bangalore there's a certain freshness in the air, a certain something that I sort of connect with that feels familiar. "And I would never pick that up in any (other city). I have thought about it long and hard - Mumbai, Delhi, if you put me in any other team I never would have had that kind of connection so that's one thing that I find special while playing for RCB." ALSO READ | 370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction Recently, De Villiers also hinted at taking up coaching role in the near future. "I still believe that I have a role to play in SA cricket and also over there in the IPL with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). I have no idea what will come next but I will take it one day at a time and see. I have been looking after and mentoring some youngsters with potential and ability for the last few years," he had recently told TimesLive.com.za. Talking about IPL 2022, the mega auction is set to be held in mid-February. Virat Kohli-starrer RCB will look to revamp and build a strong team after retaining the likes of Kohli, Md Siraj and Glenn Maxwell.

RCB legend AB de Villers gives cheeky response to people offering him apartments to live in India

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday released the final list of 590 players who are all set to go under the hammer at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on February 12 and 13. The final list consists of 228 capped, 355 uncapped and 7 players from the associate nations.

Despite the BCCI confirming the final list of players to go under the hammer, there remains uncertainty over the availability of some players from England and Australia. The board is yet to inform the ten franchises about the exact duration of the foreign players' participation in IPL 2022.

There are doubts over the availability of some England and Australia players due to international commitments. The upcoming season of the IPL is expected to begin in the last week of March, however, Australia will tour Pakistan in the same month with the white-ball series beginning from March 29. The matches will end on April 05.

If the likes of David Warner, Marcus Stoinis, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins among others are part of the tour, they will also miss at least the first week of action in IPL 2022. England, on the other hand, have a three-match home series against New Zealand beginning from June 02 and the ECB might call back a few Test-bound players in May to prepare for the Test series.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/warner-iyer-rabada-and-7-others-part-of-marquee-set-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-see-full-list-449521">Warner, Iyer, Rabada and 7 others part of marquee set at IPL 2022 mega auction, see full list</a>

A number of top England players including the likes of Ben Stokes and Joe Root have already not registered from the IPL 2022 mega auction in the wake of their Ashes 2021-22 debacle as they aim to focus on improving in the longest format of the game.

A franchise official stated that the ten teams would have liked to know the availability status of the overseas players with the final auction list, however, the BCCI is yet to provide information on players' participation. The official said knowing the availability status of players helps in planning in a better manner.

"In an ideal scenario, we would have preferred to know the availability with the auction list," a franchise official was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. "It helps in planning but there were occasions we were given this crucial the night before the auction," he added.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/370-indians-220-overseas-stars-up-for-grabs-complete-list-of-590-players-for-ipl-2022-mega-auction-449547">&nbsp;370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

The BCCI has informed the teams that it is working on providing the final&nbsp;availability details of the overseas players, which will be provided in due course ahead of the mega auction.

"The IPL 2022 Player Auction Rules and the availability details of Overseas players along with the update on the players who have been reported or banned for suspect bowling action will be sent in due course," the BCCI wrote to the franchises. 
&nbsp;

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday released the final list of 590 players who are all set to go under the hammer at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on February 12 and 13.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday released the final list of 590 players who are all set to go under the hammer at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on February 12 and 13. The final list consists of 228 capped, 355 uncapped and 7 players from the associate nations. Despite the BCCI confirming the final list of players to go under the hammer, there remains uncertainty over the availability of some players from England and Australia. The board is yet to inform the ten franchises about the exact duration of the foreign players' participation in IPL 2022. There are doubts over the availability of some England and Australia players due to international commitments. The upcoming season of the IPL is expected to begin in the last week of March, however, Australia will tour Pakistan in the same month with the white-ball series beginning from March 29. The matches will end on April 05. If the likes of David Warner, Marcus Stoinis, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins among others are part of the tour, they will also miss at least the first week of action in IPL 2022. England, on the other hand, have a three-match home series against New Zealand beginning from June 02 and the ECB might call back a few Test-bound players in May to prepare for the Test series. Also Read: Warner, Iyer, Rabada and 7 others part of marquee set at IPL 2022 mega auction, see full list A number of top England players including the likes of Ben Stokes and Joe Root have already not registered from the IPL 2022 mega auction in the wake of their Ashes 2021-22 debacle as they aim to focus on improving in the longest format of the game. A franchise official stated that the ten teams would have liked to know the availability status of the overseas players with the final auction list, however, the BCCI is yet to provide information on players' participation. The official said knowing the availability status of players helps in planning in a better manner. "In an ideal scenario, we would have preferred to know the availability with the auction list," a franchise official was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. "It helps in planning but there were occasions we were given this crucial the night before the auction," he added. Also Read: 370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction The BCCI has informed the teams that it is working on providing the final availability details of the overseas players, which will be provided in due course ahead of the mega auction. "The IPL 2022 Player Auction Rules and the availability details of Overseas players along with the update on the players who have been reported or banned for suspect bowling action will be sent in due course," the BCCI wrote to the franchises.

IPL 2022: Uncertainity over availability of England, Australia players despite BCCI finialising auction list

England pacer Jofra Archer is back in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction after initially opting not to register for the mega event. Archer was one of the big names to not register for the auction amid his ongoing battle with an elbow injury for which he underwent a second operation in December last year.

Archer was expected to not return to the mega auction after not putting his name in the initial list. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday confirmed the England fast bowler has enlisted his name for the event which is scheduled to be conducted in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

However, Archer is unlikely to take part in IPL 2022 and is all set to give the league a miss despite being part of the auction. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has informed the BCCI that the fast bowler is certain to play in the 2023 and the 2024 editions but is unlikely to take part in IPL 2022 this year owing to his injury.&nbsp;

The BCCI has informed all ten franchises about the same and said that the pacer should be picked by a franchise keeping in mind that he will not play in the upcoming season. "The ECB has registered Archer for the auction with a view to potential participation in 2023 and 2024, as due to his current injury it is unlikely that he can participate in IPL 2022," the board wrote to the franchises, as per Cricbuzz.

One of the best fast bowlers in the world at present, Archer has been impressive in the IPL in the three seasons that he has been part of the league for Rajasthan Royals. He has 46 wickets to his name in 35 matches at a brilliant economy of just 7.13 and is one of the most economical fast bowlers in the league at present.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/warner-iyer-rabada-and-7-others-part-of-marquee-set-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-see-full-list-449521">Warner, Iyer, Rabada and 7 others part of marquee set at IPL 2022 mega auction, see full list</a>

The England pacer could have been among the marquee players in the mega auction this year but was not included in the elite list due to concerns over his availability. BCCI has also informed all franchises that they won't be allowed to pick a replacement for Archer for IPL 2022 if they buy him at the mega auction this year.

"He won't feature in the Marquee or other sets to be presented. He will be available to be called during the accelerated auction and whoever picks him will not get a replacement player for IPL 2022 season for his place as he is already injured and unlikely to participate in IPL 2022 season," the BCCI wrote.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/370-indians-220-overseas-stars-up-for-grabs-complete-list-of-590-players-for-ipl-2022-mega-auction-449547">370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

BCCI added a total of 44 new names to the list of registered players, including Archer at the request of the franchises for the mega auction. A total of 590 players will go under the hammer at the two-day event with ten teams looking to build strong squads for themselves ahead of the new season.

England pacer Jofra Archer is back in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction after initially opting not to register for the mega event. Archer was one of the big names to not register for the auction amid his ongoing battle with an elbow injury for which he underwent a second operation in December last year.

