Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has issued a warning to the Lucknow Super Giants players ahead of their debut season in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gambhir, a two-time IPL-winning captain will be serving as the mentor of the newly-integrated franchise in IPL 2022. The former India opener is known for his outspoken nature and never shies away from putting his message across loud and clear.

Gambhir will be returning to the Indian Premier League for the first time since his retirement as a player and will be taking up the role of a mentor for Lucknow Super Giants. Lucknow are one of the two new teams who are set to make their debut in the IPL this year. Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction which is all set to take place next month, Gambhir has sent a stern message to the current players and the probable players of the franchise.

Gambhir has said he would not want players in his team who are playing in the IPL with the ultimate aim of playing for India. The former opener believes playing for India is a byproduct of the player's performances in the league and that if a player is using the IPL as a platform to play for India in future then he is being dishonest to the franchise.

"When I’ve captained, I have always said I don’t want players thinking of playing for India. I want players thinking of playing for the franchise. Playing for India is just the byproduct," Gambhir said on the show Backstage with Boria.

"If you think of playing for India and you start saying that Lucknow gives me that platform to play for India, then you are being dishonest to the franchise. But if you were to play for Lucknow and deliver it for Lucknow, eventually you will end up playing for India."

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>

Gambhir believes the players' ultimate aim should not be to use IPL as a platform t relaise their dream of playing for India but to make sure they give their hundred percent in delivering for the franchise and win the tournament for them. The former India opener said players should take IPL as a platform to showcase their talent.

"So probably in those two months, I would not want any of the players saying or thinking that my job or my ultimate aim is to play for India. Their ultimate aim for those two months is to win the tournament for the franchise. And if they look to do that with their performances, they will eventually go on to play for India," said Gambhir.

"And IPL is not a platform to go on to play for India. IPL is a platform to showcase your talent to the world, and that is how players should think about it," he added.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has issued a warning to the Lucknow Super Giants players ahead of their debut season in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gambhir, a two-time IPL-winning captain will be serving as the mentor of the newly-integrated franchise in IPL 2022.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has issued a warning to the Lucknow Super Giants players ahead of their debut season in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gambhir, a two-time IPL-winning captain will be serving as the mentor of the newly-integrated franchise in IPL 2022. The former India opener is known for his outspoken nature and never shies away from putting his message across loud and clear. Gambhir will be returning to the Indian Premier League for the first time since his retirement as a player and will be taking up the role of a mentor for Lucknow Super Giants. Lucknow are one of the two new teams who are set to make their debut in the IPL this year. Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction which is all set to take place next month, Gambhir has sent a stern message to the current players and the probable players of the franchise. Gambhir has said he would not want players in his team who are playing in the IPL with the ultimate aim of playing for India. The former opener believes playing for India is a byproduct of the player's performances in the league and that if a player is using the IPL as a platform to play for India in future then he is being dishonest to the franchise. "When I’ve captained, I have always said I don’t want players thinking of playing for India. I want players thinking of playing for the franchise. Playing for India is just the byproduct," Gambhir said on the show Backstage with Boria. "If you think of playing for India and you start saying that Lucknow gives me that platform to play for India, then you are being dishonest to the franchise. But if you were to play for Lucknow and deliver it for Lucknow, eventually you will end up playing for India." Also Read: Lucknow Super Giants! RPSG Group-owned IPL franchise unveil their name ahead of debut season Gambhir believes the players' ultimate aim should not be to use IPL as a platform t relaise their dream of playing for India but to make sure they give their hundred percent in delivering for the franchise and win the tournament for them. The former India opener said players should take IPL as a platform to showcase their talent. "So probably in those two months, I would not want any of the players saying or thinking that my job or my ultimate aim is to play for India. Their ultimate aim for those two months is to win the tournament for the franchise. And if they look to do that with their performances, they will eventually go on to play for India," said Gambhir. "And IPL is not a platform to go on to play for India. IPL is a platform to showcase your talent to the world, and that is how players should think about it," he added.

Mentor Gambhir issues warning to Lucknow players: If you think of playing for India, you are being dishonest

After several weeks of speculation, the Lucknow Indian Premier League (IPL) side has finally announced their name ahead of their debut season in the tournament. The franchise which is owned by Sanjeev Goenka-led RPSG Group will be called the Lucknow Super Giants.

The RPSG Group bought the franchise after a successful bid of a whopping Rs 7090 Crore (INR 70.09 billion) last year. Lucknow Super Giants are one of the two new teams who will be making their IPL debut this year. The other team which is all set to make its debut in the competition this year is the Ahmedabad IPL side which is yet to confirm its official name.

Lucknow Super Giants have roped in India's limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul as their skipper. The team has also picked Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi from the players draft ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction next month.

While Rahul was roped in for a sum of Rs 17 crore (INR 170 million), Stoinis was picked for Rs 9.2 crore (INR 92 million) and Bishnoi will be earning Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) per season. Lucknow Super Giants will be looking to build their squad around the three players in the upcoming mega auction.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lucknow-franchise-rope-in-kl-rahul-marcus-stoinis-and-ravi-bishnoi-ahead-of-ipl-2022-mega-auction-446565">Lucknow franchise rope in KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Ahmedabad IPL franchise, on the other hand, has picked star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and Indian batter Shubman Gill as their picks ahead of the mega auction. Hardik, who was part of the Mumbai Indians squad from the 2015 to 2021 season, will lead the Ahmedabad franchise in their debut season this year.

The IPL 2022 mega auction will be conducted in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

After several weeks of speculation, the Lucknow Indian Premier League (IPL) side has finally announced their name ahead of their debut season in the tournament. The franchise which is owned by Sanjeev Goenka-led RPSG Group will be called the Lucknow Super Giants.

After several weeks of speculation, the Lucknow Indian Premier League (IPL) side has finally announced their name ahead of their debut season in the tournament. The franchise which is owned by Sanjeev Goenka-led RPSG Group will be called the Lucknow Super Giants. The RPSG Group bought the franchise after a successful bid of a whopping Rs 7090 Crore (INR 70.09 billion) last year. Lucknow Super Giants are one of the two new teams who will be making their IPL debut this year. The other team which is all set to make its debut in the competition this year is the Ahmedabad IPL side which is yet to confirm its official name. Lucknow Super Giants have roped in India's limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul as their skipper. The team has also picked Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi from the players draft ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction next month. While Rahul was roped in for a sum of Rs 17 crore (INR 170 million), Stoinis was picked for Rs 9.2 crore (INR 92 million) and Bishnoi will be earning Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) per season. Lucknow Super Giants will be looking to build their squad around the three players in the upcoming mega auction. Also Read: Lucknow franchise rope in KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction Ahmedabad IPL franchise, on the other hand, has picked star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and Indian batter Shubman Gill as their picks ahead of the mega auction. Hardik, who was part of the Mumbai Indians squad from the 2015 to 2021 season, will lead the Ahmedabad franchise in their debut season this year. The IPL 2022 mega auction will be conducted in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

Lucknow Super Giants! RPSG Group-owned IPL franchise unveil their name ahead of debut season

A staggering 1214 players have registered for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega player auction which is all set to take place in Bengaluru next month. Not eight but ten teams will be part of the auction process this time around after the inclusion of two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad for the next edition of the tournament. All ten teams will be aiming to build strong squads almost from scratch ahead of the new season.

While the existing eight teams had the option of retaining a maximum of four players each, the two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad were allowed to pick three players each from the pool of non-retained ones. A number of top players are still in the fray to be picked by the ten teams after entering the mega auction. There are a total of five brackets that have been set by the BCCI for the players and a capped can put his name in any of the brackets.

The five brackets for the players are Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million), Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million), Rs 1 crore (INR 10 million), Rs 50 lakh (INR 5 million) and Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million). While a total of 49 players, including Indians and overseas, opted for the top bracket with the base price of Rs 2 crore, 20 players have opted for the second-highest bracket of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million).

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Eoin Morgan, star England batter Jonny Bairstow and Shimron Hetmyer are some of the prominent names in the Rs 1.5 crore category. The likes of Dawid Malan, Jimmy Neesham, Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran have also opted for the second-highest bracket ahead of the mega auction.

Here is the complete list of players under the Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million) bracket ahead of IPL mega auction:

Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Washington Sundar, Aaron Finch, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Kane Richardson, Jonny Bairstow, Alex Hales, Eoin Morgan, Dawid Malan, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Tim Southee, Colin Ingram, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-to-david-warner-full-list-of-players-with-highest-base-price-of-rs-2cr-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-446663">Iyer to Warner: Full list of players with highest base price of Rs 2cr ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

The IPL 2022 mega auction is all set to take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. The complete list of 1214 players will be presented to the ten franchises and will be trimmed down after the franchises have shortlisted the players they would want to see going under the hammer at the mega auction.

 
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A staggering 1214 players have registered for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega player auction which is all set to take place in Bengaluru next month.

A staggering 1214 players have registered for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega player auction which is all set to take place in Bengaluru next month. Not eight but ten teams will be part of the auction process this time around after the inclusion of two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad for the next edition of the tournament. All ten teams will be aiming to build strong squads almost from scratch ahead of the new season. While the existing eight teams had the option of retaining a maximum of four players each, the two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad were allowed to pick three players each from the pool of non-retained ones. A number of top players are still in the fray to be picked by the ten teams after entering the mega auction. There are a total of five brackets that have been set by the BCCI for the players and a capped can put his name in any of the brackets. The five brackets for the players are Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million), Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million), Rs 1 crore (INR 10 million), Rs 50 lakh (INR 5 million) and Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million). While a total of 49 players, including Indians and overseas, opted for the top bracket with the base price of Rs 2 crore, 20 players have opted for the second-highest bracket of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million). Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Eoin Morgan, star England batter Jonny Bairstow and Shimron Hetmyer are some of the prominent names in the Rs 1.5 crore category. The likes of Dawid Malan, Jimmy Neesham, Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran have also opted for the second-highest bracket ahead of the mega auction. Here is the complete list of players under the Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million) bracket ahead of IPL mega auction: Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Washington Sundar, Aaron Finch, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Kane Richardson, Jonny Bairstow, Alex Hales, Eoin Morgan, Dawid Malan, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Tim Southee, Colin Ingram, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran. Also Read: Iyer to Warner: Full list of players with highest base price of Rs 2cr ahead of IPL mega auction The IPL 2022 mega auction is all set to take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. The complete list of 1214 players will be presented to the ten franchises and will be trimmed down after the franchises have shortlisted the players they would want to see going under the hammer at the mega auction.

Eoin Morgan to Jonny Bairstow: Complete List of players with base price of Rs 1.5cr at IPL mega auction

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is confident of hosting the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) entirely in India. IPL was moved out of India and shifted to UAE due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Last year, the first phase of the tournament was played in India before the league was moved to the UAE once again due to a COVID-19 outbreak midway through the tournament.

However, as per a report in Cricbuzz, the BCCI is making all possible efforts to host the tournament in India this year. Maharashtra can host the entire tournament this time around as Mumbai and Pune have a total of four grounds near each other. The report added that the tournament is likely to begin from March 27 this year, a week ahead of the planned schedule.

The prospect of hosting the entire tournament in Maharashtra was discussed during a meeting between the BCCI and the owners of the IPL teams on Saturday (January 22). The matches will be played behind closed doors if the tournament is staged in India.

Besides the four stadiums in the two cities, it is believed that Maharashtra has enough hotels as well to accommodate all ten teams during the IPL 2022 season. However, as per Cricbuzz, the final decision on the venue is yet to be made and it is likely to be finalised on February 20 after the board has assessed the COVID-19 situation in the state.

