IPL 2022 Unsold Players' List: Top 5 stars who failed to draw a single bid at mega auction

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. The 40-year-old remains active in the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite announcing his international retirement on August 15, 2020. The former Indian captain signed off from the highest level as one of the most successful wicketkeeper-batsmen of all time, amassing 17,266 runs, 16 tons, 108 half-centuries alongside&nbsp;claiming 634 catches and 195 stumpings.&nbsp;

Apart from his staggering numbers at the international level, Dhoni has always remained a down-to-earth person, adding more fans worldwide with his simplicity and humility. A fine example of his simplicity was on display when the former keeper-batter ditched the luxuries of a flight journey and travelled with his Jharkhand One-Day side by train, from Ranchi to Howrah, to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Kolkata in early 2017.

Dhoni rolled back the clock to his days of struggle, in the early 2000s, when he was posted as a ticket inspector in Kharagpur, to travel in second-tier AC of 18616 Kriya Yoga Express along with his state teammates.&nbsp;

Back then, it was Dhoni's first travel in train after 13 long years. On the occasion, Dhoni seemed very relaxed and content. He had&nbsp;also taken to his official Instagram handle to share a picture with his team members from their train journey in 2017. Here's the post:

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhonis-csk-pay-heartfelt-tribute-to-suresh-raina-as-star-player-goes-unsold-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-453185">MS Dhoni's CSK pay heartfelt tribute to Suresh Raina as star player goes unsold at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

"They (Jharkhand) did not have a special coach reserved for them and Dhoni travelled with his team and other co-passengers in 2AC. They had a block booking for 23 passengers including Dhoni," South Eastern Railway chief public relations officer Sanjoy Ghosh had then said.&nbsp;

"We had a prior information about this and so we had arranged special security when they boarded in Ranchi last night and upon their arrival this morning in Howrah," Ghosh said. "Railway is India's lifeline and everyone travels by train at some point. It's Dhoni's greatness that he opted to take train and be with his wards instead of flying," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-deepak-chahar-most-expensive-in-raina-less-line-up-453033">Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up</a>

For the unversed, Dhoni was employed by SER as a TTE from September 2001 till July 2004 in Kharagpur; something which was&nbsp;very well-documented in&nbsp;his superhit biopic 'MS Dhoni The Untold Story' (released in 2016).

At present, Dhoni is gearing up to lead the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India in late March. The Yellow Army have revamped and built a strong squad in the just-concluded two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, in Bengaluru.

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. The 40-year-old remains active in the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite announcing his international retirement on August 15, 2020.

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. The 40-year-old remains active in the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite announcing his international retirement on August 15, 2020. The former Indian captain signed off from the highest level as one of the most successful wicketkeeper-batsmen of all time, amassing 17,266 runs, 16 tons, 108 half-centuries alongside claiming 634 catches and 195 stumpings. Apart from his staggering numbers at the international level, Dhoni has always remained a down-to-earth person, adding more fans worldwide with his simplicity and humility. A fine example of his simplicity was on display when the former keeper-batter ditched the luxuries of a flight journey and travelled with his Jharkhand One-Day side by train, from Ranchi to Howrah, to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Kolkata in early 2017. Dhoni rolled back the clock to his days of struggle, in the early 2000s, when he was posted as a ticket inspector in Kharagpur, to travel in second-tier AC of 18616 Kriya Yoga Express along with his state teammates. Back then, it was Dhoni's first travel in train after 13 long years. On the occasion, Dhoni seemed very relaxed and content. He had also taken to his official Instagram handle to share a picture with his team members from their train journey in 2017. Here's the post: View this post on Instagram A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781) × ALSO READ | MS Dhoni's CSK pay heartfelt tribute to Suresh Raina as star player goes unsold at IPL 2022 mega auction "They (Jharkhand) did not have a special coach reserved for them and Dhoni travelled with his team and other co-passengers in 2AC. They had a block booking for 23 passengers including Dhoni," South Eastern Railway chief public relations officer Sanjoy Ghosh had then said. "We had a prior information about this and so we had arranged special security when they boarded in Ranchi last night and upon their arrival this morning in Howrah," Ghosh said. "Railway is India's lifeline and everyone travels by train at some point. It's Dhoni's greatness that he opted to take train and be with his wards instead of flying," he added. ALSO READ | Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up For the unversed, Dhoni was employed by SER as a TTE from September 2001 till July 2004 in Kharagpur; something which was very well-documented in his superhit biopic 'MS Dhoni The Untold Story' (released in 2016). At present, Dhoni is gearing up to lead the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India in late March. The Yellow Army have revamped and built a strong squad in the just-concluded two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, in Bengaluru.

THROWBACK: When MS Dhoni showed his simplicity by travelling with Jharkhand players in train - See pic

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction took place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. It was a star-studded affair as the ten IPL franchises sat down to wisely add more strengths to their respective squads. At the end of the pulsating two-day mega auction, all&nbsp;ten teams have tried to further bolster their respective line-ups ahead of the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India.

Talking about the Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the three-time runners-up went into the auction pool with INR 570 million in their purse. The Bengaluru-based franchise went all-out to rope in some handy names whereas missed out on re-signing some players who were released prior to the mega auction.