England pacer Jofra Archer is back in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction after initially opting not to register for the mega event. Archer was one of the big names to not register for the auction amid his ongoing battle with an elbow injury for which he underwent a second operation in December last year. Archer was expected to not return to the mega auction after not putting his name in the initial list. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday confirmed the England fast bowler has enlisted his name for the event which is scheduled to be conducted in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. However, Archer is unlikely to take part in IPL 2022 and is all set to give the league a miss despite being part of the auction. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has informed the BCCI that the fast bowler is certain to play in the 2023 and the 2024 editions but is unlikely to take part in IPL 2022 this year owing to his injury. The BCCI has informed all ten franchises about the same and said that the pacer should be picked by a franchise keeping in mind that he will not play in the upcoming season. "The ECB has registered Archer for the auction with a view to potential participation in 2023 and 2024, as due to his current injury it is unlikely that he can participate in IPL 2022," the board wrote to the franchises, as per Cricbuzz. One of the best fast bowlers in the world at present, Archer has been impressive in the IPL in the three seasons that he has been part of the league for Rajasthan Royals. He has 46 wickets to his name in 35 matches at a brilliant economy of just 7.13 and is one of the most economical fast bowlers in the league at present. Also Read: Warner, Iyer, Rabada and 7 others part of marquee set at IPL 2022 mega auction, see full list The England pacer could have been among the marquee players in the mega auction this year but was not included in the elite list due to concerns over his availability. BCCI has also informed all franchises that they won't be allowed to pick a replacement for Archer for IPL 2022 if they buy him at the mega auction this year. "He won't feature in the Marquee or other sets to be presented. He will be available to be called during the accelerated auction and whoever picks him will not get a replacement player for IPL 2022 season for his place as he is already injured and unlikely to participate in IPL 2022 season," the BCCI wrote. Also Read: 370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction BCCI added a total of 44 new names to the list of registered players, including Archer at the request of the franchises for the mega auction. A total of 590 players will go under the hammer at the two-day event with ten teams looking to build strong squads for themselves ahead of the new season.

Jofra Archer back in mega auction but will not take part in IPL 2022 season, here's why

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has defended KL Rahul after intense criticism over his poor captaincy in the recently-concluded ODI series between India and South Africa. Rahul-led India suffered a 3-0 whitewash in the three-match series against the hosts. Rahul had been asked to lead the side against the Proteas in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma, who was out injured.

Gambhir said it is too early to judge Rahul as a leader on the basis of just four matches that he has led India in so far. Rahul had earlier led India in the second Test of the three-match series against South Africa which the visitors lost before losing all three ODIs on the tour. In four matches that he has led India in, Rahul has failed to inspire his side to even a single win.

Rahul has been facing intense criticism for his poor captaincy in the series with many questioning his leadership credentials. However, Gambhir has responded to the star batter's critics and said it is unfair to judge Rahul so early.&nbsp;

"Sometimes we start relating someone just with performances and the results. It's too early to judge someone by just captaining 4 games," Gambhir was quoted as saying by India Today.

While Rahul is yet to win a game as the captain of the Indian team, he led Punjab Kings for two seasons in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he failed to take the team to the playoffs in both seasons. Rahul has now left Punjab to join the Lucknow Super Giants team ahead of the new season and Gambhir has been roped in as the mentor of the Lucknow franchise.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/370-indians-220-overseas-stars-up-for-grabs-complete-list-of-590-players-for-ipl-2022-mega-auction-">370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Gambhir believes Rahul has the attributes of a great captain and has a bright future as a leader in the game. Rahul will lead Lucknow Super Giants in their debut season in the IPL this year. Though Gambhir admitted Rahul is a work in progress as captain, he believes the star batter has the qualities to become a successful captain.

"But the most important attribute a leader should have is he doesn't fly too high that he doesn't go down too deep either. That is probably the best quality KL Rahul has. Always captaincy is a work in progress. You can never say, as a player or as a leader, that you have achieved everything. You want to keep improving every day. You got to be the best of yourself till the last day of your career," said Gambhir.

"Whatever I have seen of KL, he has a great, great future ahead not only as a batter but as a leader as well. Because that is a quality that very few people have - being calm and composed. When you start doing that, that reflects on the entire team as well.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/warner-iyer-rabada-and-7-others-part-of-marquee-set-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-see-full-list-449521">Warner, Iyer, Rabada and 7 others part of marquee set at IPL 2022 mega auction, see full list</a>

"When you have that kind of leader, the entire squad will benefit a lot. And I am sure he is going to do that, knowing the kind of person that he is," added the Lucknow Super Giants mentor.

Rahul, who has not had great campaign as captain in the IPL in the last two seasons, will be hoping to spark a turnaround this year as the skipper of the Lucknow Super Giants. The newly-introduced franchise has roped in Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction.

&nbsp;

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has defended KL Rahul after intense criticism over his poor captaincy in the recently-concluded ODI series between India and South Africa.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has defended KL Rahul after intense criticism over his poor captaincy in the recently-concluded ODI series between India and South Africa. Rahul-led India suffered a 3-0 whitewash in the three-match series against the hosts. Rahul had been asked to lead the side against the Proteas in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma, who was out injured. Gambhir said it is too early to judge Rahul as a leader on the basis of just four matches that he has led India in so far. Rahul had earlier led India in the second Test of the three-match series against South Africa which the visitors lost before losing all three ODIs on the tour. In four matches that he has led India in, Rahul has failed to inspire his side to even a single win. Rahul has been facing intense criticism for his poor captaincy in the series with many questioning his leadership credentials. However, Gambhir has responded to the star batter's critics and said it is unfair to judge Rahul so early. "Sometimes we start relating someone just with performances and the results. It's too early to judge someone by just captaining 4 games," Gambhir was quoted as saying by India Today. While Rahul is yet to win a game as the captain of the Indian team, he led Punjab Kings for two seasons in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he failed to take the team to the playoffs in both seasons. Rahul has now left Punjab to join the Lucknow Super Giants team ahead of the new season and Gambhir has been roped in as the mentor of the Lucknow franchise. Also Read: 370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction Gambhir believes Rahul has the attributes of a great captain and has a bright future as a leader in the game. Rahul will lead Lucknow Super Giants in their debut season in the IPL this year. Though Gambhir admitted Rahul is a work in progress as captain, he believes the star batter has the qualities to become a successful captain. "But the most important attribute a leader should have is he doesn't fly too high that he doesn't go down too deep either. That is probably the best quality KL Rahul has. Always captaincy is a work in progress. You can never say, as a player or as a leader, that you have achieved everything. You want to keep improving every day. You got to be the best of yourself till the last day of your career," said Gambhir. "Whatever I have seen of KL, he has a great, great future ahead not only as a batter but as a leader as well. Because that is a quality that very few people have - being calm and composed. When you start doing that, that reflects on the entire team as well. Also Read: Warner, Iyer, Rabada and 7 others part of marquee set at IPL 2022 mega auction, see full list "When you have that kind of leader, the entire squad will benefit a lot. And I am sure he is going to do that, knowing the kind of person that he is," added the Lucknow Super Giants mentor. Rahul, who has not had great campaign as captain in the IPL in the last two seasons, will be hoping to spark a turnaround this year as the skipper of the Lucknow Super Giants. The newly-introduced franchise has roped in Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction.

'Too early to judge': Gautam Gambhir responds to KL Rahul's critics after his poor captaincy vs South Africa

All eyes are now on the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 mega auction, which is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. While the two new IPL franchises -- Lucknow Super Giants and Team Ahmedabad -- will look to build their team from scratch, the other eight&nbsp;teams will revamp after releasing some of their marquee players.

Prior to the mega auction proceedings, which will be held in Bengaluru, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra shared his thoughts and made a bold claim while predicting the 'most expensive opener'. The likes of David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Shikhar Dhawan, Quinton de Kock, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, etc. will go under the hammer. Chopra believes Ishan will earn a whopping amount in the forthcoming two-day auction affair.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kohli-opens-up-on-delhi-franchises-decision-to-choose-pradeep-sangwan-over-him-in-maiden-ipl-auction-449482">Kohli opens up on Delhi franchise's decision to choose Pradeep Sangwan over him in maiden IPL auction</a>

"In my opinion, Ishan Kishan will be the most expensive opener at the IPL 2022 Auction. He could actually be the most expensive player, one out of him or Shreyas Iyer could be the most expensive. I won't be surprised if it is Ishan Kishan," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.