The meeting on Saturday was attended by the owners of all ten teams and the major discussion was around the venue for the upcoming edition. BCCI presented the options of Mumbai-Pune, UAE and South Africa as potential venues for the tournament. UAE was rejected owing to the dew factor in the grounds during April and May.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-to-david-warner-full-list-of-players-with-highest-base-price-of-rs-2cr-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-446663">Shreyas Iyer to David Warner: Full list of players with highest base price of Rs 2cr ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

In the T20 World Cup last year, dew has played a major role in deciding big games as teams batting first had a major disadvantage. South Africa is the backup option in case the BCCI fails to organise the tournament in India. It remains to be seen what will be the final decision of the BCCI about the venue of the IPL this year.

It has also been confirmed that the upcoming IPL mega auction 2022 will be conducted as per schedule in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. A staggering 1214 players have registered for the mega auction this time.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is confident of hosting the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) entirely in India. IPL was moved out of India and shifted to UAE due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is confident of hosting the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) entirely in India. IPL was moved out of India and shifted to UAE due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Last year, the first phase of the tournament was played in India before the league was moved to the UAE once again due to a COVID-19 outbreak midway through the tournament. However, as per a report in Cricbuzz, the BCCI is making all possible efforts to host the tournament in India this year. Maharashtra can host the entire tournament this time around as Mumbai and Pune have a total of four grounds near each other. The report added that the tournament is likely to begin from March 27 this year, a week ahead of the planned schedule. The prospect of hosting the entire tournament in Maharashtra was discussed during a meeting between the BCCI and the owners of the IPL teams on Saturday (January 22). The matches will be played behind closed doors if the tournament is staged in India. Besides the four stadiums in the two cities, it is believed that Maharashtra has enough hotels as well to accommodate all ten teams during the IPL 2022 season. However, as per Cricbuzz, the final decision on the venue is yet to be made and it is likely to be finalised on February 20 after the board has assessed the COVID-19 situation in the state. The meeting on Saturday was attended by the owners of all ten teams and the major discussion was around the venue for the upcoming edition. BCCI presented the options of Mumbai-Pune, UAE and South Africa as potential venues for the tournament. UAE was rejected owing to the dew factor in the grounds during April and May. Also Read: Shreyas Iyer to David Warner: Full list of players with highest base price of Rs 2cr ahead of IPL mega auction In the T20 World Cup last year, dew has played a major role in deciding big games as teams batting first had a major disadvantage. South Africa is the backup option in case the BCCI fails to organise the tournament in India. It remains to be seen what will be the final decision of the BCCI about the venue of the IPL this year. It has also been confirmed that the upcoming IPL mega auction 2022 will be conducted as per schedule in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. A staggering 1214 players have registered for the mega auction this time.

IPL 2022 likely to be hosted in India behind closed doors, tournament to get underway in March - Report

The Lucknow franchise, which is all set to be one of the two debutants in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, revealed their three draft picks ahead of the mega auction on Friday (January 21). The Lucknow IPL franchise has roped in India's limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul along with Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi as their three draft picks heading into the auction.

Rahul was the first pick of the franchise for a whopping sum of Rs 17 crore (INR 170 million), making him the joint-highest paid player in IPL history alongside Virat Kohli, who is part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) squad. Kohli had been retained by RCB for Rs 17 crore ahead of the IPL 2018 player auction.

While they have spent big on Rahul, who is also set to lead the team in their debut IPL season this year, the Lucknow franchise has roped in Stoinis for Rs 9.2 crore (INR 92 million) and Bishnoi for Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million). Both Rahul and Bishnoi were part of the Punjab Kings squad in IPL 2021 last year.

Explaining the reason behind Lucknow spending a big sum in securing the services of Rahul, former India opener Gautam Gambhir, who is going to be the mentor of the franchise, explained why the decision was a no-brainer. Gambhir said Rahul might be a work-in-progress as a captain but has been scoring runs consistently and also keeps wickets.

"He's a work in progress [as captain], he keeps, he opens the batting. He consistently has been a phenomenal run-scorer. And what's better than someone who gives you three things," said Gambhir speaking on Star Sports.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-to-david-warner-full-list-of-players-with-highest-base-price-of-rs-2cr-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-446663">Shreyas Iyer to David Warner: Full list of players with highest base price of Rs 2cr ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

He also shared his views on the other two picks of the Lucknow franchise - Stoinis and Bishnoi. Talking about the Aussie all-rounder, Gambhir pointed out he is a great finisher and a good bowler while also being a great fielder which made him a package for the side. He stated that Bishnoi brought a unique dimension to their spin attack and is a long-term investment for the franchise.

"Marcus is a great finisher, a good bowler and a phenomenal fielder. Ravi brings a unique dimension to the spin department and is an exceptional fielder. We want players to be here for 3-4-5-6-7-8 years," said Gambhir.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-rashid-khan-and-shubman-gill-join-ahmedabad-ipl-team-ahead-of-mega-auction-446575">Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill join Ahmedabad IPL team ahead of mega auction</a>

While the Lucknow franchise went for Rahul, Stoinis and Bishnoi as their final three picks in the draft, the Ahmedabad IPL side has roped in star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and Indian batter Shubman Gill as their three picks ahead of the mega auction.

The Lucknow franchise, which is all set to be one of the two debutants in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, revealed their three draft picks ahead of the mega auction on Friday (January 21).

The Lucknow franchise, which is all set to be one of the two debutants in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, revealed their three draft picks ahead of the mega auction on Friday (January 21). The Lucknow IPL franchise has roped in India's limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul along with Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi as their three draft picks heading into the auction. Rahul was the first pick of the franchise for a whopping sum of Rs 17 crore (INR 170 million), making him the joint-highest paid player in IPL history alongside Virat Kohli, who is part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) squad. Kohli had been retained by RCB for Rs 17 crore ahead of the IPL 2018 player auction. While they have spent big on Rahul, who is also set to lead the team in their debut IPL season this year, the Lucknow franchise has roped in Stoinis for Rs 9.2 crore (INR 92 million) and Bishnoi for Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million). Both Rahul and Bishnoi were part of the Punjab Kings squad in IPL 2021 last year. Explaining the reason behind Lucknow spending a big sum in securing the services of Rahul, former India opener Gautam Gambhir, who is going to be the mentor of the franchise, explained why the decision was a no-brainer. Gambhir said Rahul might be a work-in-progress as a captain but has been scoring runs consistently and also keeps wickets. "He's a work in progress [as captain], he keeps, he opens the batting. He consistently has been a phenomenal run-scorer. And what's better than someone who gives you three things," said Gambhir speaking on Star Sports. Also Read: Shreyas Iyer to David Warner: Full list of players with highest base price of Rs 2cr ahead of IPL mega auction He also shared his views on the other two picks of the Lucknow franchise - Stoinis and Bishnoi. Talking about the Aussie all-rounder, Gambhir pointed out he is a great finisher and a good bowler while also being a great fielder which made him a package for the side. He stated that Bishnoi brought a unique dimension to their spin attack and is a long-term investment for the franchise. "Marcus is a great finisher, a good bowler and a phenomenal fielder. Ravi brings a unique dimension to the spin department and is an exceptional fielder. We want players to be here for 3-4-5-6-7-8 years," said Gambhir. Also Read: Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill join Ahmedabad IPL team ahead of mega auction While the Lucknow franchise went for Rahul, Stoinis and Bishnoi as their final three picks in the draft, the Ahmedabad IPL side has roped in star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and Indian batter Shubman Gill as their three picks ahead of the mega auction.

Gautam Gambhir explains why Lucknow IPL team made KL Rahul joint-highest paid player in IPL history

After the registration for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 player auction ended on January 20, the tournament said in an official advisory that 1,214 players have registered for the two-day event. 
 
Of the 1,214 players, 896 are Indian cricketers while 318 overseas players have signed up for the auction as well. 
 
The IPL 2022 mega auction will see new franchises, Ahmedabad and Lucknow, entering the bandwagon with multiple reports suggesting the event could take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. 
 
It means that the two-day mega auction will see 10 teams bidding for some of the finest talents in the cricketing world. In terms of international exposure, the players' list incorporates 270 capped, 903 uncapped and 41 players from associate nations. 
 
On the further breakdown of the list, 61 are capped Indian players while 209 are capped&nbsp;international cricketers. 143 players are uncapped Indians who were a part of previous IPL seasons, while six players are uncapped internationals who were a part of previous IPL seasons. 
 
In terms of uncapped players, 692 players from India and 62 international players have registered themselves. 
 
From the 318 overseas players on the long list, spread across 18 countries, Australia leads with 59 players followed by 48 from South Africa, 41 from West Indies, 36 from Sri Lanka, 30 from England, 29 from New Zealand, 20 from Afghanistan, 15 from Nepal and 14 from USA. 
 
Other nations whose cricketers have registered for the IPL 2022 player auctions are Bangladesh (nine), Namibia (five), Oman and Ireland (three each), Zimbabwe (two), Bhutan, Netherlands, Scotland and the UAE (one each). 
 
If every franchise&nbsp;were to have a maximum of 25 players in their squad, 217 players will be taken in the auction (of which up to 70 may be overseas players). 
 
Ahead of the auctions, a total of 33 players have been retained or picked. The existing eight IPL franchises have retained a total of 27 players while the two new IPL teams (Ahmedabad and Lucknow) have picked six players (three each) ahead of the auction. 
 
The retained picks by the 10 IPL teams are as follows: 
 
CSK: Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali and Ruturaj Gaikwad. 
 
DC: Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Prithvi Shaw and Anrich Nortje. 
 
KKR: Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer and Sunil Narine. 
 
MI: Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard. 
 
PBKS: Mayank Agarwal and Arshdeep Singh. 
 
RR: Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal. 
 
RCB: Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj. 
 
SRH: Kane Williamson, Abdul Samad and Umran Malik. 
 
Team Ahmedabad: Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill. 
 
Team Lucknow: KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi. 
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After the registration for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 player auction ended on January 20, the tournament said in an official advisory that 1,214 players have registered for the two-day event.

After the registration for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 player auction ended on January 20, the tournament said in an official advisory that 1,214 players have registered for the two-day event. Of the 1,214 players, 896 are Indian cricketers while 318 overseas players have signed up for the auction as well. The IPL 2022 mega auction will see new franchises, Ahmedabad and Lucknow, entering the bandwagon with multiple reports suggesting the event could take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. It means that the two-day mega auction will see 10 teams bidding for some of the finest talents in the cricketing world. In terms of international exposure, the players' list incorporates 270 capped, 903 uncapped and 41 players from associate nations. On the further breakdown of the list, 61 are capped Indian players while 209 are capped international cricketers. 143 players are uncapped Indians who were a part of previous IPL seasons, while six players are uncapped internationals who were a part of previous IPL seasons. In terms of uncapped players, 692 players from India and 62 international players have registered themselves. From the 318 overseas players on the long list, spread across 18 countries, Australia leads with 59 players followed by 48 from South Africa, 41 from West Indies, 36 from Sri Lanka, 30 from England, 29 from New Zealand, 20 from Afghanistan, 15 from Nepal and 14 from USA. Other nations whose cricketers have registered for the IPL 2022 player auctions are Bangladesh (nine), Namibia (five), Oman and Ireland (three each), Zimbabwe (two), Bhutan, Netherlands, Scotland and the UAE (one each). If every franchise were to have a maximum of 25 players in their squad, 217 players will be taken in the auction (of which up to 70 may be overseas players). Ahead of the auctions, a total of 33 players have been retained or picked. The existing eight IPL franchises have retained a total of 27 players while the two new IPL teams (Ahmedabad and Lucknow) have picked six players (three each) ahead of the auction. The retained picks by the 10 IPL teams are as follows: CSK: Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali and Ruturaj Gaikwad. DC: Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Prithvi Shaw and Anrich Nortje. KKR: Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer and Sunil Narine. MI: Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard. PBKS: Mayank Agarwal and Arshdeep Singh. RR: Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal. RCB: Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj. SRH: Kane Williamson, Abdul Samad and Umran Malik. Team Ahmedabad: Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill. Team Lucknow: KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi.