RCB have churned out a well-balanced side this time around after the mega auction. The Bengaluru camp bought Faf du Plessis, former Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) opener, for INR 70 million (INR 7 crore) whereas spent a huge sum for re-signing Harshal Patel and Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga. Harshal was bought back for INR 107.5 million (INR 10.75 crore) whereas the No. 1 T20I bowler Hasaranga was also re-acquired for the same amount.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-deepak-chahar-most-expensive-in-raina-less-line-up-453033">Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up</a>

On Day 2 of the mega auction, the RCB camp added more uncapped players and also bolstered their pace department by signing Australia's Josh Hazlewood and Jason Behrendroff. Among the uncapped list, they have included the likes of Shahbaz Ahamad, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror. RCB have also roped in former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Dinesh Karthik -- who was&nbsp;a part of the Bengaluru side in 2015 -- for INR 55 million (INR 5.5 crore). He will surely add to their batting lower down the order.

Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Karn Sharma, David Willey are also some known names in the format, who will add experience to the line-up.

Prior to the mega auction, RCB had retained former skipper Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Md. Siraj. It will be interesting to see who will be named the captain. As of now, it seems like 37-year-old Faf du Plessis is a frontrunner, having been acquired for over INR 50 million.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-no-1-t20i-bowler-wanindu-hasaranga-bought-by-kohli-starrer-rcb-for-rs-1075-crore-452650">IPL 2022 mega auction: No. 1 T20I bowler Wanindu Hasaranga bought by Kohli-starrer RCB for Rs 10.75 crore</a>

Complete squad of RCB for IPL 2022:

Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Faf du Plessis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Josh Hazlewood, Shahbaz Ahamad, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Behrendorff, Suyash Prabhudessai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Karn Sharma,&nbsp;David Willey.&nbsp;

Squad strength:&nbsp;22 (14 - Indian, 8 - overseas)

Remaining purse: INR 15.5 million

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction took place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. It was a star-studded affair as the ten IPL franchises sat down to wisely add more strengths to their respective squads.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction took place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. It was a star-studded affair as the ten IPL franchises sat down to wisely add more strengths to their respective squads. At the end of the pulsating two-day mega auction, all ten teams have tried to further bolster their respective line-ups ahead of the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India. Talking about the Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the three-time runners-up went into the auction pool with INR 570 million in their purse. The Bengaluru-based franchise went all-out to rope in some handy names whereas missed out on re-signing some players who were released prior to the mega auction. RCB have churned out a well-balanced side this time around after the mega auction. The Bengaluru camp bought Faf du Plessis, former Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) opener, for INR 70 million (INR 7 crore) whereas spent a huge sum for re-signing Harshal Patel and Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga. Harshal was bought back for INR 107.5 million (INR 10.75 crore) whereas the No. 1 T20I bowler Hasaranga was also re-acquired for the same amount. ALSO READ | Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up On Day 2 of the mega auction, the RCB camp added more uncapped players and also bolstered their pace department by signing Australia's Josh Hazlewood and Jason Behrendroff. Among the uncapped list, they have included the likes of Shahbaz Ahamad, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror. RCB have also roped in former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Dinesh Karthik -- who was a part of the Bengaluru side in 2015 -- for INR 55 million (INR 5.5 crore). He will surely add to their batting lower down the order. Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Karn Sharma, David Willey are also some known names in the format, who will add experience to the line-up. Prior to the mega auction, RCB had retained former skipper Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Md. Siraj. It will be interesting to see who will be named the captain. As of now, it seems like 37-year-old Faf du Plessis is a frontrunner, having been acquired for over INR 50 million. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 mega auction: No. 1 T20I bowler Wanindu Hasaranga bought by Kohli-starrer RCB for Rs 10.75 crore Complete squad of RCB for IPL 2022: Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Faf du Plessis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Josh Hazlewood, Shahbaz Ahamad, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Behrendorff, Suyash Prabhudessai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Karn Sharma, David Willey. Squad strength: 22 (14 - Indian, 8 - overseas) Remaining purse: INR 15.5 million

Royal Challengers Bangalore complete squad for IPL 2022: Faf du Plessis to captain pace-heavy line-up?

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a good run in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. The mega auction was an entertaining affair as several marquee players were sold at a whopping price whereas some unknown and relatively inexperienced campaigners also made a mark by attracting quite a lot of bids.&nbsp;

The mega auction, held after four years, also stood out for many players being shifted to a new franchise as the IPL 2022 edition promises to be an enthralling and engaging ten-team tournament, set to be held in March-May this year. Talking about the two-time winners and IPL 2021 runners-up KKR, they entered the auction pool with INR 480 million (INR 48 crore). Prior to the mega auction, the Shahrukh Khan-co-owned franchise had retained four players: Varun Chakravarthy (INR 80 million), Sunil Narine (INR 60 million), Venkatesh Iyer (INR 80 million) and Andre Russell (INR 120 million).&nbsp;

In the mega auction, KKR have revamped decently with plenty of new additions whereas they have also managed to bring back some vital cogs. However, some questions still remain.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-deepak-chahar-most-expensive-in-raina-less-line-up-453033">Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up</a>

KKR's 22-member squad comprises 15 Indian players along with 7 foreign recruits. They have invested heavily on various all-rounders, such as Pat Cummins (re-signed for INR 72.5 million), Md Nabi, Nitish Rana, etc. The KKR unit managed to include wily swing bowler Tim Southee&nbsp;in their line-up as well and got some big names to fill their batting department, such as Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (INR 10 million), Sheldon Jackson, Alex Hales, Sam Billings (INR 20 million).