He further stressed on the role of the openers and said, "The openers make or break the game. They have the ability because they have a lot of time. The problem in T20 is that you don't have time, it gets over very quickly. In such a case if you are an opener, you can decide the tempo of the match. KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Quinton de Kock, Shikhar Dhawan - you have seen a lot of players like that."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-was-disappointing-to-lose-shubman-gill-coach-brendon-mccullum-explains-why-kkr-released-star-batter-448916">'It was disappointing to lose Shubman Gill': Coach Brendon McCullum explains why KKR released star batter</a>

It will be interesting to see if Ishan goes for big in the auction or not. In IPL 2020, the then Mumbai Indians (MI) keeper-batter Ishan had amassed 516 runs at a strike-rate of&nbsp;145.76 with four&nbsp;half-centuries. While he didn't have a great run in IPL 2021, he is still expected to attract big money for his power-hitting and fearless style of play.

Chopra further also stated that while Bairstow and Warner will also fetch big amounts, he named Quinton de Kock as the most expensive opener among foreign players. "Ishan Kishan, Devdutt Padikkal, Quinton de Kock - I am saying the most expensive overseas opener, David Warner, Chris Lynn, Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow - a lot of money is going to be spent. Ambati Rayudu can open, Shikhar Dhawan, Robin Uthappa, Faf du Plessis - there are a lot of openers who will present themselves as options," he concluded.

All eyes are now on the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 mega auction, which is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. While the two new IPL franchises -- Lucknow Super Giants and Team Ahmedabad -- will look to build their team from scratch, the other eight teams will revamp after releasing some of their marquee players.

All eyes are now on the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 mega auction, which is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. While the two new IPL franchises -- Lucknow Super Giants and Team Ahmedabad -- will look to build their team from scratch, the other eight teams will revamp after releasing some of their marquee players. Prior to the mega auction proceedings, which will be held in Bengaluru, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra shared his thoughts and made a bold claim while predicting the 'most expensive opener'. The likes of David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Shikhar Dhawan, Quinton de Kock, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, etc. will go under the hammer. Chopra believes Ishan will earn a whopping amount in the forthcoming two-day auction affair. ALSO READ | Kohli opens up on Delhi franchise's decision to choose Pradeep Sangwan over him in maiden IPL auction "In my opinion, Ishan Kishan will be the most expensive opener at the IPL 2022 Auction. He could actually be the most expensive player, one out of him or Shreyas Iyer could be the most expensive. I won't be surprised if it is Ishan Kishan," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel. He further stressed on the role of the openers and said, "The openers make or break the game. They have the ability because they have a lot of time. The problem in T20 is that you don't have time, it gets over very quickly. In such a case if you are an opener, you can decide the tempo of the match. KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Quinton de Kock, Shikhar Dhawan - you have seen a lot of players like that." ALSO READ | 'It was disappointing to lose Shubman Gill': Coach Brendon McCullum explains why KKR released star batter It will be interesting to see if Ishan goes for big in the auction or not. In IPL 2020, the then Mumbai Indians (MI) keeper-batter Ishan had amassed 516 runs at a strike-rate of 145.76 with four half-centuries. While he didn't have a great run in IPL 2021, he is still expected to attract big money for his power-hitting and fearless style of play. Chopra further also stated that while Bairstow and Warner will also fetch big amounts, he named Quinton de Kock as the most expensive opener among foreign players. "Ishan Kishan, Devdutt Padikkal, Quinton de Kock - I am saying the most expensive overseas opener, David Warner, Chris Lynn, Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow - a lot of money is going to be spent. Ambati Rayudu can open, Shikhar Dhawan, Robin Uthappa, Faf du Plessis - there are a lot of openers who will present themselves as options," he concluded.

Not Warner or Dhawan! Chopra predicts Indian youngster as 'most expensive opener' in IPL 2022 auction

2008 was a landmark year for Indian cricket. The inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) season was held&nbsp;early in the year, on February 20. Back then, India's U-19 team was involved in the Junior Men's World Cup in Malaysia under Virat Kohli's captaincy.

Kohli-led India won the mega title, beating South Africa in DLS method, on March 2. However, a bunch of them had already made heads turn during the inaugural IPL auction, being picked by the eight franchises for staggering amounts. Kohli's home franchise, Delhi Capitals (DC) -- who were then known as Delhi Daredevils (DD) -- were keen to pick him but instead chose pacer Pradeep Sangwan, who was also a part of the then Kohli-led U-19 squad.

In a podcast shared by RCB, Kohli recenlly recalled not being picked by his local franchise and how the U-19 players went bonkers&nbsp;after knowing the amount for which they were picked.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hes-their-battings-backbone-shaheen-afridi-lauds-virat-kohli-reflects-on-magical-t20-wc-spell-vs-india-449473">'He's their batting's backbone': Shaheen Afridi lauds Virat Kohli, reflects on magical T20 WC spell vs India</a>

Kohli recalled and said, "We were all in Malaysia for the U-19 World Cup. I remember the day when the drafts were happening and the U-19 dynamic was different&nbsp;as we very rightly so had a money cap. That was the only time when I saw a restriction on how much could you be picked for, if you haven't played for India. I remember even that moment for us was so amazing. The amount that we were picked for, when they revealed, we were like, we couldn't believe it, we went absolutely crazy."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-rishabh-pant-top-5-contenders-who-can-succeed-virat-kohli-as-indias-test-captain-448152">From Rohit Sharma to Rishabh Pant: Top 5 contenders who can succeed Virat Kohli as India's Test captain</a>

Kohli, who stepped down as the RCB captain after IPL 2021,&nbsp;also shared how DC bought Sangwan whereas&nbsp;he was picked by the Bengaluru-based franchise, defining it as&nbsp;a 'life-changing moment' for him.

The 33-year-old further asserted, "There was one conversation where I heard from people that the Delhi team was interested to go after me but the dynamics of their team turned out to be such that they went for Pradeep Sangwan - who was a left-arm seamer, amazing bowler, at that time he was our best bowler in U-19. So Delhi decided to go for him because they wanted their bowling strengthened and RCB picked me. In hindsight, I feel it was such an important moment in my life. I didn't realize it then but now when I look back, things could have been very different to what they are now. I would not have it any other way than this."

To date, Kohli remains the only player to have played for a single franchise -- RCB -- since IPL's inception in 2008. He has been retained by the three-time runners-up, along with Glenn Maxwell and Md Siraj, before the IPL 2022 mega auction, set to take place on February 12 and 13.

2008 was a landmark year for Indian cricket. The inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) season was held early in the year, on February 20. Back then, India's U-19 team was involved in the Junior Men's World Cup in Malaysia under Virat Kohli's captaincy.

2008 was a landmark year for Indian cricket. The inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) season was held early in the year, on February 20. Back then, India's U-19 team was involved in the Junior Men's World Cup in Malaysia under Virat Kohli's captaincy. Kohli-led India won the mega title, beating South Africa in DLS method, on March 2. However, a bunch of them had already made heads turn during the inaugural IPL auction, being picked by the eight franchises for staggering amounts. Kohli's home franchise, Delhi Capitals (DC) -- who were then known as Delhi Daredevils (DD) -- were keen to pick him but instead chose pacer Pradeep Sangwan, who was also a part of the then Kohli-led U-19 squad. In a podcast shared by RCB, Kohli recenlly recalled not being picked by his local franchise and how the U-19 players went bonkers after knowing the amount for which they were picked. ALSO READ | 'He's their batting's backbone': Shaheen Afridi lauds Virat Kohli, reflects on magical T20 WC spell vs India Kohli recalled and said, "We were all in Malaysia for the U-19 World Cup. I remember the day when the drafts were happening and the U-19 dynamic was different as we very rightly so had a money cap. That was the only time when I saw a restriction on how much could you be picked for, if you haven't played for India. I remember even that moment for us was so amazing. The amount that we were picked for, when they revealed, we were like, we couldn't believe it, we went absolutely crazy." ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Rishabh Pant: Top 5 contenders who can succeed Virat Kohli as India's Test captain Kohli, who stepped down as the RCB captain after IPL 2021, also shared how DC bought Sangwan whereas he was picked by the Bengaluru-based franchise, defining it as a 'life-changing moment' for him. The 33-year-old further asserted, "There was one conversation where I heard from people that the Delhi team was interested to go after me but the dynamics of their team turned out to be such that they went for Pradeep Sangwan - who was a left-arm seamer, amazing bowler, at that time he was our best bowler in U-19. So Delhi decided to go for him because they wanted their bowling strengthened and RCB picked me. In hindsight, I feel it was such an important moment in my life. I didn't realize it then but now when I look back, things could have been very different to what they are now. I would not have it any other way than this." To date, Kohli remains the only player to have played for a single franchise -- RCB -- since IPL's inception in 2008. He has been retained by the three-time runners-up, along with Glenn Maxwell and Md Siraj, before the IPL 2022 mega auction, set to take place on February 12 and 13.