896 Indians amongst 1,214 players registered for IPL 2022 mega auction

Before the mega auction in Bengaluru, here's looking at the remaining purse of all eight IPL franchises.

Remaining purse of all eight existing IPL franchises before mega auction

India's limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul has been reportedly roped in by the Lucknow IPL franchise as one of their three draft&nbsp;picks ahead of the Indian Premier League mega auction for the 2022 season. Rahul is Lucknow's first-choice pick in the draft and is all set to lead the side from IPL 2022.

While the existing eight teams have already revealed their final list of retained players, the two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad have the option to pick a maximum of three players each from the draft ahead of the mega auction which is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru next month.&nbsp;

As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, Rahul along with Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi are all set to be roped in by the Lucknow franchise as their three draft picks. While Rahul has been bought for Rs 15 crore (INR 150 million), Stoinis and Bishnoi will join for Rs 11 crore (INR 110 million) and Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) respectively.

The Lucknow franchise had earlier confirmed the appointment of former Zimbabwe cricketer Andy Flower as their head coach ahead of the new season. Former India batter Gautam Gambhir will be serving as the mentor of the team while Rahul will be leading them in their debut season in the IPL.

Rahul has been one of the most consistent performers in the IPL with the bat and has been among the runs over the last few seasons of the league. He was the third-highest run-getter in IPL 2021 last year with an impressive 626 runs in just 13 matches for his former side Punjab Kings.

Rahul was appointed as the captain of Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2020 and led the team in two seasons, failing to inspire them to the playoffs even once. He decided to part ways with the franchise ahead of IPL 2022 and will now be in charge of the Lucknow team.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-rashid-khan-and-shubman-gill-set-to-join-ahmedabad-franchise-ahead-of-ipl-2022-report-445533">Hardik, Rashid&nbsp;and Shubman set to join Ahmedabad franchise ahead of IPL 2022 - Report</a>

Stoinis was part of the Delhi Capitals squad last year and has been one of the most promising all-rounders in the T20s over the last few years. He has 914 runs and 30 wickets in 56 IPL matches. Bishnoi, who rose to prominence after the U-19 World Cup in 2020, has impressed as a leggy and has 24 wickets to his name in 23 IPL matches.

India's limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul has been reportedly roped in by the Lucknow IPL franchise as one of their three draft picks ahead of the Indian Premier League mega auction for the 2022 season.

India's limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul has been reportedly roped in by the Lucknow IPL franchise as one of their three draft picks ahead of the Indian Premier League mega auction for the 2022 season. Rahul is Lucknow's first-choice pick in the draft and is all set to lead the side from IPL 2022. While the existing eight teams have already revealed their final list of retained players, the two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad have the option to pick a maximum of three players each from the draft ahead of the mega auction which is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru next month. As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, Rahul along with Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi are all set to be roped in by the Lucknow franchise as their three draft picks. While Rahul has been bought for Rs 15 crore (INR 150 million), Stoinis and Bishnoi will join for Rs 11 crore (INR 110 million) and Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) respectively. The Lucknow franchise had earlier confirmed the appointment of former Zimbabwe cricketer Andy Flower as their head coach ahead of the new season. Former India batter Gautam Gambhir will be serving as the mentor of the team while Rahul will be leading them in their debut season in the IPL. Rahul has been one of the most consistent performers in the IPL with the bat and has been among the runs over the last few seasons of the league. He was the third-highest run-getter in IPL 2021 last year with an impressive 626 runs in just 13 matches for his former side Punjab Kings. Rahul was appointed as the captain of Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2020 and led the team in two seasons, failing to inspire them to the playoffs even once. He decided to part ways with the franchise ahead of IPL 2022 and will now be in charge of the Lucknow team. Also Read: Hardik, Rashid and Shubman set to join Ahmedabad franchise ahead of IPL 2022 - Report Stoinis was part of the Delhi Capitals squad last year and has been one of the most promising all-rounders in the T20s over the last few years. He has 914 runs and 30 wickets in 56 IPL matches. Bishnoi, who rose to prominence after the U-19 World Cup in 2020, has impressed as a leggy and has 24 wickets to his name in 23 IPL matches.

Lucknow IPL franchise set to rope in KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis & Ravi Bishnoi ahead of mega auction - Report

The Ahmedabad franchise has reportedly finalised their draft picks ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. The Ahmedabad franchise was bought by CVC Capital Partners in October last year and are one of the two new teams set to be part of the IPL from the 2022 edition of the tournament.

Ahead of the mega auction which will see all ten teams build their squad almost from scratch, the two new teams have been given the option to pick a maximum of three players each. While the existing eight teams had the choice of retaining up to four players, Ahmedabad and Lucknow franchises can pick three players each in the draft ahead of the mega auction.

As per a report in ESPN Cricinfo, Ahmedabad are all set to rope in star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and young Indian batter Shubman Gill ahead of the mega auction.

As per the rules set by the BCCI, the new franchises can spend Rs 15 crore, Rs 11 crore and Rs 7 crore on three players respectively, however, the Ahmedabad franchise has decided to pay both Hardik and Rashid Rs 15 crore (INR 150 million) each while Gill will be paid Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million).

As per the report, Hardik is also set to be appointed as the captain of the Ahmedabad franchise. The all-rounder was released by Mumbai Indians on retention day. He has played only for Mumbai Indians so far in the IPL but will be turning out for a new team ahead of the new season.

Hardik, who has 1476 runs and 42 wickets to his name in 92 IPL matches, played an instrumental role in Mumbai Indians' success since joining the side in the 2015 season. Rashid, on the other hand, has been one of the best bowlers in the IPL since his arrival in the league in 2017. He has picked up 93 wickets in 76 matches at an economy rate of just 6.33.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ben-stokes-pat-cummins-and-other-top-england-australia-players-in-doubt-over-entering-ipl-mega-auction-445477">Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and other top England, Australia players in doubt over entering IPL mega auction</a>

Gill, who was roped in by KKR in the IPL auction in 2018, was deemed as a future leader of the side. However, he was let go of by the franchise this year. The talented right-hander has 1417 runs in 58 IPL matches at an average of over 31 and is one of the rising stars of Indian cricket.

The report also states that the Ahmedabad IPL franchise has finalised its coaching staff which will be headed by former India pacer Ashish Nehra, who is likely to be the head coach of the team. Former India head coach Gary Kirsten is set to be roped in as a mentor while former India batter&nbsp;&nbsp;Vikram Solanki will be the batting coach of the team.

The Ahmedabad franchise has reportedly finalised their draft picks ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. The Ahmedabad franchise was bought by CVC Capital Partners in October last year and are one of the two new teams set to be part of the IPL from the 2022 edition of the tournament.

The Ahmedabad franchise has reportedly finalised their draft picks ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. The Ahmedabad franchise was bought by CVC Capital Partners in October last year and are one of the two new teams set to be part of the IPL from the 2022 edition of the tournament. Ahead of the mega auction which will see all ten teams build their squad almost from scratch, the two new teams have been given the option to pick a maximum of three players each. While the existing eight teams had the choice of retaining up to four players, Ahmedabad and Lucknow franchises can pick three players each in the draft ahead of the mega auction. As per a report in ESPN Cricinfo, Ahmedabad are all set to rope in star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and young Indian batter Shubman Gill ahead of the mega auction. As per the rules set by the BCCI, the new franchises can spend Rs 15 crore, Rs 11 crore and Rs 7 crore on three players respectively, however, the Ahmedabad franchise has decided to pay both Hardik and Rashid Rs 15 crore (INR 150 million) each while Gill will be paid Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million). As per the report, Hardik is also set to be appointed as the captain of the Ahmedabad franchise. The all-rounder was released by Mumbai Indians on retention day. He has played only for Mumbai Indians so far in the IPL but will be turning out for a new team ahead of the new season. Hardik, who has 1476 runs and 42 wickets to his name in 92 IPL matches, played an instrumental role in Mumbai Indians' success since joining the side in the 2015 season. Rashid, on the other hand, has been one of the best bowlers in the IPL since his arrival in the league in 2017. He has picked up 93 wickets in 76 matches at an economy rate of just 6.33. Also Read: Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and other top England, Australia players in doubt over entering IPL mega auction Gill, who was roped in by KKR in the IPL auction in 2018, was deemed as a future leader of the side. However, he was let go of by the franchise this year. The talented right-hander has 1417 runs in 58 IPL matches at an average of over 31 and is one of the rising stars of Indian cricket. The report also states that the Ahmedabad IPL franchise has finalised its coaching staff which will be headed by former India pacer Ashish Nehra, who is likely to be the head coach of the team. Former India head coach Gary Kirsten is set to be roped in as a mentor while former India batter Vikram Solanki will be the batting coach of the team.

Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill set to join Ahmedabad franchise ahead of IPL 2022 - Report

The IPL 2022 mega auction is less than a month away. During the recently-held IPL General Council Meeting, the BCCI finalised the auction date, i.e. February 12 and 13, as the showpiece event took place in Bengaluru. All eyes will be on the non-retained players, which comprises several marquee players such as KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, David Warner, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishan Kishan, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan and the likes. Six of them will be picked by the two new IPL franchises -- Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- who have the luxury to choose three players each before the auction proceedings.&nbsp;

The IPL auction has always hogged the limelight, since 2008, as franchises shed a huge chunk of money on players from various countries or of different age bracket. Over the years, many rising talents or established names have earned big during the IPL auctions. Before the IPL 2022 auction kicks off in Bengaluru, here's a look at the most expensive players in each auction:&nbsp;

The list includes some marquee players such as MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Dinesh Karthik, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Morris and some underrated names -- Jaydev Unadkat, Varun Chakravarthy.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ben-stokes-pat-cummins-and-other-top-england-australia-players-in-doubt-over-entering-ipl-mega-auction-445477">Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and other top England, Australia players in doubt over entering IPL mega auction</a>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>&nbsp; Year</td>
			<td>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Players &amp; Teams</td>
			<td>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Price&nbsp;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2008</td>
			<td>MS Dhoni (CSK)</td>
			<td>INR 9.5 crore (95 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2009</td>
			<td>Kevin Pietersen (RCB), Andrew Flintoff (CSK)</td>
			<td>INR 9.8 crore (98 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2010</td>
			<td>Shane Bond (KKR), Kieron Pollard (MI)</td>
			<td>INR 4.2 crore (42 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2011</td>
			<td>Gautam Gambhir (KKR)</td>
			<td>INR 14.9 crore (149 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2012</td>
			<td>Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)</td>
			<td>INR 12.8 crore (128 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2013</td>
			<td>Glenn Maxwell (MI)</td>
			<td>INR 6.3 crore (63 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2014</td>
			<td>Yuvraj Singh (RCB)</td>
			<td>INR 12.5 crore (125 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2015</td>
			<td>Yuvraj Singh (DC)</td>
			<td>INR 16 crore (160 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2016</td>
			<td>Shane Watson (RCB)</td>
			<td>INR 9.5 crore (95 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2017</td>
			<td>Ben Stokes (RPS)</td>
			<td>INR 14.5 crore (145 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2018</td>
			<td>Ben Stokes (RR)</td>
			<td>INR 12.5 crore (125 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2019</td>
			<td>Jaydev Unadkat (RR), Varun Chakravarthy (KKR)</td>
			<td>INR 8.4 crore (84 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2020</td>
			<td>Pat Cummins (KKR)</td>
			<td>INR 15.5 crore (155 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2021</td>
			<td>Chris Morris (RR)</td>
			<td>INR 16.25 crore (162.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2022-which-side-be-the-richest-revealing-purse-of-8-existing-teams-before-mega-auction-433317#punjab-kings---inr-720-million-433214">IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction</a>

Talking about the IPL 2022 edition, the BCCI will once again be under the scanner for hosting the 15th edition smoothly, with the Covid-19 pandemic still not over. As of now, no final decision has been taken regarding the venues for the upcoming season. The Sourav Ganguly-led board will finalise the venues and share the full schedule after monitoring the Covid-19 situation nationwide. If hosting the cash-rich league in India becomes out of the picture, BCCI will look to take the IPL in Sri Lanka, South Africa or the UAE (as per reports).