KKR broke the bank for Iyer, the former Delhi Capitals' (DC) skipper, for INR 122.5 million (INR 12.25 crore). The Kolkata-based franchise, however, will feel too dependent on Cummins and Southee in the pace department. While they did manage to add Umesh Yadav (INR 20 million) to the squad, the Indian pacer hasn't been a regular in IPL and in Team India's white-ball squads. On the other hand, a lot of onus will be on Varun and Narine to handle the spin workload.

Overall, Iyer seems like a frontrunner to succeed Eoin Morgan -- not re-signed by the team management -- to lead KKR in IPL 2022.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-indians-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-ishan-kishan-jofra-archer-top-buys-for-rohit-sharma-co-453026">Mumbai Indians complete squad for IPL 2022: Ishan Kishan, Jofra Archer top buys for Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.</a>

Complete squad of KKR for IPL 2022:&nbsp;

Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Baba Indrajith, Abhijit Tomar,&nbsp;Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Rasikh Dar, Ashok Sharma, Tim Southee,&nbsp;Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana,&nbsp;Shivam Mavi, Anukul Roy, Chamika Karunaratne, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Md Nabi

Purse Remaining:&nbsp;INR 4.5 million

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a good run in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. The mega auction was an entertaining affair as several marquee players were sold at a whopping price whereas some unknown and relatively inexperienced campaigners also made a mark by attracting quite a lot of bids.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a good run in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. The mega auction was an entertaining affair as several marquee players were sold at a whopping price whereas some unknown and relatively inexperienced campaigners also made a mark by attracting quite a lot of bids. The mega auction, held after four years, also stood out for many players being shifted to a new franchise as the IPL 2022 edition promises to be an enthralling and engaging ten-team tournament, set to be held in March-May this year. Talking about the two-time winners and IPL 2021 runners-up KKR, they entered the auction pool with INR 480 million (INR 48 crore). Prior to the mega auction, the Shahrukh Khan-co-owned franchise had retained four players: Varun Chakravarthy (INR 80 million), Sunil Narine (INR 60 million), Venkatesh Iyer (INR 80 million) and Andre Russell (INR 120 million). In the mega auction, KKR have revamped decently with plenty of new additions whereas they have also managed to bring back some vital cogs. However, some questions still remain. ALSO READ | Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up KKR's 22-member squad comprises 15 Indian players along with 7 foreign recruits. They have invested heavily on various all-rounders, such as Pat Cummins (re-signed for INR 72.5 million), Md Nabi, Nitish Rana, etc. The KKR unit managed to include wily swing bowler Tim Southee in their line-up as well and got some big names to fill their batting department, such as Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (INR 10 million), Sheldon Jackson, Alex Hales, Sam Billings (INR 20 million). KKR broke the bank for Iyer, the former Delhi Capitals' (DC) skipper, for INR 122.5 million (INR 12.25 crore). The Kolkata-based franchise, however, will feel too dependent on Cummins and Southee in the pace department. While they did manage to add Umesh Yadav (INR 20 million) to the squad, the Indian pacer hasn't been a regular in IPL and in Team India's white-ball squads. On the other hand, a lot of onus will be on Varun and Narine to handle the spin workload. Overall, Iyer seems like a frontrunner to succeed Eoin Morgan -- not re-signed by the team management -- to lead KKR in IPL 2022. ALSO READ | Mumbai Indians complete squad for IPL 2022: Ishan Kishan, Jofra Archer top buys for Rohit Sharma & Co. Complete squad of KKR for IPL 2022: Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Baba Indrajith, Abhijit Tomar, Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Rasikh Dar, Ashok Sharma, Tim Southee, Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana, Shivam Mavi, Anukul Roy, Chamika Karunaratne, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Md Nabi Purse Remaining: INR 4.5 million

Kolkata Knight Riders complete squad for IPL 2022: Shreyas Iyer joins Galaxy of Knights, Cummins returns

Shreyas Iyer, the former Delhi Capitals (DC) captain, has gone for a whopping sum at the ongoing IPL 2022 mega auction, being held in Bengaluru on Saturday (February 12). Iyer, who led the DC franchise to their maiden and only final in 2020 season, has been sold to the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for INR 122.5 million (Rs 12.25 crore).

Iyer was expected to be in huge demand in the mega auction. As expected, the 27-year-old youngster triggered a bidding war between DC and the KKR franchise before the latter had the last laugh in the auction proceedings. The Delhi camp bid aggressively for him before the KKR unit jumped in at INR 70 million (Rs 7 crore) and bought Iyer for a humongous sum.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcb-has-kept-whopping-amount-aside-for-shreyas-iyer-in-ipl-2022-mega-auction-reveals-aakash-chopra-449807">RCB has kept whopping amount aside for Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022 mega auction, reveals Aakash Chopra</a>

Iyer had only represented the Delhi franchise -- debuting in 2015 season -- and revamped the franchise under his leadership. He, however, lost the top job to Rishabh Pant after missing the first leg of IPL 2021 edition and played under the keeper-batter in the second and final leg of IPL 14 last year. After not being retained by the DC franchise, the right-hander has been roped in by the KKR dugout as he will now look to lead the Kolkata-based team to their third title in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, to be held in India.