Kohli opens up on Delhi franchise's decision to choose Pradeep Sangwan over him in maiden IPL auction

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting recently recalled how he played a role in Rohit Sharma's appointment as the captain of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Rohit was appointed as the captain of the Mumbai Indians in the year 2013. Ponting was the head coach of the franchise at the time and he had suggested the youngster's name to the team management.

Rohit was recently appointed as India's limited-overs captain after Virat Kohli's departure. Though he has led India on a few ocassions in the past, Rohit is now the full-time skipper of the Indian team. He is the most successful IPL captain of all time with five titles to his name with Mumbai Indians and has impressed many with his leadership qualities over the years.

Ponting, who himself is one of the greatest captains of all time in international cricket, is a big admirer of Rohit as a leader. The former Australian skipper revealed how he sacrificed his own spot and suggested the Mumbai Indians management to hand over the captaincy to Rohit, a move that turned out to be a masterstroke.

"I was at Mumbai Indians when Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy there. I was bought in the auction to be their captain and unfortunately, I wasn't playing well enough after the first few games to keep myself in the team, so I had to make room for another international player to come into the side," Ponting said on 'The ICC Review'.

"The owners and the team management wanted to know who I thought would be the appropriate person to take over the leadership at the Mumbai Indians. There were a few names thrown around between owners and the other coaches but it was really clear to me that there was only one guy that can lead the team - he was a young guy and his name happened to be Rohit Sharma," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-has-lost-out-on-pace-accuracy-sunil-gavaskar-casts-doubt-on-future-of-team-india-pacer-449180">'He has lost out on pace, accuracy': Sunil Gavaskar casts doubt on future of Team India pacer</a>

Since taking over as captain of the Mumbai Indians, Rohit has led the team to a record five IPL titles and has become the most successful captain in the history of the league. He has also led India in a few tournaments and has tasted great success at the international level as well. Ponting heaped praise on Rohit for being a successful leader.

"I think the proof is in the pudding with what he has done at the Mumbai Indians since that moment on. He has been a very successful leader there and has been when he has led India on a few occasions as well. If I go back to what I said at the start about being on top of your game when you take over a captaincy role, then it is pretty hard to argue after what he has done with his Test cricket in the last 2-3 years. He has played as well as anybody in the world through that period of time, and we know how good he is as a white-ball player," said the former Australian skipper.

It remains to be seen if Rohit, who is one of the favourites to take over as India's next Test captain after Kohli, is appointed as the skipper in the longest format as well or not.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting recently recalled how he played a role in Rohit Sharma's appointment as the captain of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting recently recalled how he played a role in Rohit Sharma's appointment as the captain of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Rohit was appointed as the captain of the Mumbai Indians in the year 2013. Ponting was the head coach of the franchise at the time and he had suggested the youngster's name to the team management. Rohit was recently appointed as India's limited-overs captain after Virat Kohli's departure. Though he has led India on a few ocassions in the past, Rohit is now the full-time skipper of the Indian team. He is the most successful IPL captain of all time with five titles to his name with Mumbai Indians and has impressed many with his leadership qualities over the years. Ponting, who himself is one of the greatest captains of all time in international cricket, is a big admirer of Rohit as a leader. The former Australian skipper revealed how he sacrificed his own spot and suggested the Mumbai Indians management to hand over the captaincy to Rohit, a move that turned out to be a masterstroke. "I was at Mumbai Indians when Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy there. I was bought in the auction to be their captain and unfortunately, I wasn't playing well enough after the first few games to keep myself in the team, so I had to make room for another international player to come into the side," Ponting said on 'The ICC Review'. "The owners and the team management wanted to know who I thought would be the appropriate person to take over the leadership at the Mumbai Indians. There were a few names thrown around between owners and the other coaches but it was really clear to me that there was only one guy that can lead the team - he was a young guy and his name happened to be Rohit Sharma," he added. Also Read: 'He has lost out on pace, accuracy': Sunil Gavaskar casts doubt on future of Team India pacer Since taking over as captain of the Mumbai Indians, Rohit has led the team to a record five IPL titles and has become the most successful captain in the history of the league. He has also led India in a few tournaments and has tasted great success at the international level as well. Ponting heaped praise on Rohit for being a successful leader. "I think the proof is in the pudding with what he has done at the Mumbai Indians since that moment on. He has been a very successful leader there and has been when he has led India on a few occasions as well. If I go back to what I said at the start about being on top of your game when you take over a captaincy role, then it is pretty hard to argue after what he has done with his Test cricket in the last 2-3 years. He has played as well as anybody in the world through that period of time, and we know how good he is as a white-ball player," said the former Australian skipper. It remains to be seen if Rohit, who is one of the favourites to take over as India's next Test captain after Kohli, is appointed as the skipper in the longest format as well or not.

Ricky Ponting recalls how he played a role in Rohit Sharma's appointment as Mumbai Indians captain

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains keen on hosting the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in India this year. The Indian cricket board has been making all the efforts to stage the league in the country and is continuously assessing the COVID-19 situation in India. With the number of cases going down across many states, the BCCI is optimistic about conducting the full season in India this year.

IPL had to be moved to the UAE completely in the year 2020 owing to the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the tournament kick-started in India and the first phase of matches were played in the country before a COVID-19 outbreak across the camps of several teams forced BCCI to postpone the season and conduct the second phase of the league in the UAE once again.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19, BCCI has reportedly decided to host the entire league stage of IPL 2022 in Maharashtra. As per a report in the Times of India, BCCI is keen on conducting the league stage matches across four venues in the state, followed by the playoffs in Gujarat. The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune are likely to be the four venues to host the IPL 2022 league stage.

The playoff matches will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. There are going to be a total of 70 matches in the IPL 2022 league stage after the introduction of two new teams - Lucknow Super Giant and the Ahmedabad franchise this year.

"As of now, the Board is mulling organising the league stage in Maharashtra, and the playoffs in Ahmedabad," a source was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mikyo-dorji-first-player-from-bhutan-to-register-for-ipl-auction-reveals-ms-dhonis-message-for-him-watch-448714">Mikyo Dorji, first player from Bhutan to register for IPL auction, reveals Dhoni's message for him - WATCH</a>

The BCCI is also planning to allow 25 per cent crowd at the venues for the matches in IPL 2022. A final call on whether or not to allow&nbsp;fans to attend matches will be taken at a later stage considering the COVID-19 situation in the country. The state government authorities are also keen on having crowds at the stadiums for this year's IPL.