The IPL 2022 mega auction is less than a month away. During the recently-held IPL General Council Meeting, the BCCI finalised the auction date, i.e. February 12 and 13, as the showpiece event took place in Bengaluru.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is less than a month away. During the recently-held IPL General Council Meeting, the BCCI finalised the auction date, i.e. February 12 and 13, as the showpiece event took place in Bengaluru. All eyes will be on the non-retained players, which comprises several marquee players such as KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, David Warner, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishan Kishan, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan and the likes. Six of them will be picked by the two new IPL franchises -- Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- who have the luxury to choose three players each before the auction proceedings. The IPL auction has always hogged the limelight, since 2008, as franchises shed a huge chunk of money on players from various countries or of different age bracket. Over the years, many rising talents or established names have earned big during the IPL auctions. Before the IPL 2022 auction kicks off in Bengaluru, here's a look at the most expensive players in each auction: The list includes some marquee players such as MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Dinesh Karthik, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Morris and some underrated names -- Jaydev Unadkat, Varun Chakravarthy. ALSO READ | Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and other top England, Australia players in doubt over entering IPL mega auction Year Players & Teams Price 2008 MS Dhoni (CSK) INR 9.5 crore (95 million) 2009 Kevin Pietersen (RCB), Andrew Flintoff (CSK) INR 9.8 crore (98 million) 2010 Shane Bond (KKR), Kieron Pollard (MI) INR 4.2 crore (42 million) 2011 Gautam Gambhir (KKR) INR 14.9 crore (149 million) 2012 Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) INR 12.8 crore (128 million) 2013 Glenn Maxwell (MI) INR 6.3 crore (63 million) 2014 Yuvraj Singh (RCB) INR 12.5 crore (125 million) 2015 Yuvraj Singh (DC) INR 16 crore (160 million) 2016 Shane Watson (RCB) INR 9.5 crore (95 million) 2017 Ben Stokes (RPS) INR 14.5 crore (145 million) 2018 Ben Stokes (RR) INR 12.5 crore (125 million) 2019 Jaydev Unadkat (RR), Varun Chakravarthy (KKR) INR 8.4 crore (84 million) 2020 Pat Cummins (KKR) INR 15.5 crore (155 million) 2021 Chris Morris (RR) INR 16.25 crore (162.5 million) ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction Talking about the IPL 2022 edition, the BCCI will once again be under the scanner for hosting the 15th edition smoothly, with the Covid-19 pandemic still not over. As of now, no final decision has been taken regarding the venues for the upcoming season. The Sourav Ganguly-led board will finalise the venues and share the full schedule after monitoring the Covid-19 situation nationwide. If hosting the cash-rich league in India becomes out of the picture, BCCI will look to take the IPL in Sri Lanka, South Africa or the UAE (as per reports).

From MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Ben Stokes to Chris Morris: Most expensive players in IPL auction

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction has begun ahead of the 2022 edition of the tournament. IPL 2022 mega auction is all set to be conducted in Bengaluru next month with a number of top players in line to go under the hammer. However, there are doubts over the participation of some of the top Australian and English players in the mega auction this time around.

As per a report in Cricbuzz, a number of top England and Australia players, including the likes of Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Joe Root are weighing in their options whether to give their names in the auction pool or not due to bio-bubble fatigue. Root has already confirmed he will not be a part of the IPL mega auction.

As per the report, Stokes' participation is also in doubt after the all-rounder was released by Rajasthan Royals on retention day. The Australian players are worried about a packed schedule ahead in the run-up to the IPL which would mean staying in the bio-bubble environment for months.

Australia recently defeated England 4-0 in the Ashes 2021-22 and are set to host trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in a limited-overs series from January 30 which will be followed by a T20I series against Sri Lanka at home. Australia are scheduled to tour Pakistan in February for three Tests, as many ODIs and one T20I which will be followed by IPL 2022 in April.

Starc had recently hinted at taking part in the upcoming IPL mega auction but as per Cricbuzz, his participation is now in doubt.&nbsp;"I've got two days to get my paperwork in, so that might be something to do today before training. I've not put my name down just yet, but I've got a couple more days to decide on that. It's certainly on the table regardless of what the schedule has got coming up," the Australian pacer had said after the conclusion of Ashes 2021-22.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-to-replace-virat-kohli-as-rcb-captain-three-ipl-teams-eye-ex-dc-skipper-at-mega-auction-445384">Shreyas Iyer to replace Virat Kohli as RCB captain? Three IPL teams eye ex-DC skipper at mega auction</a>

Cummins, who was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad in IPL 2021, had pulled out of the second phase of the league due to personal reasons and might consider not entering the mega auction this year. The BCCI has extended the deadline for player enrolment in mega auction till January 20.

&nbsp;

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction has begun ahead of the 2022 edition of the tournament. IPL 2022 mega auction is all set to be conducted in Bengaluru next month with a number of top players in line to go under the hammer.

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction has begun ahead of the 2022 edition of the tournament. IPL 2022 mega auction is all set to be conducted in Bengaluru next month with a number of top players in line to go under the hammer. However, there are doubts over the participation of some of the top Australian and English players in the mega auction this time around. As per a report in Cricbuzz, a number of top England and Australia players, including the likes of Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Joe Root are weighing in their options whether to give their names in the auction pool or not due to bio-bubble fatigue. Root has already confirmed he will not be a part of the IPL mega auction. As per the report, Stokes' participation is also in doubt after the all-rounder was released by Rajasthan Royals on retention day. The Australian players are worried about a packed schedule ahead in the run-up to the IPL which would mean staying in the bio-bubble environment for months. Australia recently defeated England 4-0 in the Ashes 2021-22 and are set to host trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in a limited-overs series from January 30 which will be followed by a T20I series against Sri Lanka at home. Australia are scheduled to tour Pakistan in February for three Tests, as many ODIs and one T20I which will be followed by IPL 2022 in April. Starc had recently hinted at taking part in the upcoming IPL mega auction but as per Cricbuzz, his participation is now in doubt. "I've got two days to get my paperwork in, so that might be something to do today before training. I've not put my name down just yet, but I've got a couple more days to decide on that. It's certainly on the table regardless of what the schedule has got coming up," the Australian pacer had said after the conclusion of Ashes 2021-22. Also Read: Shreyas Iyer to replace Virat Kohli as RCB captain? Three IPL teams eye ex-DC skipper at mega auction Cummins, who was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad in IPL 2021, had pulled out of the second phase of the league due to personal reasons and might consider not entering the mega auction this year. The BCCI has extended the deadline for player enrolment in mega auction till January 20.

Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and other top England, Australia players in doubt over entering IPL mega auction

Indian cricket team star Shreyas Iyer is one of the top players who is all set to enter the pool in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction ahead of the 2022 edition of the tournament. Iyer is all set to find a new team ahead of the new season after parting ways with his former side Delhi Capitals (DC).

Iyer had decided to leave DC after the franchise appointed Rishabh Pant as their new captain denying the Mumbai batter a chance to lead the side. He led Delhi Capitals in three seasons and inspired them to their first-ever final in IPL 2020 where they lost to Mumbai Indians in the summit clash to miss out on winning their maiden IPL crown.

Nonetheless, Iyer is set to find a new team and will enter the auction pool this time around. He is reportedly admired a lot by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who are in search of a captaincy candidate after superstar Virat Kohli decided to step down as the skipper of the side post the conclusion of IPL 2021 last year.

As per a report in the Times of India, RCB are interested in roping in Iyer at the upcoming mega auction which is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru next month. “Post Virat Kohli quitting the RCB captaincy, RCB are really interested in having Iyer as their next captain. Expect them to bid aggressively for the Mumbaikar in next month’s auction in Bangalore,” a source close to the development, was quoted as saying by Times of India.

RCB are not the only team interested in Iyer and will be bidding for him at the mega auction as the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings are also said to be eyeing the former Delhi Capitals captain. Both KKR and Punjab Kings will also be in the auction for a captaincy candidate after letting go of their respective ex-skippers Eoin Morgan and KL Rahul ahead of IPL 2022.

“The Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings are also expected to eye him in the auction,” the source said.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-kl-rahul-to-shreyas-iyer-5-potential-captaincy-candidates-for-new-ipl-teams-lucknow-and-ahmedabad-434365">From Rahul to&nbsp;Iyer: 5 potential captaincy candidates for new IPL teams Lucknow and Ahmedabad</a>

As per the report, Iyer was not offered captaincy by any of the two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad and hence he will be heading into the mega auction. As per reports, the Lucknow franchise is likely to appoint KL Rahul as their new captain while the Ahmedabad franchise is expected to rope in Hardik Pandya as their captain ahead of the mega auction.

Both the new teams can pick a maximum of three players each in the draft ahead of the mega auction.&nbsp;None of the teams have yet officially confirmed any signing ahead of the auction.

&nbsp;

Indian cricket team star Shreyas Iyer is one of the top players who is all set to enter the pool in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction ahead of the 2022 edition of the tournament.

Indian cricket team star Shreyas Iyer is one of the top players who is all set to enter the pool in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction ahead of the 2022 edition of the tournament. Iyer is all set to find a new team ahead of the new season after parting ways with his former side Delhi Capitals (DC). Iyer had decided to leave DC after the franchise appointed Rishabh Pant as their new captain denying the Mumbai batter a chance to lead the side. He led Delhi Capitals in three seasons and inspired them to their first-ever final in IPL 2020 where they lost to Mumbai Indians in the summit clash to miss out on winning their maiden IPL crown. Nonetheless, Iyer is set to find a new team and will enter the auction pool this time around. He is reportedly admired a lot by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who are in search of a captaincy candidate after superstar Virat Kohli decided to step down as the skipper of the side post the conclusion of IPL 2021 last year. As per a report in the Times of India, RCB are interested in roping in Iyer at the upcoming mega auction which is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru next month. “Post Virat Kohli quitting the RCB captaincy, RCB are really interested in having Iyer as their next captain. Expect them to bid aggressively for the Mumbaikar in next month’s auction in Bangalore,” a source close to the development, was quoted as saying by Times of India. RCB are not the only team interested in Iyer and will be bidding for him at the mega auction as the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings are also said to be eyeing the former Delhi Capitals captain. Both KKR and Punjab Kings will also be in the auction for a captaincy candidate after letting go of their respective ex-skippers Eoin Morgan and KL Rahul ahead of IPL 2022. “The Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings are also expected to eye him in the auction,” the source said. Also Read: From Rahul to Iyer: 5 potential captaincy candidates for new IPL teams Lucknow and Ahmedabad As per the report, Iyer was not offered captaincy by any of the two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad and hence he will be heading into the mega auction. As per reports, the Lucknow franchise is likely to appoint KL Rahul as their new captain while the Ahmedabad franchise is expected to rope in Hardik Pandya as their captain ahead of the mega auction. Both the new teams can pick a maximum of three players each in the draft ahead of the mega auction. None of the teams have yet officially confirmed any signing ahead of the auction.