Iyer has&nbsp;amassed&nbsp;2,375 in 87 games at a strike-rate of&nbsp;123.96.

Shreyas Iyer, the former Delhi Capitals (DC) captain, has gone for a whopping sum at the ongoing IPL 2022 mega auction, being held in Bengaluru on Saturday (February 12).

Shreyas Iyer, the former Delhi Capitals (DC) captain, has gone for a whopping sum at the ongoing IPL 2022 mega auction, being held in Bengaluru on Saturday (February 12). Iyer, who led the DC franchise to their maiden and only final in 2020 season, has been sold to the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for INR 122.5 million (Rs 12.25 crore). Iyer was expected to be in huge demand in the mega auction. As expected, the 27-year-old youngster triggered a bidding war between DC and the KKR franchise before the latter had the last laugh in the auction proceedings. The Delhi camp bid aggressively for him before the KKR unit jumped in at INR 70 million (Rs 7 crore) and bought Iyer for a humongous sum. ALSO READ | RCB has kept whopping amount aside for Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022 mega auction, reveals Aakash Chopra Iyer had only represented the Delhi franchise -- debuting in 2015 season -- and revamped the franchise under his leadership. He, however, lost the top job to Rishabh Pant after missing the first leg of IPL 2021 edition and played under the keeper-batter in the second and final leg of IPL 14 last year. After not being retained by the DC franchise, the right-hander has been roped in by the KKR dugout as he will now look to lead the Kolkata-based team to their third title in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, to be held in India. Iyer has amassed 2,375 in 87 games at a strike-rate of 123.96.

New KKR captain? Shreyas Iyer roped in by two-time champions for whopping INR 122.5 million

The opening day of the IPL 2022 mega auction has lived upto expectations. The Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) entered the auction pool with INR 570 million (Rs 57 crore) in their purse. With the 33-year-old Kohli stepping down as the RCB captain after IPL 2021 edition, the franchise also had to lookout for a captaincy candidate in the mega auction.

While RCB have bought some big names, such as Faf du Plessis, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, etc., former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has named Kohli's successor for IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in March-May. Chopra feels former South African captain Du Plessis is an ideal choice to replace Kohli from the top post. Faf was bought by RCB for INR 70 million (7 crore).

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"100 percent. In my opinion, he (Faf) is their captain. They will eventually announce it for sure. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone that hard for that long because there are other options available," Aakash Chopra told Star Sports.

"If you are looking only at openers, there were options and there will be more in the likes of Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy. They did not go for someone like a Warner or Quinton de Kock. They knew, they had their eyes set on Faf that he is our captain. His record is phenomenal. What he brings is stability and consistency. No international cricket is working in his favour now," Chopra added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-ishan-kishan-to-yuvraj-singh-top-five-most-expensive-indian-buys-in-ipl-auction-452712">From Ishan Kishan to Yuvraj Singh: Top five most expensive Indian buys in IPL auction</a>

So far, RCB have attained the services of some big players along with Shahbaz Ahmed, re-signed Harshal Patel for a whopping sum (INR 107.5 million), however, couldn't reattain Devdutt Padikkal, Washington Sundar, etc.

RCB had already retained Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Md Siraj before the mega auction.

The opening day of the IPL 2022 mega auction has lived upto expectations. The Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) entered the auction pool with INR 570 million (Rs 57 crore) in their purse.

The opening day of the IPL 2022 mega auction has lived upto expectations. The Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) entered the auction pool with INR 570 million (Rs 57 crore) in their purse. With the 33-year-old Kohli stepping down as the RCB captain after IPL 2021 edition, the franchise also had to lookout for a captaincy candidate in the mega auction. While RCB have bought some big names, such as Faf du Plessis, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, etc., former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has named Kohli's successor for IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in March-May. Chopra feels former South African captain Du Plessis is an ideal choice to replace Kohli from the top post. Faf was bought by RCB for INR 70 million (7 crore). ALSO READ | From Shreyas Iyer to Kagiso Rabada: Complete list of 10 marquee players sold at IPL 2022 mega auction "100 percent. In my opinion, he (Faf) is their captain. They will eventually announce it for sure. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone that hard for that long because there are other options available," Aakash Chopra told Star Sports. "If you are looking only at openers, there were options and there will be more in the likes of Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy. They did not go for someone like a Warner or Quinton de Kock. They knew, they had their eyes set on Faf that he is our captain. His record is phenomenal. What he brings is stability and consistency. No international cricket is working in his favour now," Chopra added. ALSO READ | From Ishan Kishan to Yuvraj Singh: Top five most expensive Indian buys in IPL auction So far, RCB have attained the services of some big players along with Shahbaz Ahmed, re-signed Harshal Patel for a whopping sum (INR 107.5 million), however, couldn't reattain Devdutt Padikkal, Washington Sundar, etc. RCB had already retained Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Md Siraj before the mega auction.