"If the number of positive cases aren’t high around that time, the state government authorities are likely to allow around 25% capacity crowds for this year’s IPL,” a Maharashtra government politician said.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is all set to be conducted in Bengaluru on&nbsp;February 12 and 13 where hundreds of top players from across the globe will go under the hammer. IPL 2022 is likely to get underway from the final week of March or the first week of April.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains keen on hosting the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in India this year. The Indian cricket board has been making all the efforts to stage the league in the country and is continuously assessing the COVID-19 situation in India.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains keen on hosting the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in India this year. The Indian cricket board has been making all the efforts to stage the league in the country and is continuously assessing the COVID-19 situation in India. With the number of cases going down across many states, the BCCI is optimistic about conducting the full season in India this year. IPL had to be moved to the UAE completely in the year 2020 owing to the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the tournament kick-started in India and the first phase of matches were played in the country before a COVID-19 outbreak across the camps of several teams forced BCCI to postpone the season and conduct the second phase of the league in the UAE once again. To reduce the risk of COVID-19, BCCI has reportedly decided to host the entire league stage of IPL 2022 in Maharashtra. As per a report in the Times of India, BCCI is keen on conducting the league stage matches across four venues in the state, followed by the playoffs in Gujarat. The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune are likely to be the four venues to host the IPL 2022 league stage. The playoff matches will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. There are going to be a total of 70 matches in the IPL 2022 league stage after the introduction of two new teams - Lucknow Super Giant and the Ahmedabad franchise this year. "As of now, the Board is mulling organising the league stage in Maharashtra, and the playoffs in Ahmedabad," a source was quoted as saying by the Times of India. Also Read: Mikyo Dorji, first player from Bhutan to register for IPL auction, reveals Dhoni's message for him - WATCH The BCCI is also planning to allow 25 per cent crowd at the venues for the matches in IPL 2022. A final call on whether or not to allow fans to attend matches will be taken at a later stage considering the COVID-19 situation in the country. The state government authorities are also keen on having crowds at the stadiums for this year's IPL. "If the number of positive cases aren’t high around that time, the state government authorities are likely to allow around 25% capacity crowds for this year’s IPL,” a Maharashtra government politician said. The IPL 2022 mega auction is all set to be conducted in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13 where hundreds of top players from across the globe will go under the hammer. IPL 2022 is likely to get underway from the final week of March or the first week of April.

BCCI set to host IPL 2022 in Maharashtra and Gujarat; 25 percent crowd likely - Report

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the biggest T20 cricket league in the world and has grown in leaps and bounds since its inception in 2008. IPL is currently heading into its 15th season and has provided a platform to cricketers around the globe to showcase their skills and talent against the best in the business.

The league has transcended boundaries and allowed players from countries like Afghanistan, Nepal and others to make a name for themselves in the league. With the introduction of two new teams from the upcoming 2022 edition of the league, IPL is set to see more participation from associate nations this time around.

For the first time in the history of the IPL, a player from Bhutan has registered for the auction. Bhutanese all-rounder Mikyo Dorji has registered for the upcoming IPL 2022 mega auction and is the first player from his country to do so. He might become the first Bhutanese player to play in the league if he is picked by one of the ten teams at the mega auction.

Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction next month, Dorjee, a fast-bowling all-rounder shared a picture and a video of his meeting with the legendary MS Dhoni, and revealed a piece of advice from the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain. Dhoni is one of the most successful captains in IPL history with four titles under his belt.

Dorji had met Dhoni during his time with the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai. “'Keep it simple. Focus more on the process and less on the results. If you get the process right you will get the result. And enjoy, don’t take too much pressure'. Ever since the great MS Dhoni gave me this piece of advice, it has always stuck with me," Dorji wrote in his post, sharing a picture with Dhoni.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZRz1Uxp6Qb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZRz1Uxp6Qb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZRz1Uxp6Qb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZRz1Uxp6Qb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Ranjung mikyo dorji (@mikyo_dorji)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-budget-for-the-lord-yuzvendra-chahal-pulls-shardul-thakurs-leg-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-448412">'No budget for the Lord': Yuzvendra Chahal pulls Shardul Thakur's leg ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

22-year-old Dorji has so far played only one T20I in his international career. He made his international debut for Bhutan in a T20I against Nepal in December 2019. He scored 27 runs in the game. Dorji said registering for the IPL auction is a big deal for Bhutan.

However, the youngster is aware that his name might not be on the final shortlist once the initial list of 1214 players is trimmed down as per the choice of the owners. Nonetheless, he is happy to have registered for the auction and dreams of playing in the IPL one day.

“Playing in the IPL is an ultimate dream for me. People saw that there was one player in the auction list from Bhutan and my friends started calling me. But they don’t know (laughs) that this is just the initial round, and the names are going to be shortlisted further. If I am honest to myself, my name will not be there in the main list after it is trimmed. Anyways, just registering is a big deal for Bhutan,” Dorji told the New Indian Express.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the biggest T20 cricket league in the world and has grown in leaps and bounds since its inception in 2008. IPL is currently heading into its 15th season and has provided a platform to cricketers around the globe to showcase their skills and talent against the best in the business.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the biggest T20 cricket league in the world and has grown in leaps and bounds since its inception in 2008. IPL is currently heading into its 15th season and has provided a platform to cricketers around the globe to showcase their skills and talent against the best in the business. The league has transcended boundaries and allowed players from countries like Afghanistan, Nepal and others to make a name for themselves in the league. With the introduction of two new teams from the upcoming 2022 edition of the league, IPL is set to see more participation from associate nations this time around. For the first time in the history of the IPL, a player from Bhutan has registered for the auction. Bhutanese all-rounder Mikyo Dorji has registered for the upcoming IPL 2022 mega auction and is the first player from his country to do so. He might become the first Bhutanese player to play in the league if he is picked by one of the ten teams at the mega auction. Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction next month, Dorjee, a fast-bowling all-rounder shared a picture and a video of his meeting with the legendary MS Dhoni, and revealed a piece of advice from the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain. Dhoni is one of the most successful captains in IPL history with four titles under his belt. Dorji had met Dhoni during his time with the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai. “'Keep it simple. Focus more on the process and less on the results. If you get the process right you will get the result. And enjoy, don’t take too much pressure'. Ever since the great MS Dhoni gave me this piece of advice, it has always stuck with me," Dorji wrote in his post, sharing a picture with Dhoni. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ranjung mikyo dorji (@mikyo_dorji) × Also Read: 'No budget for the Lord': Yuzvendra Chahal pulls Shardul Thakur's leg ahead of IPL mega auction 22-year-old Dorji has so far played only one T20I in his international career. He made his international debut for Bhutan in a T20I against Nepal in December 2019. He scored 27 runs in the game. Dorji said registering for the IPL auction is a big deal for Bhutan. However, the youngster is aware that his name might not be on the final shortlist once the initial list of 1214 players is trimmed down as per the choice of the owners. Nonetheless, he is happy to have registered for the auction and dreams of playing in the IPL one day. “Playing in the IPL is an ultimate dream for me. People saw that there was one player in the auction list from Bhutan and my friends started calling me. But they don’t know (laughs) that this is just the initial round, and the names are going to be shortlisted further. If I am honest to myself, my name will not be there in the main list after it is trimmed. Anyways, just registering is a big deal for Bhutan,” Dorji told the New Indian Express.

Mikyo Dorji, first player from Bhutan to register for IPL auction, reveals MS Dhoni's message for him - WATCH

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. While he retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020, he continues to be a part of the IPL. Under Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have reached 9 IPL finals and won on four occasions, including the 2021 edition.

While Dhoni remains in the top-ten for most runs in IPL, he has made a huge mark for his keeping skills and captaincy credentials in the premier T20 tournament. Former CSK pacer Lungi Ngidi recently revealed a masterstroke from the Yellow Army's captain during the IPL 2018 final, versus Kane Williamson's Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), which fetched him a wicket.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-has-won-like-ms-dhoni-former-wi-skipper-heaps-praise-on-indias-white-ball-captain-448538">Rohit Sharma has won like MS Dhoni: Former WI skipper heaps praise on India's white-ball captain</a>

Speaking to Times Now, Ngidi said, "It was the final against the Sunrisers (Hyderabad) in 2018, we hadn’t discussed a certain field placement but he automatically just changed my field and with that field, within a couple of balls, we got a wicket to the fielder that he had moved. So for me, that’s one thing that sticks out in my mind because in a final, to have such a moment like that and to execute the plan that he wanted, really gave me confidence in terms of how to bowl and it just showed me how in tune he is with the game in terms of how he sees it’s going to play out and it played out exactly the way I think he thought it was going to."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-chopra-explains-why-warner-will-miss-out-on-captaincy-names-franchise-who-can-buy-him-448483">IPL 2022: Chopra explains why Warner will miss out on captaincy, names franchise who can buy him</a>

Ngidi returned with magical figures of 4-1-26-1 during CSK's 8-wicket win over SRH in the IPL 2018 final. In what was his maiden IPL season, the South African seamer played a key role in the Yellow Army's third title, accounting for&nbsp;25 wickets in 14 matches. It was also CSK's comeback season post the two-year suspension on account of spot-fixing scandal.