Shreyas Iyer to replace Virat Kohli as RCB captain? Three IPL teams eye ex-DC skipper at mega auction

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are one of the most successful teams in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and enjoy a staggering fan base across the globe. Captain MS Dhoni has been one of the key figures in their massive success in the IPL over the years. He has led the team to a stunning nine finals and four trophies in twelve seasons.

Dhoni's name has been synonymous with CSK's success since the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. However, the CSK skipper is now in the twilight of his cricketing career and might not continue playing for too long having already retired from international cricket in 2020.

Though the 40-year-old has been retained by CSK ahead of IPL 2022, Dhoni is not expected to continue playing for the next three years of his contract. CSK will need a new captain at the helm once Dhoni decides to hang up his boots from all forms of cricket and the search for the new leader seems to have begun already.

Speculations are rife on social media that star all-rounder can take over from Dhoni as the new captain of CSK as early as IPL 2022. Dhoni reportedly has himself decided to hand over the captaincy to Jadeja in the upcoming season to ensure a smooth transition for the team.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahul-to-hardik-pandya-indian-stars-who-can-bag-big-contracts-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-443238">KL Rahul to Hardik Pandya: Indian stars who can bag big contracts at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

While the reports of Dhoni handing over captaincy to Jadeja in IPL 2022 is mere speculation at the moment, the all-rounder had previously expressed his desire to captain CSK once the current skipper decides to retire. In 2021, Jadeja had responded to a question&nbsp;from a CSK fan page asking who should be captaining CSK after Dhoni.

The all-rounder had replied with his jersey number '8' before deleting the tweet.&nbsp;

<img alt="Jadeja tweet on CSK captaincy" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="668aa829-6892-4399-9b48-f9e9d3c3fd94" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Jadeja%20twete.png" />

CSK have retained Dhoni, Jadeja, Rutuaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali ahead of the mega player auction in Februray and will be looking to build a strong squad around the core group. Jadeja was retained as the first-choice player by the four-time champions for a whopping Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million) while Dhoni was the second-choice retention at Rs 12&nbsp;crore (120&nbsp;million).

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-a-masterstroke-just-show-off-ravindra-jadeja-trolls-kkr-after-ipl-franchise-takes-a-dig-at-ms-dhoni-443416">&nbsp;'Not a masterstroke, just show off': Ravindra Jadeja trolls KKR after IPL franchise takes a dig at MS Dhoni</a>

Earlier, former CSK batter Robin Uthappa, who was part of the team's title-winning campaign in IPL 2021, had also hinted at Jadeja being looked at as the new captain of CSK after Dhoni.

"I am sure that is MS Dhoni’s doing itself. He knows the value that Jadeja has to the unit. I think from what I understand, Jadeja might be someone who could end up leading the squad in the future as well when MS Dhoni retires. They have given him the due he deserved,” Uthappa had said when asked about Dhoni opting not to be retained as the first-choice player by CSK.

&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are one of the most successful teams in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and enjoy a staggering fan base across the globe.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are one of the most successful teams in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and enjoy a staggering fan base across the globe. Captain MS Dhoni has been one of the key figures in their massive success in the IPL over the years. He has led the team to a stunning nine finals and four trophies in twelve seasons. Dhoni's name has been synonymous with CSK's success since the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. However, the CSK skipper is now in the twilight of his cricketing career and might not continue playing for too long having already retired from international cricket in 2020. Though the 40-year-old has been retained by CSK ahead of IPL 2022, Dhoni is not expected to continue playing for the next three years of his contract. CSK will need a new captain at the helm once Dhoni decides to hang up his boots from all forms of cricket and the search for the new leader seems to have begun already. Speculations are rife on social media that star all-rounder can take over from Dhoni as the new captain of CSK as early as IPL 2022. Dhoni reportedly has himself decided to hand over the captaincy to Jadeja in the upcoming season to ensure a smooth transition for the team. Also Read: KL Rahul to Hardik Pandya: Indian stars who can bag big contracts at IPL 2022 mega auction While the reports of Dhoni handing over captaincy to Jadeja in IPL 2022 is mere speculation at the moment, the all-rounder had previously expressed his desire to captain CSK once the current skipper decides to retire. In 2021, Jadeja had responded to a question from a CSK fan page asking who should be captaining CSK after Dhoni. The all-rounder had replied with his jersey number '8' before deleting the tweet. CSK have retained Dhoni, Jadeja, Rutuaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali ahead of the mega player auction in Februray and will be looking to build a strong squad around the core group. Jadeja was retained as the first-choice player by the four-time champions for a whopping Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million) while Dhoni was the second-choice retention at Rs 12 crore (120 million). Also Read: 'Not a masterstroke, just show off': Ravindra Jadeja trolls KKR after IPL franchise takes a dig at MS Dhoni Earlier, former CSK batter Robin Uthappa, who was part of the team's title-winning campaign in IPL 2021, had also hinted at Jadeja being looked at as the new captain of CSK after Dhoni. "I am sure that is MS Dhoni’s doing itself. He knows the value that Jadeja has to the unit. I think from what I understand, Jadeja might be someone who could end up leading the squad in the future as well when MS Dhoni retires. They have given him the due he deserved,” Uthappa had said when asked about Dhoni opting not to be retained as the first-choice player by CSK.

Throwback! When Ravindra Jadeja had expressed desire to become CSK's next captain after MS Dhoni

SIMPLY MINDBOGGLING! From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to AB de Villiers: Top 5 earners in IPL history

The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February, 2021. During the recent IPL General Council meeting, on Tuesday (January 11), some big decisions were made, such as Tata group becoming the title sponsor for the cash-rich league, auction dates and venues being confirmed, however, nothing was revealed about the schedule and venues for IPL 2022.

As per reports, the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI is monitoring the Covid-19 situation in India and have Plan B in mind as well. While BCCI wants the IPL to be held in India itself, the third wave of Covid-19 virus is knocking on the door and no one can predict how things pan out with regard to the virus spread in the coming days. Though BCCI have also been contemplating the idea of organising the cash-rich league in Maharashtra, the state is reporting the highest number of Covid cases at present. Hence, as per a report in Indian Express, the board will go ahead and organise the league in Sri Lanka or South Africa (as per their Plan B).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-in-bengaluru-as-dates-confirmed-after-governing-council-meeting-443975">IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru as dates confirmed after governing council meeting</a>

“We can’t be dependent on UAE all the time so we decided to explore more options, South Africa’s time difference also works out well for the players,”&nbsp;said a BCCI official.&nbsp;

“The place where the team was staying for the second Test is spread over several acres. There were walking tracks and even a pond on the property and that has made things easier for the players who for the last couple of years or so have been confined to their rooms on several overseas tours,”&nbsp;said an official.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tata-to-be-new-title-sponsor-of-indian-premier-league-after-vivo-pulls-out-443830">Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out</a>

The last two editions of IPL have majorily been held in the UAE. IPL 2020 was entirely held in the Middle East whereas last year's edition's second leg was hosted in UAE. While Sri Lanka have never hosted an IPL season, SA were the hosts for IPL 2009.&nbsp;

BCCI is willing to take the IPL to SA seeing how smoothly the ongoing India-Proteas Test series has gone by despite many doubting if the tour would go on, in early December 2021, after the Omicron spread in the rainbow nation.

For the unversed, the Omicron threat has already been nullified in the African nation, with the country also lifting restrictions that were imposed about a month ago.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February, 2021. During the recent IPL General Council meeting, on Tuesday (January 11), some big decisions were made, such as Tata group becoming the title sponsor for the cash-rich league, auction dates and venues being confirmed, however, nothing was revealed about the schedule and venues for IPL 2022.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February, 2021. During the recent IPL General Council meeting, on Tuesday (January 11), some big decisions were made, such as Tata group becoming the title sponsor for the cash-rich league, auction dates and venues being confirmed, however, nothing was revealed about the schedule and venues for IPL 2022. As per reports, the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI is monitoring the Covid-19 situation in India and have Plan B in mind as well. While BCCI wants the IPL to be held in India itself, the third wave of Covid-19 virus is knocking on the door and no one can predict how things pan out with regard to the virus spread in the coming days. Though BCCI have also been contemplating the idea of organising the cash-rich league in Maharashtra, the state is reporting the highest number of Covid cases at present. Hence, as per a report in Indian Express, the board will go ahead and organise the league in Sri Lanka or South Africa (as per their Plan B). ALSO READ | IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru as dates confirmed after governing council meeting “We can’t be dependent on UAE all the time so we decided to explore more options, South Africa’s time difference also works out well for the players,” said a BCCI official. “The place where the team was staying for the second Test is spread over several acres. There were walking tracks and even a pond on the property and that has made things easier for the players who for the last couple of years or so have been confined to their rooms on several overseas tours,” said an official. ALSO READ | Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out The last two editions of IPL have majorily been held in the UAE. IPL 2020 was entirely held in the Middle East whereas last year's edition's second leg was hosted in UAE. While Sri Lanka have never hosted an IPL season, SA were the hosts for IPL 2009. BCCI is willing to take the IPL to SA seeing how smoothly the ongoing India-Proteas Test series has gone by despite many doubting if the tour would go on, in early December 2021, after the Omicron spread in the rainbow nation. For the unversed, the Omicron threat has already been nullified in the African nation, with the country also lifting restrictions that were imposed about a month ago.

Not UAE? BCCI contemplating staging IPL 2022 in Sri Lanka or South Africa as Plan B: Report

AB de Villiers remains a big name in world cricket. Having announced a sudden retirement from international cricket in early 2018, with 8765, 9577 and 1,672 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively, the former Proteas captain made the headlines as it was widely speculated that he will make a comeback at the highest level for the 2021 T20 World Cup. However, all such speculations were finally put to rest by the man himself in early last year.&nbsp;

Nonetheless, the right-handed batter ABD continued to make headlines by playing competitive cricket before announcing his retirement from all forms of the game post IPL 2021. In a series of tweets, de Villiers wrote, "It has been an incredible journey, but I have decided to retire from all cricket. Ever since the back yard matches with my older brothers, I have played the game with pure enjoyment and unbridled enthusiasm. Now, at the age of 37, that flame no longer burns so brightly.

"That’s the reality I must accept - and, even if it may seem sudden, that is why I am making this announcement today. I’ve had my time. Cricket has been exceptionally kind to me," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/certainly-an-option-aussie-speedster-mitchel-starc-willing-to-put-his-name-for-ipl-2022-mega-auction-444142">'Certainly an option' - Aussie speedster Mitchel Starc willing to put his name for IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Recently, the former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) recruit ABD opened up on his retirement decision and revealed that IPL 2021 being held in two halves affected his 'enjoyment of cricket'. Speaking to TimesLive, de Villiers opined, "Cricketing wise, it has been coming for quite some time, it's always been about enjoyment for me. And the minute where I felt the difficulty of travelling and being there at the IPL for two and half to three months a year, specifically with this one that was spilt into two, bubbles and this and that made things very complicated with regards to cricket and the enjoyment thereof."

"I found myself on the park where scoring runs and doing well for the team didn't really match with everything that goes with it anymore and that is where the balance started leading towards hanging my gloves up. I have never been the guy who is going to push every single bit of energy of my ability and my cricketing skill, I have always played for the enjoyment of the game. And the minute that sort of started going down, I knew it was time for me to move on," he further added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-in-bengaluru-as-dates-confirmed-after-governing-council-meeting-443975">IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru as dates confirmed after governing council meeting</a>

For the unversed, IPL 14 was the first-ever season to be played in two parts. The first leg was indefinitely postponed midway due to the second wave of Covid-19 in India. Hence, the second and final leg was hosted in the UAE in late 2021. De Villiers ended his IPL career by amassing 5,162 runs -- sixth-most overall -- with 40 half-centuries and three centuries at a whopping strike-rate of 151.68.