IPL 2022: Aakash Chopra names Virat Kohli's successor as RCB pick star players in mega auction

Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasarange drew quite a lot of bid in the ongoing IPL 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12). In the all-rounder's category, Hasaranga's name attracted many franchises as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) competed for him before his former team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) joined the race as the bidding war intensified.&nbsp;

Eventually, the Sri Lankan spin-bowling all-rounder went back to the Virat Kohli-Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)&nbsp;for a whopping INR 107.5 million (INR 10.75 crore) on Day 1 of the opening proceedings. The Sri Lankan's bid was interrupted in a freakish manner as auctioneer&nbsp;Hugh Edmeades led to a sudden halt to proceedings. It was a physical fall for Edmeades, which led to a stoppage in action&nbsp;as lunch break was taken.&nbsp;The auctioneer has been replaced by broadcaster Charu Sharma for the remainder of the opening day.

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Coming back to Hasaranga, the Islander had a memorable run in the previous calendar year, accounting for most wickets in the shortest format in 2021 (36) and also contributing with vital runs down the order in limited-overs. The 24-year-old, who is the No. 1 ranked T20I bowler, had represented the Virat Kohli-starrer RCB franchise in the second and final leg of IPL 14. He, however, couldn't do much in his limited outings.

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With his stokes now being risen by a significant level, Hasaranga will now be eager to make a strong statement in the RCB jersey in the IPL 2022 edition, to be held in India in March-May. Hasaranga is also the costliest foreign player so far on Day 1 of the two-day mega auction in Bengaluru.

Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasarange drew quite a lot of bid in the ongoing IPL 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12). In the all-rounder's category, Hasaranga's name attracted many franchises as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) competed for him before his former team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) joined the race as the bidding war intensified.

Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasarange drew quite a lot of bid in the ongoing IPL 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12). In the all-rounder's category, Hasaranga's name attracted many franchises as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) competed for him before his former team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) joined the race as the bidding war intensified. Eventually, the Sri Lankan spin-bowling all-rounder went back to the Virat Kohli-Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for a whopping INR 107.5 million (INR 10.75 crore) on Day 1 of the opening proceedings. The Sri Lankan's bid was interrupted in a freakish manner as auctioneer Hugh Edmeades led to a sudden halt to proceedings. It was a physical fall for Edmeades, which led to a stoppage in action as lunch break was taken. The auctioneer has been replaced by broadcaster Charu Sharma for the remainder of the opening day. ALSO READ | LIVE IPL 2022 Mega Auction Updates: Shreyas Iyer finds new home; auction to resume at 3:30pm IST Coming back to Hasaranga, the Islander had a memorable run in the previous calendar year, accounting for most wickets in the shortest format in 2021 (36) and also contributing with vital runs down the order in limited-overs. The 24-year-old, who is the No. 1 ranked T20I bowler, had represented the Virat Kohli-starrer RCB franchise in the second and final leg of IPL 14. He, however, couldn't do much in his limited outings. ALSO READ | CSK stalwart Suresh Raina goes UNSOLD at IPL 2022 mega auction With his stokes now being risen by a significant level, Hasaranga will now be eager to make a strong statement in the RCB jersey in the IPL 2022 edition, to be held in India in March-May. Hasaranga is also the costliest foreign player so far on Day 1 of the two-day mega auction in Bengaluru.

IPL 2022 mega auction: No. 1 T20I bowler Wanindu Hasaranga bought by Kohli-starrer RCB for Rs 10.75 crore

After a long wait, the Ahmedabad franchise's owner&nbsp;Siddharth Patel of CVC Capital Partners has revealed the official name of the Hardik Pandya-led unit. The Ahmedabad franchise is set to be named Gujarat Titans. It remains one of the two new additions (along with Lucknow -- named Lucknow Super Giants) to the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the 2022 edition, in India.

Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, the Ahmedabad franchise had named all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the captain and also roped in Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill as their three picks. Gary Kirsten, who guided the MS Dhoni-led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup title, will serve as the batting coach whereas former pacer Ashish Nehra has been named as the head coach.&nbsp;

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For the unversed, the franchise from Ahmedabad is the second team from Gujarat to feature in the IPL. In the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Gujarat Lions were the first-ever side from the state to be included in the IPL. It was led by Suresh Raina, who took them to the playoffs in their inaugural season.&nbsp;

Hardik's services have been roped in for INR 150 million whereas the CVC Capital Partners also bought Rashid for the same price. Shubman, on the other hand, was picked at INR 80 million. He has earlier represented the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) since the 2018 season.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mandatory-rules-laid-down-by-bcci-for-all-10-franchises-at-mega-auction-451445">IPL 2022: Mandatory rules laid down by BCCI for all 10 franchises at mega auction</a>

It will be interesting to see who all are picked by the Ahmedabad franchise in the forthcoming auction. As per reports, the newly-formed team have INR 520 million in their purse heading into the auction proceedings. The mega auction will be held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

After a long wait, the Ahmedabad franchise's owner Siddharth Patel of CVC Capital Partners has revealed the official name of the Hardik Pandya-led unit. The Ahmedabad franchise is set to be named Gujarat Titans.