Ngidi was released by the CSK franchise following the IPL 2021 season. He is set to enter the IPL 2022 mega auction, with a base price of INR 5 millions.

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. While he retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020, he continues to be a part of the IPL. Under Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have reached 9 IPL finals and won on four occasions, including the 2021 edition.

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. While he retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020, he continues to be a part of the IPL. Under Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have reached 9 IPL finals and won on four occasions, including the 2021 edition. While Dhoni remains in the top-ten for most runs in IPL, he has made a huge mark for his keeping skills and captaincy credentials in the premier T20 tournament. Former CSK pacer Lungi Ngidi recently revealed a masterstroke from the Yellow Army's captain during the IPL 2018 final, versus Kane Williamson's Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), which fetched him a wicket. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma has won like MS Dhoni: Former WI skipper heaps praise on India's white-ball captain Speaking to Times Now, Ngidi said, "It was the final against the Sunrisers (Hyderabad) in 2018, we hadn’t discussed a certain field placement but he automatically just changed my field and with that field, within a couple of balls, we got a wicket to the fielder that he had moved. So for me, that’s one thing that sticks out in my mind because in a final, to have such a moment like that and to execute the plan that he wanted, really gave me confidence in terms of how to bowl and it just showed me how in tune he is with the game in terms of how he sees it’s going to play out and it played out exactly the way I think he thought it was going to." ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Chopra explains why Warner will miss out on captaincy, names franchise who can buy him Ngidi returned with magical figures of 4-1-26-1 during CSK's 8-wicket win over SRH in the IPL 2018 final. In what was his maiden IPL season, the South African seamer played a key role in the Yellow Army's third title, accounting for 25 wickets in 14 matches. It was also CSK's comeback season post the two-year suspension on account of spot-fixing scandal. Ngidi was released by the CSK franchise following the IPL 2021 season. He is set to enter the IPL 2022 mega auction, with a base price of INR 5 millions.

'It showed me how.....': Former CSK pacer Lungi Ngidi shares MS Dhoni's masterstroke during IPL 2018 final

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) may decide to pull out its players from the latter part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the team`s preparation for the three-Test series against New Zealand, scheduled to commence at Lord`s on June 2. 
 
Some of the leading England Test cricketers, including pace bowler Mark Wood and middle-order batter Jonny Bairstow, are among the 22 players from the county to have registered for the 10-franchise IPL mega auction next month. 
 
While the IPL schedule hasn`t been announced, it is likely to be held between March 27 and the last week of May, giving absolutely no time for the England Test cricketers to prepare for the home series against the Blackcaps. 
 
If England cricketers play the full duration of the IPL, it would most likely make them unavailable for the Lord`s Test as they would have no preparation whatsoever in red-ball cricket before taking on the reigning World Test champions.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-budget-for-the-lord-yuzvendra-chahal-pulls-shardul-thakurs-leg-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-448412">'No budget for the Lord': Yuzvendra Chahal pulls Shardul Thakur's leg ahead of IPL mega auction</a> 
 
A report in Cricbuzz said on Friday that while "no formal communication" has yet been given to England`s players or the IPL teams about their availability, it is understood that "several franchises have been given an indication that they should plan to lose England players likely to be involved against the Blackcaps before the conclusion of the IPL." 
 
Besides Bairstow and Wood, several other Test cricketers, including Dawid Malan, Ollie Pope, Craig Overton, Sam Billings and Dan Lawrence, could also be in the ECB`s scheme of things as they were part of the recently concluded Ashes in Australia. Jos Buttler, who was also Down Under for the five-Test series, has been retained by Rajasthan Royals. England Test skipper Joe Root, all-rounder Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes have ruled themselves out of IPL. 
 
A clear picture will emerge after next month`s auction, depending upon how may England cricketer get picked. But in all likelihood, the ECB would like the players selected for the Tests to play at least one County Championship match (May 19 onwards) before the series against the Kiwis.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) may decide to pull out its players from the latter part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the team`s preparation for the three-Test series against New Zealand, scheduled to commence at Lord`s on June 2.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) may decide to pull out its players from the latter part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the team`s preparation for the three-Test series against New Zealand, scheduled to commence at Lord`s on June 2. Some of the leading England Test cricketers, including pace bowler Mark Wood and middle-order batter Jonny Bairstow, are among the 22 players from the county to have registered for the 10-franchise IPL mega auction next month. While the IPL schedule hasn`t been announced, it is likely to be held between March 27 and the last week of May, giving absolutely no time for the England Test cricketers to prepare for the home series against the Blackcaps. If England cricketers play the full duration of the IPL, it would most likely make them unavailable for the Lord`s Test as they would have no preparation whatsoever in red-ball cricket before taking on the reigning World Test champions. Also Read: 'No budget for the Lord': Yuzvendra Chahal pulls Shardul Thakur's leg ahead of IPL mega auction A report in Cricbuzz said on Friday that while "no formal communication" has yet been given to England`s players or the IPL teams about their availability, it is understood that "several franchises have been given an indication that they should plan to lose England players likely to be involved against the Blackcaps before the conclusion of the IPL." Besides Bairstow and Wood, several other Test cricketers, including Dawid Malan, Ollie Pope, Craig Overton, Sam Billings and Dan Lawrence, could also be in the ECB`s scheme of things as they were part of the recently concluded Ashes in Australia. Jos Buttler, who was also Down Under for the five-Test series, has been retained by Rajasthan Royals. England Test skipper Joe Root, all-rounder Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes have ruled themselves out of IPL. A clear picture will emerge after next month`s auction, depending upon how may England cricketer get picked. But in all likelihood, the ECB would like the players selected for the Tests to play at least one County Championship match (May 19 onwards) before the series against the Kiwis.

England Test players likely to miss later stages of IPL 2022 due to series against New Zealand

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction has already started with the event set to be staged in Bengaluru next month. The IPL mega auction is all set to be a grand affair this time around with ten teams in the fray. A number of top players will go under the hammer during the mega event as the teams aim to build strong squads.

The IPL fever has also reached the Indian dressing as Indian players were recently seen talking about the upcoming mega auction in a video that has gone viral on social media. In the video, Yuzvendra Chahal can be seen hilariously pulling his India teammate Shardul Thakur's leg over his IPL valuation ahead of the auction.

In the viral video, Shardul and Chahal can be seen hanging out with the likes of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Shardul can be heard Rahul, who is set to captain Lucknow Super Giants next season if they have kept a specified budget for the Indian pacer. Chahal responds by stating that there is no budget for 'the lord' referring to his famous nickname on social media.

"Aap logo ka budget kitna hai mere liye?" (What is your (Lucknow Super Giants) budget for me?) Shardul can be heard asking Rahul. "Base price," responds Rahul before Chahal says - "Bhagwan ke liye budget nahi hota bro" (There is no budget for the lord brother).

Watch the viral video here:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZBtSdmB0o3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZBtSdmB0o3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZBtSdmB0o3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZBtSdmB0o3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Cricket bloggers (@_cricblog_)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sachin-would-have-made-1-lakh-runs-shoaib-akhtar-slams-icc-for-extra-leverage-to-batters-in-current-era-448394">'Sachin would have made 1 lakh runs': Shoaib Akhtar slams ICC for extra leverage to batters in current era</a>

Shardul was given the nickname - 'Lord' by the fans of the Indian cricket team after his heroics in India's Test series against Australia Down Under. Shardul had played only the last Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 at the Gabba where his all-round heroics helped India breach Australia's fortress.

Shardul had picked up seven wickets and scored a half-century as India won the game by three wickets to clinch their second successive Test series win in Australia. Shardul was part of the Chennai Super Kings' squad last season and played an instrumental role in their success.