AB de Villiers remains a big name in world cricket. Having announced a sudden retirement from international cricket in early 2018, with 8765, 9577 and 1,672 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively, the former Proteas captain made the headlines as it was widely speculated that he will make a comeback at the highest level for the 2021 T20 World Cup.

AB de Villiers remains a big name in world cricket. Having announced a sudden retirement from international cricket in early 2018, with 8765, 9577 and 1,672 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively, the former Proteas captain made the headlines as it was widely speculated that he will make a comeback at the highest level for the 2021 T20 World Cup. However, all such speculations were finally put to rest by the man himself in early last year. Nonetheless, the right-handed batter ABD continued to make headlines by playing competitive cricket before announcing his retirement from all forms of the game post IPL 2021. In a series of tweets, de Villiers wrote, "It has been an incredible journey, but I have decided to retire from all cricket. Ever since the back yard matches with my older brothers, I have played the game with pure enjoyment and unbridled enthusiasm. Now, at the age of 37, that flame no longer burns so brightly. "That’s the reality I must accept - and, even if it may seem sudden, that is why I am making this announcement today. I’ve had my time. Cricket has been exceptionally kind to me," he added. ALSO READ | 'Certainly an option' - Aussie speedster Mitchel Starc willing to put his name for IPL 2022 mega auction Recently, the former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) recruit ABD opened up on his retirement decision and revealed that IPL 2021 being held in two halves affected his 'enjoyment of cricket'. Speaking to TimesLive, de Villiers opined, "Cricketing wise, it has been coming for quite some time, it's always been about enjoyment for me. And the minute where I felt the difficulty of travelling and being there at the IPL for two and half to three months a year, specifically with this one that was spilt into two, bubbles and this and that made things very complicated with regards to cricket and the enjoyment thereof." "I found myself on the park where scoring runs and doing well for the team didn't really match with everything that goes with it anymore and that is where the balance started leading towards hanging my gloves up. I have never been the guy who is going to push every single bit of energy of my ability and my cricketing skill, I have always played for the enjoyment of the game. And the minute that sort of started going down, I knew it was time for me to move on," he further added. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru as dates confirmed after governing council meeting For the unversed, IPL 14 was the first-ever season to be played in two parts. The first leg was indefinitely postponed midway due to the second wave of Covid-19 in India. Hence, the second and final leg was hosted in the UAE in late 2021. De Villiers ended his IPL career by amassing 5,162 runs -- sixth-most overall -- with 40 half-centuries and three centuries at a whopping strike-rate of 151.68.

De Villiers spills the beans on retirement, says IPL 14 held in two halves affected 'enjoyment of cricket'

The IPL Governing Council on Tuesday decided to issue the Letter of Intent to new IPL franchises Lucknow and Ahmedabad, formalising their entry into the world's biggest T20 league. RPSG Group and private investment firm CVC had successfully bid for the Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchise, respectively, last October. However, the LOI got delayed after it emerged that CVC had links with betting companies outside India.

The BCCI, with the help of its legal team, took its time to probe the issue before deciding to approve the CVC bid. 
"The bids were approved by the GC today, LOI will be issued soon," IPL chairman Brijesh Patel told PTI after the meeting.

The issuance of LOI means the two teams are formally part of the IPL, allowing them to pick players ahead of the auction on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru.

Both the franchises have already recruited the support staff and they can now go ahead and sign up to three players each from the draft pick ahead of the mega auction. K L Rahul is expected to lead Lucknow and Hardik Pandya Ahmedabad.

The IPL chief said the GC plans to give them 10-14 days to pick the players before the auction.

"We have been talking to the new teams, we are planning to give them 10 days to two weeks," said Patel, adding that there has been no change in the date and place of auction.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tata-to-be-new-title-sponsor-of-indian-premier-league-after-vivo-pulls-out-443830">Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out</a>

With India experiencing a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BCCI is exploring back-up options for the IPL, expected to be held in April-May, and it includes hosting the entire event in one state.

However, Patel said it is still too early to decide on the matter.

"We would like to play in India but we have to see the situation," he added.

The entire edition of 2020 was held in the UAE due to the pandemic. The tournament returned to India the following year but had to be suspended in May amid a devastating second wave in the country. The rest of the IPL had to be completed in the UAE in September-October.

"As of now, we are hosting it in India but the situation is fluid. It is too early to think about shifting it outside," added a BCCI official.&nbsp;

The IPL Governing Council on Tuesday decided to issue the Letter of Intent to new IPL franchises Lucknow and Ahmedabad, formalising their entry into the world's biggest T20 league.

The IPL Governing Council on Tuesday decided to issue the Letter of Intent to new IPL franchises Lucknow and Ahmedabad, formalising their entry into the world's biggest T20 league. RPSG Group and private investment firm CVC had successfully bid for the Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchise, respectively, last October. However, the LOI got delayed after it emerged that CVC had links with betting companies outside India. The BCCI, with the help of its legal team, took its time to probe the issue before deciding to approve the CVC bid. "The bids were approved by the GC today, LOI will be issued soon," IPL chairman Brijesh Patel told PTI after the meeting. The issuance of LOI means the two teams are formally part of the IPL, allowing them to pick players ahead of the auction on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. Both the franchises have already recruited the support staff and they can now go ahead and sign up to three players each from the draft pick ahead of the mega auction. K L Rahul is expected to lead Lucknow and Hardik Pandya Ahmedabad. The IPL chief said the GC plans to give them 10-14 days to pick the players before the auction. "We have been talking to the new teams, we are planning to give them 10 days to two weeks," said Patel, adding that there has been no change in the date and place of auction. Also Read: Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out With India experiencing a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BCCI is exploring back-up options for the IPL, expected to be held in April-May, and it includes hosting the entire event in one state. However, Patel said it is still too early to decide on the matter. "We would like to play in India but we have to see the situation," he added. The entire edition of 2020 was held in the UAE due to the pandemic. The tournament returned to India the following year but had to be suspended in May amid a devastating second wave in the country. The rest of the IPL had to be completed in the UAE in September-October. "As of now, we are hosting it in India but the situation is fluid. It is too early to think about shifting it outside," added a BCCI official.

Governing Council approves new teams' entry into IPL, will get 10-14 days to pick players

Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Tuesday said that along with the TATA group, the board will look to take Indian cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) to greater heights. Shah`s remark comes as TATA will be replacing Vivo as the title sponsor of the IPL from this year onwards. "This is indeed a momentous occasion for the BCCI IPL as the Tata Group is the epitome of global Indian enterprise with an over 100-year-old legacy and operations in more than 100 countries across six continents.

The BCCI like the TATA Group is keen to promote the spirit of cricket across international borders, and the growing popularity of the IPL as a global sporting franchise bears testimony to the BCCI`s efforts," said Shah in an official statement."We are truly happy that India`s largest and most trusted business group has believed in the IPL growth story and together with the Tata Group, we will look to take Indian cricket and the IPL forward to greater heights," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tata-to-be-new-title-sponsor-of-indian-premier-league-after-vivo-pulls-out-443830">Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out</a>

Earlier on Tuesday, the Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed that TATA will replace VIVO as the main sponsor for the upcoming edition of the tournament. "Yes, TATA will replace Vivo as the title sponsor," Patel had told ANI.Vivo still has two years left in its sponsorship deal with the league and as a result, during this period, Tata will remain the main sponsor. Indian Premier League`s (IPL) two new teams -- Sanjiv Goenka`s RPSG Group for the Lucknow franchise and CVC Capital`s Ahmedabad team on Tuesday received the formal clearance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/simply-mindboggling-from-virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-to-ab-de-villiers-top-5-earners-in-ipl-history-443658">SIMPLY MINDBOGGLING! From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to AB de Villiers: Top 5 earners in IPL history</a>

The formal clearance was given after a meeting of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council on Tuesday and both Ahmedabad and Lucknow have also been given a time frame for player signing before the mega auction takes place.

Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Tuesday said that along with the TATA group, the board will look to take Indian cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) to greater heights.

Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Tuesday said that along with the TATA group, the board will look to take Indian cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) to greater heights. Shah`s remark comes as TATA will be replacing Vivo as the title sponsor of the IPL from this year onwards. "This is indeed a momentous occasion for the BCCI IPL as the Tata Group is the epitome of global Indian enterprise with an over 100-year-old legacy and operations in more than 100 countries across six continents. The BCCI like the TATA Group is keen to promote the spirit of cricket across international borders, and the growing popularity of the IPL as a global sporting franchise bears testimony to the BCCI`s efforts," said Shah in an official statement."We are truly happy that India`s largest and most trusted business group has believed in the IPL growth story and together with the Tata Group, we will look to take Indian cricket and the IPL forward to greater heights," he added. ALSO READ | Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out Earlier on Tuesday, the Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed that TATA will replace VIVO as the main sponsor for the upcoming edition of the tournament. "Yes, TATA will replace Vivo as the title sponsor," Patel had told ANI.Vivo still has two years left in its sponsorship deal with the league and as a result, during this period, Tata will remain the main sponsor. Indian Premier League`s (IPL) two new teams -- Sanjiv Goenka`s RPSG Group for the Lucknow franchise and CVC Capital`s Ahmedabad team on Tuesday received the formal clearance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). ALSO READ | SIMPLY MINDBOGGLING! From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to AB de Villiers: Top 5 earners in IPL history The formal clearance was given after a meeting of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council on Tuesday and both Ahmedabad and Lucknow have also been given a time frame for player signing before the mega auction takes place.

Along with TATA group, will look to take Indian cricket to greater heights, says BCCI secretary Jay Shah

In what comes as a major development ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, Vivo has pulled out as the title sponsors of the league. The Chinese smartphone makers are all set to be replaced by the Tata Group as the new sponsors of the T20 league which will head into its 15th season this year.

The IPL Governing Council met on Tuesday (January 11) where it was confirmed that Tata will be the new sponsor of the league going forward. IPL chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed Vivo's exit and Tata's onboarding as the new sponsors of one of the most popular T20 leagues in the world.

"Vivo has exited and the Tatas will be title sponsors," the IPL chairman was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. The league will now be known as 'Tata IPL' from the 2022 season. Vivo still has a couple of years left on its sponsorship deal with the IPL but Tata will now take over as the main sponsor.

Vivo won the title rights of the IPL in 2018 for a whopping sum of Rs 440 crore (INR 4.4 billion) till the 2020 season. However, Vivo had to pull out for a year in 2020 due to the tensions after India-China diplomatic standoff. Dream11 was roped in as a sponsor for a year while Vivo's deal was extended till 2023 due to the 1-year pause.

However, the Tata Group will now be the main sponsor for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The Indian Premier League which kicked off in 2008 has gone on to become one of the most lucrative sporting events in the world and is the richest T20 league by a fair margin.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/simply-mindboggling-from-virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-to-ab-de-villiers-top-5-earners-in-ipl-history-443658">From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to AB de Villiers: Top 5 earners in IPL history</a>

The new season of the Indian Premier League is likely to get underway in April this year. Ahead of the 2022 edition, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL governing council is all set to conduct a mega player auction for the ten teams.

While existing eight teams have already revealed the list of retained players, the two new teams - Ahmedbad and Lucknow can pick a maximum of three players each from the pool of non-retained ones ahead of the mega auction. The mega auction is set to be conducted in February this year.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In what comes as a major development ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, Vivo has pulled out as the title sponsors of the league.