After a long wait, the Ahmedabad franchise's owner Siddharth Patel of CVC Capital Partners has revealed the official name of the Hardik Pandya-led unit. The Ahmedabad franchise is set to be named Gujarat Titans. It remains one of the two new additions (along with Lucknow -- named Lucknow Super Giants) to the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the 2022 edition, in India. Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, the Ahmedabad franchise had named all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the captain and also roped in Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill as their three picks. Gary Kirsten, who guided the MS Dhoni-led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup title, will serve as the batting coach whereas former pacer Ashish Nehra has been named as the head coach. ALSO READ | 'An emotional call': Aakash Chopra on CSK shelling out INR 120 million to retain MS Dhoni ahead of IPL auction For the unversed, the franchise from Ahmedabad is the second team from Gujarat to feature in the IPL. In the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Gujarat Lions were the first-ever side from the state to be included in the IPL. It was led by Suresh Raina, who took them to the playoffs in their inaugural season. Hardik's services have been roped in for INR 150 million whereas the CVC Capital Partners also bought Rashid for the same price. Shubman, on the other hand, was picked at INR 80 million. He has earlier represented the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) since the 2018 season. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Mandatory rules laid down by BCCI for all 10 franchises at mega auction It will be interesting to see who all are picked by the Ahmedabad franchise in the forthcoming auction. As per reports, the newly-formed team have INR 520 million in their purse heading into the auction proceedings. The mega auction will be held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya's Ahmedabad franchise named Gujarat Titans, reveals team owner

The D-day is upon us. The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru as all the ten franchises are eager to rope in some marquee and promising talents in their respective squads. The mega auction returns after four years, last held in early 2018, and will also see the members of the two new IPL teams -- in the form of Lucknow Super Giants and Team Ahmedabad (official name not announced yet).

Ahead of the mega auction proceedings, here's a detailed list of mandatory rules laid down by the Sourav Ganguly-led Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be strictly followed by all the ten IPL franchises:

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1) The forthcoming IPL 2022 mega auction will be held in a bio-bubble environment. 
2) The officials representing the ten franchises will have to undergo&nbsp;COVID-19 tests and return with negative RT-PCR report on February 9, 10&nbsp; as well as on the 11th.&nbsp; 
3) Unlike the IPL 2018 mega auction, no&nbsp;Right to Match (RTM) option will be&nbsp;available&nbsp;in the upcoming&nbsp;auction proceedings. 
4) The IPL 2022 purse has seen an increase,&nbsp;from Rs 80 crore&nbsp;to 90 crore (INR 800 to 900 million) to accommodate more players. This has been done to rope in more players by focusing primarily&nbsp;on India's&nbsp;domestic circuit. 
5) The Indian board will also keep a tab&nbsp;on those arriving at the team hotel on February 11. They will be closely monitored for COVID-19 symptoms. 
6) The testing will take place&nbsp;between 12 am to 7 am for the smooth conduct of the mega&nbsp;auction. Till their test reports do not come negative,&nbsp;the members will stay put in their respective hotel rooms. 
7) All&nbsp;attendees are also expected to share full details including COVID vaccination results (if any) with the BCCI's&nbsp;medical team. 
8) The participants entering the auction proceedings&nbsp;will have to wear masks in the auditorium at all times.

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Where to watch the live streaming, telecast of mega auction?

The ardent IPL fans will be able to watch the live streaming of the IPL 2022 mega&nbsp;auction on Disney+ Hotstar. On the other hand,&nbsp;the mega event will be telecast live on Star Sports Network.

The D-day is upon us. The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru as all the ten franchises are eager to rope in some marquee and promising talents in their respective squads.

The D-day is upon us. The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru as all the ten franchises are eager to rope in some marquee and promising talents in their respective squads. The mega auction returns after four years, last held in early 2018, and will also see the members of the two new IPL teams -- in the form of Lucknow Super Giants and Team Ahmedabad (official name not announced yet). Ahead of the mega auction proceedings, here's a detailed list of mandatory rules laid down by the Sourav Ganguly-led Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be strictly followed by all the ten IPL franchises: ALSO READ | Richard Madley recalls bidding war for MS Dhoni during inaugural IPL auction in 2008 1) The forthcoming IPL 2022 mega auction will be held in a bio-bubble environment. 2) The officials representing the ten franchises will have to undergo COVID-19 tests and return with negative RT-PCR report on February 9, 10 as well as on the 11th. 3) Unlike the IPL 2018 mega auction, no Right to Match (RTM) option will be available in the upcoming auction proceedings. 4) The IPL 2022 purse has seen an increase, from Rs 80 crore to 90 crore (INR 800 to 900 million) to accommodate more players. This has been done to rope in more players by focusing primarily on India's domestic circuit. 5) The Indian board will also keep a tab on those arriving at the team hotel on February 11. They will be closely monitored for COVID-19 symptoms. 6) The testing will take place between 12 am to 7 am for the smooth conduct of the mega auction. Till their test reports do not come negative, the members will stay put in their respective hotel rooms. 7) All attendees are also expected to share full details including COVID vaccination results (if any) with the BCCI's medical team. 8) The participants entering the auction proceedings will have to wear masks in the auditorium at all times. ALSO READ | 'Drive auto with your father' - RCB's Md Siraj recalls criticism for bowling two beamers vs KKR in IPL 2019 Where to watch the live streaming, telecast of mega auction? The ardent IPL fans will be able to watch the live streaming of the IPL 2022 mega auction on Disney+ Hotstar. On the other hand, the mega event will be telecast live on Star Sports Network.