However, he was released by the franchise ahead of the mega auction and might find a new team to play for ahead of the next season.

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction has already started with the event set to be staged in Bengaluru next month. The IPL mega auction is all set to be a grand affair this time around with ten teams in the fray.

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction has already started with the event set to be staged in Bengaluru next month. The IPL mega auction is all set to be a grand affair this time around with ten teams in the fray. A number of top players will go under the hammer during the mega event as the teams aim to build strong squads. The IPL fever has also reached the Indian dressing as Indian players were recently seen talking about the upcoming mega auction in a video that has gone viral on social media. In the video, Yuzvendra Chahal can be seen hilariously pulling his India teammate Shardul Thakur's leg over his IPL valuation ahead of the auction. In the viral video, Shardul and Chahal can be seen hanging out with the likes of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Shardul can be heard Rahul, who is set to captain Lucknow Super Giants next season if they have kept a specified budget for the Indian pacer. Chahal responds by stating that there is no budget for 'the lord' referring to his famous nickname on social media. "Aap logo ka budget kitna hai mere liye?" (What is your (Lucknow Super Giants) budget for me?) Shardul can be heard asking Rahul. "Base price," responds Rahul before Chahal says - "Bhagwan ke liye budget nahi hota bro" (There is no budget for the lord brother). Watch the viral video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cricket bloggers (@_cricblog_) × Also Read: 'Sachin would have made 1 lakh runs': Shoaib Akhtar slams ICC for extra leverage to batters in current era Shardul was given the nickname - 'Lord' by the fans of the Indian cricket team after his heroics in India's Test series against Australia Down Under. Shardul had played only the last Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 at the Gabba where his all-round heroics helped India breach Australia's fortress. Shardul had picked up seven wickets and scored a half-century as India won the game by three wickets to clinch their second successive Test series win in Australia. Shardul was part of the Chennai Super Kings' squad last season and played an instrumental role in their success. However, he was released by the franchise ahead of the mega auction and might find a new team to play for ahead of the next season.

'No budget for the Lord': Yuzvendra Chahal pulls Shardul Thakur's leg ahead of IPL mega auction

IPL 2022 mega auction: Veteran Indian players who might go unsold

The Lucknow-based Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise announced its name on Monday (January 24), ending weeks of speculation. The RPSG Group-owned franchise will be called the Lucknow Super Giants. The team will be led by India's vice-captain KL Rahul, who has been roped in by the franchise for a whopping sum of Rs 17 crore (INR 170 million) making him the joint-highest earner in an IPL season.

Lucknow franchise is owned by the RPSG Group, which had bought the now-defunct IPL team Rising Pune Supergiant. The Pune-based franchise had taken part in the IPL for two seasons in 2016 and 2017 along with Gujarat Lions. RPSG Group owner Sanjeev Goenka while revealing the name of the Lucknow team, said it was picked after a vote from fans.

However, fans on Twitter were&nbsp;quick to come up with hilarious reactions to the franchise owners making a bare minimum effort in terms of naming their new franchise which is heavily inspired by the name of their erstwhile Pune team. IPL teams also joined the bandwagon and reacted to Pune's name reveal with cheeky tweets.

Rajasthan Royals came up with a hilarious response to the name reveal as they tweeted&nbsp;"Pun(e) intended," while reacting to Team Lucknow's tweet. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) also welcomed the new franchise to the IPL and wrote - "Super' Name Machi!"

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
'Super' Name Machi! <a href="https://t.co/RoWqWWrTRJ">https://t.co/RoWqWWrTRJ</a>
— Chennai Super Kings - Mask Pdu Whistle Pdu! (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1485843340877004804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Pun(e) intended <a href="https://t.co/0BSl8twqat">https://t.co/0BSl8twqat</a> <a href="https://t.co/yqujgBr5cJ">pic.twitter.com/yqujgBr5cJ</a>
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajasthanroyals/status/1485617986748973063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-shreyas-iyer-aakash-chopra-names-west-indies-all-rounder-who-should-replace-virat-kohli-as-rcb-captain-447439">Not Shreyas Iyer!&nbsp;Chopra names West Indies all-rounder who should replace Virat Kohli as RCB captain</a>

The Rising Pune Super Giants have roped in Rahul, Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi as the three picks from players draft ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction next month. The new franchise will be focused on building a strong squad to challenge for the title in their debut season.

Ahmedabad IPL team, which is the other team all set to debut in the competition this year, has roped in star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya as captain while Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and Indian batter Shubman Gill are their other two picks ahead of the auction.

&nbsp;

The Lucknow-based Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise announced its name on Monday (January 24), ending weeks of speculation. The RPSG Group-owned franchise will be called the Lucknow Super Giants.

The Lucknow-based Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise announced its name on Monday (January 24), ending weeks of speculation. The RPSG Group-owned franchise will be called the Lucknow Super Giants. The team will be led by India's vice-captain KL Rahul, who has been roped in by the franchise for a whopping sum of Rs 17 crore (INR 170 million) making him the joint-highest earner in an IPL season. Lucknow franchise is owned by the RPSG Group, which had bought the now-defunct IPL team Rising Pune Supergiant. The Pune-based franchise had taken part in the IPL for two seasons in 2016 and 2017 along with Gujarat Lions. RPSG Group owner Sanjeev Goenka while revealing the name of the Lucknow team, said it was picked after a vote from fans. However, fans on Twitter were quick to come up with hilarious reactions to the franchise owners making a bare minimum effort in terms of naming their new franchise which is heavily inspired by the name of their erstwhile Pune team. IPL teams also joined the bandwagon and reacted to Pune's name reveal with cheeky tweets. Rajasthan Royals came up with a hilarious response to the name reveal as they tweeted "Pun(e) intended," while reacting to Team Lucknow's tweet. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) also welcomed the new franchise to the IPL and wrote - "Super' Name Machi!" 'Super' Name Machi! https://t.co/RoWqWWrTRJ — Chennai Super Kings - Mask Pdu Whistle Pdu! (@ChennaiIPL) January 25, 2022 × Pun(e) intended https://t.co/0BSl8twqat pic.twitter.com/yqujgBr5cJ — Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) January 24, 2022 × Also Read: Not Shreyas Iyer! Chopra names West Indies all-rounder who should replace Virat Kohli as RCB captain The Rising Pune Super Giants have roped in Rahul, Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi as the three picks from players draft ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction next month. The new franchise will be focused on building a strong squad to challenge for the title in their debut season. Ahmedabad IPL team, which is the other team all set to debut in the competition this year, has roped in star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya as captain while Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and Indian batter Shubman Gill are their other two picks ahead of the auction.

'Pun(e) intended': How CSK, Rajasthan Royals reacted to Lucknow Super Giants' name announcement

The forthcoming IPL 2022 edition will see two more teams join the existing eight franchises, in the form of Lucknow Super Giants and the Ahmedabad franchise. While KL Rahul has been named the Lucknow skipper, local boy Hardik Pandya is set to debut as captain for the Ahmedabad line-up in IPL 2022.

Ahead of the new season, all eyes are on the upcoming mega auction, set to be held in mid-February in Bengaluru. For now, Lucknow have roped in the likes of Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi whereas Ahmedabad comprise Hardik, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill.

Prior to the auction, Hardik revealed that he is set to return to his all-round abilities for the forthcoming IPL season and also hailed his former Indian captain MS Dhoni for grooming him.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/everyone-wants-someone-like-him-lucknow-captain-kl-rahul-eyes-star-foreign-player-ahead-of-ipl-auction-447441">'Everyone wants someone like him' - Lucknow captain KL Rahul eyes star foreign player ahead of IPL auction</a>

Speaking on&nbsp;Backstage with Boria, Hardik responded on being asked if he wants to be seen as an all-rounder. To this, he said "Yes, that’s my plan.&nbsp;I want to play as an allrounder. My preparation, hard work is all about playing as an allrounder. If something goes bad then I don’t know. I am feeling good, strong and eventually, time will tell."