In what comes as a major development ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, Vivo has pulled out as the title sponsors of the league. The Chinese smartphone makers are all set to be replaced by the Tata Group as the new sponsors of the T20 league which will head into its 15th season this year. The IPL Governing Council met on Tuesday (January 11) where it was confirmed that Tata will be the new sponsor of the league going forward. IPL chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed Vivo's exit and Tata's onboarding as the new sponsors of one of the most popular T20 leagues in the world. "Vivo has exited and the Tatas will be title sponsors," the IPL chairman was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. The league will now be known as 'Tata IPL' from the 2022 season. Vivo still has a couple of years left on its sponsorship deal with the IPL but Tata will now take over as the main sponsor. Vivo won the title rights of the IPL in 2018 for a whopping sum of Rs 440 crore (INR 4.4 billion) till the 2020 season. However, Vivo had to pull out for a year in 2020 due to the tensions after India-China diplomatic standoff. Dream11 was roped in as a sponsor for a year while Vivo's deal was extended till 2023 due to the 1-year pause. However, the Tata Group will now be the main sponsor for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The Indian Premier League which kicked off in 2008 has gone on to become one of the most lucrative sporting events in the world and is the richest T20 league by a fair margin. Also Read: From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to AB de Villiers: Top 5 earners in IPL history The new season of the Indian Premier League is likely to get underway in April this year. Ahead of the 2022 edition, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL governing council is all set to conduct a mega player auction for the ten teams. While existing eight teams have already revealed the list of retained players, the two new teams - Ahmedbad and Lucknow can pick a maximum of three players each from the pool of non-retained ones ahead of the mega auction. The mega auction is set to be conducted in February this year.

Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out

Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is reportedly set to join the Ahmedabad Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise after being released by Mumbai Indians (MI). Hardik is among the top Indian players available in the auction pool after being released by their respective franchises.

The all-rounder, who has been part of the Indian Premier League since the 2015 season, played an instrumental role in Mumbai Indians' success. However, he was released by the five-time champions last year after a drop in form and persistent injury issues.

However, Hardik remains one of the best T20 players in the world thanks to his all-round abilities and is also an experienced campaigner in the IPL. As per a report in India Today, Hardik is set to join the Ahmedabad IPL team and will be named the captain of the team ahead of IPL 2022.

Hardik was let go of by Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL mega auction as the franchise decided to keep captain Rohit Sharma, pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard. The Ahmedabad team, which is owned by the CVC Capitals has reportedly been in talks with Hardik ahead of the new season.

The all-rounder, who hails from Baroda in Gujarat is likely to lead his home side in the IPL. Hardik was retained by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs 11 crore (110 million) in 2018. He played 92 matches for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, amassing 1476 runs and picking up 42 wickets for the franchise.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-a-masterstroke-just-show-off-ravindra-jadeja-trolls-kkr-after-ipl-franchise-takes-a-dig-at-ms-dhoni-443416">'Not a masterstroke, just show off': Ravindra Jadeja trolls KKR after IPL franchise takes a dig at MS Dhoni</a>

Both the new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can pick at least three players each ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction which is set to be conducted in February this year. A number of star players, who have been released by their respective teams will be a part of the mega auction.

Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is reportedly set to join the Ahmedabad Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise after being released by Mumbai Indians (MI). Hardik is among the top Indian players available in the auction pool after being released by their respective franchises.

Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya is reportedly set to join the Ahmedabad Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise after being released by Mumbai Indians (MI). Hardik is among the top Indian players available in the auction pool after being released by their respective franchises. The all-rounder, who has been part of the Indian Premier League since the 2015 season, played an instrumental role in Mumbai Indians' success. However, he was released by the five-time champions last year after a drop in form and persistent injury issues. However, Hardik remains one of the best T20 players in the world thanks to his all-round abilities and is also an experienced campaigner in the IPL. As per a report in India Today, Hardik is set to join the Ahmedabad IPL team and will be named the captain of the team ahead of IPL 2022. Hardik was let go of by Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL mega auction as the franchise decided to keep captain Rohit Sharma, pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard. The Ahmedabad team, which is owned by the CVC Capitals has reportedly been in talks with Hardik ahead of the new season. The all-rounder, who hails from Baroda in Gujarat is likely to lead his home side in the IPL. Hardik was retained by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs 11 crore (110 million) in 2018. He played 92 matches for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, amassing 1476 runs and picking up 42 wickets for the franchise. Also Read: 'Not a masterstroke, just show off': Ravindra Jadeja trolls KKR after IPL franchise takes a dig at MS Dhoni Both the new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can pick at least three players each ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction which is set to be conducted in February this year. A number of star players, who have been released by their respective teams will be a part of the mega auction.

Hardik Pandya likely to be roped in as captain by Ahemdabad IPL franchise ahead of IPL 2022 - Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is focused on hosting the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in India. However, the board is reportedly not ruling out the possibility of shifting the tournament overseas once again amidst the rising cases of COVID-19 across the country.

While the entire season was played in the UAE in 2020, IPL 2021 was divided into two phases with the second phase taking place overseas after a COVID-19 outbreak led to the postponement of the first phase of the tournament which was held in India.

As per a report in India Today, a source in the know-how of things has revealed that the BCCI is exploring all options, including hosting IPL 2022 overseas. The source further added that the Indian cricket board's current priority is to host the upcoming IPL mega player auction ahead of the start of the new season.

"We are exploring all options which include overseas IPL as well. But our focus is to host IPL in India for sure. As of now our priority is auction, we will soon take a call," the source was quoted as saying by India Today.

India has been recording a huge spike in COVID-19 cases on a daily basis with the numbers going up each passing day. The source revealed that the BCCI is monitoring the situation closely and a decision on te venue of IPL 2022 will be taken later. The BCCI has already postponed a number of upcoming domestic tournaments in the country, including the Ranji Trophy.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahul-to-hardik-pandya-indian-stars-who-can-bag-big-contracts-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-443238">KL Rahul to Hardik Pandya: Indian stars who can bag big contracts at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Earlier, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had said the the board is keen on hosting the next edition of the IPL in India to ensure the fans in the country can once again enjoy the action live in the stadiums. However, with the new wave of COVID-19 making it's presence felt in the country, it remains to be seen how the board will deal with the situation.

While the BCCI is yet to announce official dates of the tournament, IPL 2022 is expected to get underway from Apri this year. The mega player auction is all set to be conducted in February.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is focused on hosting the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in India. However, the board is reportedly not ruling out the possibility of shifting the tournament overseas once again amidst the rising cases of COVID-19 across the country.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is focused on hosting the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in India. However, the board is reportedly not ruling out the possibility of shifting the tournament overseas once again amidst the rising cases of COVID-19 across the country. While the entire season was played in the UAE in 2020, IPL 2021 was divided into two phases with the second phase taking place overseas after a COVID-19 outbreak led to the postponement of the first phase of the tournament which was held in India. As per a report in India Today, a source in the know-how of things has revealed that the BCCI is exploring all options, including hosting IPL 2022 overseas. The source further added that the Indian cricket board's current priority is to host the upcoming IPL mega player auction ahead of the start of the new season. "We are exploring all options which include overseas IPL as well. But our focus is to host IPL in India for sure. As of now our priority is auction, we will soon take a call," the source was quoted as saying by India Today. India has been recording a huge spike in COVID-19 cases on a daily basis with the numbers going up each passing day. The source revealed that the BCCI is monitoring the situation closely and a decision on te venue of IPL 2022 will be taken later. The BCCI has already postponed a number of upcoming domestic tournaments in the country, including the Ranji Trophy. Also Read: KL Rahul to Hardik Pandya: Indian stars who can bag big contracts at IPL 2022 mega auction Earlier, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had said the the board is keen on hosting the next edition of the IPL in India to ensure the fans in the country can once again enjoy the action live in the stadiums. However, with the new wave of COVID-19 making it's presence felt in the country, it remains to be seen how the board will deal with the situation. While the BCCI is yet to announce official dates of the tournament, IPL 2022 is expected to get underway from Apri this year. The mega player auction is all set to be conducted in February.

BCCI wants IPL 2022 in India but hosting tournament overseas among options being considered - Report

James Anderson and Stuart Broad managed to hold their nerve as they helped England pulls off a thrilling draw in the fourth Ashes 2021-22 Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Sunday. Australia were just one wicket away from their fourth successive win in the five-match series, however, they were denied victory by the last standing paid of Anderson and Broad.

Anderson, who faced the final over of the day from Steve Smith, was seen surrounded by fielders on the final day of the Test match as Australia gave their all in a bid to win the game. Not just the last two batters but Australia had a similar fielding setup for England's no.9 Jack Leach towards the end of the day's play.

Indian Premier League (IPL) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) recalled a similar setup by former skipper Gautam Gambhir for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni in an IPL game. KKR shared a picture from the game where Dhoni can be seen surrounded by several KKR fielders as he bats in the middle.

Drawing a comparison with Australia's fielding setup against England on the final day of the 4th Test on Sunday, KKR shared a picture of Gambhir's move against Dhoni calling it a 'masterstroke'. The IPL franchise ended up getting brutally trolled by CSK and India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

Jadeja reacted to KKR's post on Twitter and called it a 'show off' not a 'master stroke'. His response immediately went viral on the micro-blogging site with CSK fans also ripping KKR apart for their dig at former India captain Dhoni.

Check out Ravindra Jadeja's tweet:

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Its not a master stroke!Just a show off
— Ravindrasinh jadeja (@imjadeja) <a href="https://twitter.com/imjadeja/status/1480142226307047425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 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:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hilarious-marnus-labuschagne-appeals-for-caught-behind-despite-ball-missing-jos-buttlers-bat-watch-443397">&nbsp;Hilarious! Marnus Labuschagne appeals for caught behind despite ball missing Jos Buttler's bat - WATCH</a>

The incident took place in a game between KKR and the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in IPL 2016 when Dhoni was leading the Pune-based franchise after CSK were handed a two-year ban from the IPL. Dhoni returned to CSK in 2018 after playing two seasons for RPSG and has since led the Men in Yellow to two titles in four seasons.

Dhoni's CSK won the IPL 2021 title last year after beating KKR in the final of the competition in Dubai to lift their fourth trophy.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad managed to hold their nerve as they helped England pulls off a thrilling draw in the fourth Ashes 2021-22 Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Sunday.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad managed to hold their nerve as they helped England pulls off a thrilling draw in the fourth Ashes 2021-22 Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Sunday. Australia were just one wicket away from their fourth successive win in the five-match series, however, they were denied victory by the last standing paid of Anderson and Broad. Anderson, who faced the final over of the day from Steve Smith, was seen surrounded by fielders on the final day of the Test match as Australia gave their all in a bid to win the game. Not just the last two batters but Australia had a similar fielding setup for England's no.9 Jack Leach towards the end of the day's play. Indian Premier League (IPL) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) recalled a similar setup by former skipper Gautam Gambhir for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni in an IPL game. KKR shared a picture from the game where Dhoni can be seen surrounded by several KKR fielders as he bats in the middle. Drawing a comparison with Australia's fielding setup against England on the final day of the 4th Test on Sunday, KKR shared a picture of Gambhir's move against Dhoni calling it a 'masterstroke'. The IPL franchise ended up getting brutally trolled by CSK and India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Jadeja reacted to KKR's post on Twitter and called it a 'show off' not a 'master stroke'. His response immediately went viral on the micro-blogging site with CSK fans also ripping KKR apart for their dig at former India captain Dhoni. Check out Ravindra Jadeja's tweet: Its not a master stroke!Just a show off — Ravindrasinh jadeja (@imjadeja) January 9, 2022 × Also Read: Hilarious! Marnus Labuschagne appeals for caught behind despite ball missing Jos Buttler's bat - WATCH The incident took place in a game between KKR and the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in IPL 2016 when Dhoni was leading the Pune-based franchise after CSK were handed a two-year ban from the IPL. Dhoni returned to CSK in 2018 after playing two seasons for RPSG and has since led the Men in Yellow to two titles in four seasons. Dhoni's CSK won the IPL 2021 title last year after beating KKR in the final of the competition in Dubai to lift their fourth trophy.