IPL 2022: Mandatory rules laid down by BCCI for all 10 franchises at mega auction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The IPL 2022 mega auction is just a few days away. The excitement among the ardent IPL fans is on another level as the mega auction returns after four long years. With the addition of two new more teams, in the form of Ahmedabad and Lucknow, all eyes are on how the new franchises will form their sides from scratch whereas&nbsp;it will be interesting to see how&nbsp;the eight old teams&nbsp;revamp and re-build after releasing some key players.

Among the non-retained players, the likes of David Warner, Kagiso Rabada, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Devdutt Padikkal, etc. are set to go under the radar. Ahead of the mega auction, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has made a bold revelation, saying that Iyer is set to be the most expensive player and Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have kept a whopping amount aside for him.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-event-to-be-held-in-india-franchises-eager-for-bcci-to-finalise-venues-report-449770">IPL 2022: Mega event to be held in India; franchises eager for BCCI to finalise venues - Report</a>

Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel, “Shreyas Iyer could be a potential captain of KKR or RCB. I don't think Punjab would be looking at him."

He further opined, "Someone told me that RCB has kept 20cr (INR 200 million) for Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022 Mega Auction. The most expensive player, to be very honest, is going to be Shreyas Iyer. In this list, the most expensive will be Iyer because Ishan Kishan is not there. If Ishan was there, there could've been a tug of war. Now, they will reserve money for Ishan and money will be splashed out for Iyer."

For the foreign players, Chopra added, “The three most expensive overseas players will be Rabada, and then one of Quinton de Kock or David Warner will be the most expensive overseas player as well. There's a good possibility."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-warner-or-dhawan-chopra-predicts-indian-youngster-as-most-expensive-opener-in-ipl-2022-auction-449533">Not Warner or Dhawan! Chopra predicts Indian youngster as 'most expensive opener' in IPL 2022 auction</a>

It will be interesting to see if Iyer goes to the RCB camp. Under him, the Delhi franchise played their first-ever finale, in the 2020 season. He has amassed&nbsp;2,375 in 87 games at a strike-rate of&nbsp;123.96.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is just a few days away. The excitement among the ardent IPL fans is on another level as the mega auction returns after four long years.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is just a few days away. The excitement among the ardent IPL fans is on another level as the mega auction returns after four long years. With the addition of two new more teams, in the form of Ahmedabad and Lucknow, all eyes are on how the new franchises will form their sides from scratch whereas it will be interesting to see how the eight old teams revamp and re-build after releasing some key players. Among the non-retained players, the likes of David Warner, Kagiso Rabada, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Devdutt Padikkal, etc. are set to go under the radar. Ahead of the mega auction, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has made a bold revelation, saying that Iyer is set to be the most expensive player and Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have kept a whopping amount aside for him. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Mega event to be held in India; franchises eager for BCCI to finalise venues - Report Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel, “Shreyas Iyer could be a potential captain of KKR or RCB. I don't think Punjab would be looking at him." He further opined, "Someone told me that RCB has kept 20cr (INR 200 million) for Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022 Mega Auction. The most expensive player, to be very honest, is going to be Shreyas Iyer. In this list, the most expensive will be Iyer because Ishan Kishan is not there. If Ishan was there, there could've been a tug of war. Now, they will reserve money for Ishan and money will be splashed out for Iyer." For the foreign players, Chopra added, “The three most expensive overseas players will be Rabada, and then one of Quinton de Kock or David Warner will be the most expensive overseas player as well. There's a good possibility." ALSO READ | Not Warner or Dhawan! Chopra predicts Indian youngster as 'most expensive opener' in IPL 2022 auction It will be interesting to see if Iyer goes to the RCB camp. Under him, the Delhi franchise played their first-ever finale, in the 2020 season. He has amassed 2,375 in 87 games at a strike-rate of 123.96.

RCB has kept whopping amount aside for Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022 mega auction, reveals Aakash Chopra

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The IPL 2022 mega auction is keenly awaited. The two-day affair will be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. Ahead of the marquee event, all eyes are on the non-retained players. A lot of big-ticket players such as David Warner, R Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock, Steve Smith, etc. will make heads turn in the forthcoming auction proceedings.

Ahead of the mega auction, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra opined on David Warner and mentioned which franchise will buy his services. As of now, there are three teams who are looking for a captain. The three franchises in search of a captain are Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS).&nbsp;

Chopra feels Warner's fallout with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), in IPL 2021, will be a key factor on him missing out on captaincy role despite being a proven leader and only one of the few foreign captains to have won the coveted trophy (for SRH in 2016).&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Chopra said on his Youtube channel, "They can think about it but in my opinion, they will not make him the captain. I believe David Warner will not become the captain of any team although three teams are probably looking for a skipper. Even if we leave out Punjab, still two teams are looking for a captain."