Hardik, who made his international debut under Dhoni in early 2016,&nbsp;talked about the legendary skipper's role in grooming him as a leader.&nbsp; In this regard, he opined, "I have learned a lot from everyone, especially Mahi Bhai. When I went there [Indian team], I was a raw material. The way he groomed me --&nbsp;he&nbsp;gave me a lot of freedom. He wanted me to make my own mistakes and learn. I used to think why he is not saying a lot of things but later on, I realised that he wanted me to learn on my own so that I can survive more and harden."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-shreyas-iyer-aakash-chopra-names-west-indies-all-rounder-who-should-replace-virat-kohli-as-rcb-captain-447439">Not Shreyas Iyer! Aakash Chopra names West Indies all-rounder who should replace Virat Kohli as RCB captain</a>

Hardik will be eager to make a mark as an all-rounder in the forthcoming IPL season. He hasn't bowled much in the international circuit since his back surgery in early 2020 and, hence, has lost his Test spot. He would be eager to make a resounding contribution in all departments and also take Ahmedabad to the playoffs in their maiden season.

The forthcoming IPL 2022 edition will see two more teams join the existing eight franchises, in the form of Lucknow Super Giants and the Ahmedabad franchise. While KL Rahul has been named the Lucknow skipper, local boy Hardik Pandya is set to debut as captain for the Ahmedabad line-up in IPL 2022.

The forthcoming IPL 2022 edition will see two more teams join the existing eight franchises, in the form of Lucknow Super Giants and the Ahmedabad franchise. While KL Rahul has been named the Lucknow skipper, local boy Hardik Pandya is set to debut as captain for the Ahmedabad line-up in IPL 2022. Ahead of the new season, all eyes are on the upcoming mega auction, set to be held in mid-February in Bengaluru. For now, Lucknow have roped in the likes of Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi whereas Ahmedabad comprise Hardik, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill. Prior to the auction, Hardik revealed that he is set to return to his all-round abilities for the forthcoming IPL season and also hailed his former Indian captain MS Dhoni for grooming him. ALSO READ | 'Everyone wants someone like him' - Lucknow captain KL Rahul eyes star foreign player ahead of IPL auction Speaking on Backstage with Boria, Hardik responded on being asked if he wants to be seen as an all-rounder. To this, he said "Yes, that’s my plan. I want to play as an allrounder. My preparation, hard work is all about playing as an allrounder. If something goes bad then I don’t know. I am feeling good, strong and eventually, time will tell." Hardik, who made his international debut under Dhoni in early 2016, talked about the legendary skipper's role in grooming him as a leader. In this regard, he opined, "I have learned a lot from everyone, especially Mahi Bhai. When I went there [Indian team], I was a raw material. The way he groomed me -- he gave me a lot of freedom. He wanted me to make my own mistakes and learn. I used to think why he is not saying a lot of things but later on, I realised that he wanted me to learn on my own so that I can survive more and harden." ALSO READ | Not Shreyas Iyer! Aakash Chopra names West Indies all-rounder who should replace Virat Kohli as RCB captain Hardik will be eager to make a mark as an all-rounder in the forthcoming IPL season. He hasn't bowled much in the international circuit since his back surgery in early 2020 and, hence, has lost his Test spot. He would be eager to make a resounding contribution in all departments and also take Ahmedabad to the playoffs in their maiden season.

IPL 2022: 'He wanted me to....'- Ahmedabad captain Hardik Pandya hails MS Dhoni for grooming him

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition is still over two months away. However, all eyes are on the mega auction, which is set to be held in mid-February in Bengaluru. The 15th edition is eagerly awaited as it will see two new teams joining the eight franchises, which also makes the forthcoming mega auction all the more important.

While the eight existing teams will face the challenge to revamp once again, the two new teams -- i.e. Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- will aim to create start from scratch and make the most of the auction proceedings. Ahead of the auction on February 12 and 13, Lucknow Super Giants' captain KL Rahul has lavished praise on Kagiso Rabada, who was not retained by the Delhi Capitals (DC), and hinted that the team management might aim to buy him.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/time-we-get-better-and-transform-our-white-ball-cricket-says-rahul-post-indias-listless-performance-vs-sa-447258">Time we get better and transform our white-ball cricket, says Rahul post India's listless performance vs SA</a>

"We have seen Rabada being a key bowler for the Delhi Capitals and played a huge part in their success. Every team would want a player like Kagiso Rabada. Come on, he bowls over 145kph and is a very smart cricketer. Everyone would want someone like that," said Rahul about the South African pace spearhead on India Today.

Rahul also heaped praise on Marco Jansen and Rassie van der Dussen, who made heads turn with their performances in the India-SA series, in the rainbow nation. "Marco Jansen played a few games for Mumbai Indians but he has come of his own now. He had a really good series with the red ball (during the India Test series in the African nation) and that makes a little bit of a difference with how people see him. He is someone who will do really well in international cricket with the red ball. We all spoke about it after the series as well that he is going to be the next big thing in international cricket," opined Rahul.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lucknow-super-giants-rpsg-group-owned-ipl-franchise-unveil-their-name-ahead-of-debut-season-447209">Lucknow Super Giants! RPSG Group-owned IPL franchise unveil their name ahead of debut season</a>

"Van der Dussen has been performing phenomenally and is someone who plays spin really well. That is key and a very important thing that a franchise looks at when you are picking a foreign batter. We play the IPL in India and teams tend to use a lot of spinners in the middle overs so you need to be a good player of spin to get into an IPL team," added Rahul.

For now, Lucknow have acquired the services of Rahul, Ravi Bishnoi and Marcus Stoinis. On the other hand, Ahmedabad franchise have named Hardik Pandya as the captain, along with claiming the services of Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition is still over two months away. However, all eyes are on the mega auction, which is set to be held in mid-February in Bengaluru.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition is still over two months away. However, all eyes are on the mega auction, which is set to be held in mid-February in Bengaluru. The 15th edition is eagerly awaited as it will see two new teams joining the eight franchises, which also makes the forthcoming mega auction all the more important. While the eight existing teams will face the challenge to revamp once again, the two new teams -- i.e. Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- will aim to create start from scratch and make the most of the auction proceedings. Ahead of the auction on February 12 and 13, Lucknow Super Giants' captain KL Rahul has lavished praise on Kagiso Rabada, who was not retained by the Delhi Capitals (DC), and hinted that the team management might aim to buy him. ALSO READ | Time we get better and transform our white-ball cricket, says Rahul post India's listless performance vs SA "We have seen Rabada being a key bowler for the Delhi Capitals and played a huge part in their success. Every team would want a player like Kagiso Rabada. Come on, he bowls over 145kph and is a very smart cricketer. Everyone would want someone like that," said Rahul about the South African pace spearhead on India Today. Rahul also heaped praise on Marco Jansen and Rassie van der Dussen, who made heads turn with their performances in the India-SA series, in the rainbow nation. "Marco Jansen played a few games for Mumbai Indians but he has come of his own now. He had a really good series with the red ball (during the India Test series in the African nation) and that makes a little bit of a difference with how people see him. He is someone who will do really well in international cricket with the red ball. We all spoke about it after the series as well that he is going to be the next big thing in international cricket," opined Rahul. ALSO READ | Lucknow Super Giants! RPSG Group-owned IPL franchise unveil their name ahead of debut season "Van der Dussen has been performing phenomenally and is someone who plays spin really well. That is key and a very important thing that a franchise looks at when you are picking a foreign batter. We play the IPL in India and teams tend to use a lot of spinners in the middle overs so you need to be a good player of spin to get into an IPL team," added Rahul. For now, Lucknow have acquired the services of Rahul, Ravi Bishnoi and Marcus Stoinis. On the other hand, Ahmedabad franchise have named Hardik Pandya as the captain, along with claiming the services of Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill.

'Everyone wants someone like him' - Lucknow captain KL Rahul eyes star foreign player ahead of IPL auction

ipl-0

Ipl, News on Ipl, stories on Ipl, articles on Ipl, Ipl stories at Wion, Ipl news, Ipl latest news

ipl 0