'Not a masterstroke, just show off': Ravindra Jadeja trolls KKR after IPL franchise takes a dig at MS Dhoni

The Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction is all set to be a grand affair this year with as many as ten teams battling it out for a number of top players who will be going under the hammer at the showpiece event. While the existing eight teams have already revealed their final retentions, the two new franchises - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can make three picks each from the pool of non-retained players.

Barring the players picked by Ahmedabad and Lucknow in the draft, all others will be heading to the mega auction. Several big Indian names, who have not been retained by their respective IPL sides will be up for grabs at the mega auction. Here we take a look at five Indian stars who are likely to fetch a huge amount at the IPL 2022 mega player auction.

KL Rahul&nbsp;

One of the favourites to captain the Lucknow IPL franchise in the 2022 season, former Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul is unlikely to head into the auction pool as he is expected to be picked in the players draft ahead of the event. Rahul is reportedly set to join Lucknow and has been offered a staggering contract.

He has been one of the most consistent performers in the IPL over the last few seasons and has been among the runs. Rahul was recently appointed as India's limited-overs vice-captain and is seen as a future leader of the national team as well. He has so far played 94 IPL matches and has an impressive 3273 runs to his name at an average of over 47.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/faf-du-plessis-to-ishan-kishan-5-players-who-might-be-bought-back-by-their-ipl-franchise-at-mega-auction-436140">Faf du Plessis to Ishan Kishan: 5 players who might be bought back by their IPL franchise at mega auction</a>

Hardik Pandya

Mumbai Indians had to let go of their star all-rounder Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction owing to his recent fitness issues and concerns regarding his bowling. Hardik, who has played an instrumental role in Mumbai Indians' success over the years, didn't bowl at all in IPL 2021 as he continues to deal with his back issues which have hampered his progress.

Hardik had been retained for a sum of Rs 11 crore (110 million) by Mumbai Indians in 2018 and is expected to go for big money once again if he heads to the auction pool. However, there is a strong chance that the all-rounder is picked by one of the two new teams - Lucknow or Ahmedabad before the auction for a huge sum.

Shreyas Iyer&nbsp;

Shreyas Iyer's rise in the Indian Premier League has been nothing short of extraordinary. From a young batting talent, Iyer matured into a fine leader for the Delhi Capitals after he was handed over captaincy midway into the IPL 2018 season. He led DC to their first-ever final in IPL 2020 and proved why he is on his path to becoming one of the future greats in the IPL.

Besides his captaincy credentials, Iyer is a reliable batsman, who has been a consistent performer in the league. He was released by Delhi Capitals after reportedly expressing his desire to look for a leadership role elsewhere after being replaced by Rishabh Pant as captain. Iyer has 2375 runs in 87 matches in the IPL at an average of over 31.

Shikhar Dhawan&nbsp;

Senior India batter Shikhar Dhawan might have slipped down the pecking order in the Indian team as far as T20Is are concerned, but he remains a prolific run-getter in the IPL. Dhawan has been churning out runs regularly for every team that he has played for in the league so far and enjoyed a brilliant stint for Delhi Capitals before being released this year.

Dhawan scored 587 runs in 16 matches for DC in IPL 2020 and was the fourth-highest run-getter in the tournament. The experienced opener will be in massive demand at the IPL 2022 mega auction and is expected to trigger a bidding war among teams.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mike-hesson-called-me-ipl-2021s-highest-wicket-taker-harshal-patel-reveals-why-rcb-did-not-retain-him-443143">&nbsp;'Mike Hesson called me': IPL 2021's highest wicket-taker Harshal Patel reveals why RCB did not retain him</a>

Ishan Kishan&nbsp;

The explosive young wicket-keeper batter made his India debut last year and has been impressive since. Kishan didn't have a season to remember in IPL 2021 but still managed to stay among the runs despite not getting many chances. However, his versatility as a batter who can fire as an opener, as well as in the middle-order makes him a huge asset for any team.

Kishan is also a brilliant young wicket-keeper and can also be groomed into a leadership role in the future. He is certain to draw bids from a number of teams at the IPL mega auction and get a fat pay cheque for his services.

&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction is all set to be a grand affair this year with as many as ten teams battling it out for a number of top players who will be going under the hammer at the showpiece event.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction is all set to be a grand affair this year with as many as ten teams battling it out for a number of top players who will be going under the hammer at the showpiece event. While the existing eight teams have already revealed their final retentions, the two new franchises - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can make three picks each from the pool of non-retained players. Barring the players picked by Ahmedabad and Lucknow in the draft, all others will be heading to the mega auction. Several big Indian names, who have not been retained by their respective IPL sides will be up for grabs at the mega auction. Here we take a look at five Indian stars who are likely to fetch a huge amount at the IPL 2022 mega player auction. KL Rahul One of the favourites to captain the Lucknow IPL franchise in the 2022 season, former Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul is unlikely to head into the auction pool as he is expected to be picked in the players draft ahead of the event. Rahul is reportedly set to join Lucknow and has been offered a staggering contract. He has been one of the most consistent performers in the IPL over the last few seasons and has been among the runs. Rahul was recently appointed as India's limited-overs vice-captain and is seen as a future leader of the national team as well. He has so far played 94 IPL matches and has an impressive 3273 runs to his name at an average of over 47. Also Read: Faf du Plessis to Ishan Kishan: 5 players who might be bought back by their IPL franchise at mega auction Hardik Pandya Mumbai Indians had to let go of their star all-rounder Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction owing to his recent fitness issues and concerns regarding his bowling. Hardik, who has played an instrumental role in Mumbai Indians' success over the years, didn't bowl at all in IPL 2021 as he continues to deal with his back issues which have hampered his progress. Hardik had been retained for a sum of Rs 11 crore (110 million) by Mumbai Indians in 2018 and is expected to go for big money once again if he heads to the auction pool. However, there is a strong chance that the all-rounder is picked by one of the two new teams - Lucknow or Ahmedabad before the auction for a huge sum. Shreyas Iyer Shreyas Iyer's rise in the Indian Premier League has been nothing short of extraordinary. From a young batting talent, Iyer matured into a fine leader for the Delhi Capitals after he was handed over captaincy midway into the IPL 2018 season. He led DC to their first-ever final in IPL 2020 and proved why he is on his path to becoming one of the future greats in the IPL. Besides his captaincy credentials, Iyer is a reliable batsman, who has been a consistent performer in the league. He was released by Delhi Capitals after reportedly expressing his desire to look for a leadership role elsewhere after being replaced by Rishabh Pant as captain. Iyer has 2375 runs in 87 matches in the IPL at an average of over 31. Shikhar Dhawan Senior India batter Shikhar Dhawan might have slipped down the pecking order in the Indian team as far as T20Is are concerned, but he remains a prolific run-getter in the IPL. Dhawan has been churning out runs regularly for every team that he has played for in the league so far and enjoyed a brilliant stint for Delhi Capitals before being released this year. Dhawan scored 587 runs in 16 matches for DC in IPL 2020 and was the fourth-highest run-getter in the tournament. The experienced opener will be in massive demand at the IPL 2022 mega auction and is expected to trigger a bidding war among teams. Also Read: 'Mike Hesson called me': IPL 2021's highest wicket-taker Harshal Patel reveals why RCB did not retain him Ishan Kishan The explosive young wicket-keeper batter made his India debut last year and has been impressive since. Kishan didn't have a season to remember in IPL 2021 but still managed to stay among the runs despite not getting many chances. However, his versatility as a batter who can fire as an opener, as well as in the middle-order makes him a huge asset for any team. Kishan is also a brilliant young wicket-keeper and can also be groomed into a leadership role in the future. He is certain to draw bids from a number of teams at the IPL mega auction and get a fat pay cheque for his services.

KL Rahul to Hardik Pandya: Indian stars who can bag big contracts at IPL 2022 mega auction

All eight existing Indian Premier League (IPL) sides revealed the final list of players they have retained in November last year ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. While the eight old teams were given a maximum of four retentions each, the two new franchises - Ahmedabad and Lucknow can pick a maximum of three players from the pool of non-retained ones.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) retained only three players ahead of the mega auction as they decided to keep Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj while letting go of the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal, Devdutt Padikkal and Harshal Patel among others. It came as a surprise to many when RCB did not retain Harshal, who was the leading wicket-taker in IPL 2021.

The Indian pacer had set the season on fire with his heroics with the ball as he played an instrumental role in helping RCB reach the playoffs. Harshal delivered consistently with the ball and picked up 32 wickets for RCB in just 15 matches to finish as the highest wicket-taker of the season.

However, he was surprisingly released by RCB. The fast bowler recently opened up on the snub and himself answered the big question - why he was released by RCB despite his heroics in IPL 2021. Harshal revealed he got a call from RCB's Director of Cricket Mike Hesson, who told him he was not picked due to purse management.

“When I was not retained, Mike Hesson (RCB’s Director of Cricket) called me and said, that it was mainly purse management,” Harshal was quoted as saying by Crictracker.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-pacer-thanks-legend-ms-dhoni-for-special-gesture-after-receiving-his-iconic-no7-jersey-443015">Pakistan pacer thanks legend MS Dhoni for special gesture after receiving his iconic no.7 jersey</a>

The Indian pacer is keen to play for RCB against and rejoin the side if given a chance. He revealed he has not recieved any approaches from any franchise yet about joining them ahead of the mega auction and would love to make a comeback to RCB for IPL 2022.

“They would obviously love to have me back in the team and I too would obviously would love to go back and play for the team because RCB and this season (2021) changed my entire career and my entire life. However, in terms of auction, I haven’t heard from any franchises yet,” Harshal added.

Harshal is likely to fetch a decent amount at the IPL 2022 mega auction as he will be in demanamong several franchises after his brilliant run in IPL 2021.

All eight existing Indian Premier League (IPL) sides revealed the final list of players they have retained in November last year ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction.

All eight existing Indian Premier League (IPL) sides revealed the final list of players they have retained in November last year ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. While the eight old teams were given a maximum of four retentions each, the two new franchises - Ahmedabad and Lucknow can pick a maximum of three players from the pool of non-retained ones. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) retained only three players ahead of the mega auction as they decided to keep Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj while letting go of the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal, Devdutt Padikkal and Harshal Patel among others. It came as a surprise to many when RCB did not retain Harshal, who was the leading wicket-taker in IPL 2021. The Indian pacer had set the season on fire with his heroics with the ball as he played an instrumental role in helping RCB reach the playoffs. Harshal delivered consistently with the ball and picked up 32 wickets for RCB in just 15 matches to finish as the highest wicket-taker of the season. However, he was surprisingly released by RCB. The fast bowler recently opened up on the snub and himself answered the big question - why he was released by RCB despite his heroics in IPL 2021. Harshal revealed he got a call from RCB's Director of Cricket Mike Hesson, who told him he was not picked due to purse management. “When I was not retained, Mike Hesson (RCB’s Director of Cricket) called me and said, that it was mainly purse management,” Harshal was quoted as saying by Crictracker. Also Read: Pakistan pacer thanks legend MS Dhoni for special gesture after receiving his iconic no.7 jersey The Indian pacer is keen to play for RCB against and rejoin the side if given a chance. He revealed he has not recieved any approaches from any franchise yet about joining them ahead of the mega auction and would love to make a comeback to RCB for IPL 2022. “They would obviously love to have me back in the team and I too would obviously would love to go back and play for the team because RCB and this season (2021) changed my entire career and my entire life. However, in terms of auction, I haven’t heard from any franchises yet,” Harshal added. Harshal is likely to fetch a decent amount at the IPL 2022 mega auction as he will be in demanamong several franchises after his brilliant run in IPL 2021.

'Mike Hesson called me': IPL 2021's highest wicket-taker Harshal Patel reveals why RCB did not retain him

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