"He will definitely go to some team or the other. He will go expensive as well but no team will consider him as a captain, that is what I believe because IPL is a small family, everyone has got an idea what happened last year, what were the reasons and the problems. It hasn't really gone down very well amongst the players and the franchises," he explained.

In addition, Chopra named the franchise who can attain Warner's services in the forthcoming auction. "Whether he will be there in the team, he will go somewhere for sure. He might go to RCB. It's not a bad choice that Virat Kohli on one side and David Warner on the other, left-hand and right-hand, and both explosive."

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>

Warner has been a big name in IPL history. Being the fifth-highest run-getter overall (5,449), he has had a terrific run in the cash-rich league since 2014. He surpassed the 500-run mark in all seasons for SRH from 2014-2020 but captaincy issues, slow strike-rate, fallout with the team management led to his ouster from the Hyderabad camp.&nbsp;

The Aussie opener will now look to restart from scratch and regain his full flow in the IPL 2022 edition.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is keenly awaited. The two-day affair will be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. Ahead of the marquee event, all eyes are on the non-retained players.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is keenly awaited. The two-day affair will be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. Ahead of the marquee event, all eyes are on the non-retained players. A lot of big-ticket players such as David Warner, R Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock, Steve Smith, etc. will make heads turn in the forthcoming auction proceedings. Ahead of the mega auction, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra opined on David Warner and mentioned which franchise will buy his services. As of now, there are three teams who are looking for a captain. The three franchises in search of a captain are Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS). Chopra feels Warner's fallout with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), in IPL 2021, will be a key factor on him missing out on captaincy role despite being a proven leader and only one of the few foreign captains to have won the coveted trophy (for SRH in 2016). ALSO READ | 'No budget for the Lord': Yuzvendra Chahal pulls Shardul Thakur's leg ahead of IPL mega auction Chopra said on his Youtube channel, "They can think about it but in my opinion, they will not make him the captain. I believe David Warner will not become the captain of any team although three teams are probably looking for a skipper. Even if we leave out Punjab, still two teams are looking for a captain." "He will definitely go to some team or the other. He will go expensive as well but no team will consider him as a captain, that is what I believe because IPL is a small family, everyone has got an idea what happened last year, what were the reasons and the problems. It hasn't really gone down very well amongst the players and the franchises," he explained. In addition, Chopra named the franchise who can attain Warner's services in the forthcoming auction. "Whether he will be there in the team, he will go somewhere for sure. He might go to RCB. It's not a bad choice that Virat Kohli on one side and David Warner on the other, left-hand and right-hand, and both explosive." ALSO READ | SIMPLY MINDBOGGLING! From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to AB de Villiers: Top 5 earners in IPL history Warner has been a big name in IPL history. Being the fifth-highest run-getter overall (5,449), he has had a terrific run in the cash-rich league since 2014. He surpassed the 500-run mark in all seasons for SRH from 2014-2020 but captaincy issues, slow strike-rate, fallout with the team management led to his ouster from the Hyderabad camp. The Aussie opener will now look to restart from scratch and regain his full flow in the IPL 2022 edition.

IPL 2022: Chopra explains why Warner will miss out on captaincy, names franchise who can buy him

The IPL 2022 edition is still two months away. The BCCI is planning to host the 15th edition in India, from late March. Before the upcoming season begins, all eyes are on the mega auction. It is set to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February. Before the auction proceedings, seven out of the ten teams don't have to worry about choosing a captain as they have either retained their respective skippers or named new captains.

However, the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) need to choose a captain as well in the forthcoming mega auction. While Virat Kohli resigned as the RCB captain post IPL 2021, KL Rahul left PBKS and will captain the Lucknow Super Giants in the forthcoming edition. Despite taking KKR to the IPL 14 finale, Eoin Morgan wasn't retained by the two-time winners and, hence, the Kolkata-based franchise will have to look for a captain in the auction proceedings.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-he-wanted-me-to-ahmedabad-captain-hardik-pandya-hails-ms-dhoni-for-grooming-him-447459">IPL 2022: 'He wanted me to....'- Ahmedabad captain Hardik Pandya hails MS Dhoni for grooming him</a>

Speaking on&nbsp;Cricbuzz, former KKR captain Dinesh Karthik -- who has also registered himself in the mega auction --&nbsp;named three players who can take up captaincy roles. He named Shreyas Iyer as one of the options and further said, "If you go by recent history, obviously David Warner. He has captained a franchise, he's available. If you go by the current international standards, Pat Cummins. He is put his name in so he obviously has an opportunity to be a captain if he goes to a franchise that believes he could be a captain."

“If you throw an outside name, obviously Ishan Kishan has led the U-19s. He has led Jharkhand. So, they seem as options,” he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pune-intended-how-csk-rajasthan-royals-reacted-to-lucknow-super-giants-name-announcement-447482">'Pun(e) intended': How CSK, Rajasthan Royals reacted to Lucknow Super Giants' name announcement</a>

It will be interesting to see who all are named the captains for the three franchises who are in need of a skipper at the moment. The likes of Shreyas, Ishan, Warner, Cummins will surely be expensive buys and can also serve as captains. Some other options are Morgan, Jason Holder, Ben Stokes, etc.

The IPL 2022 edition is still two months away. The BCCI is planning to host the 15th edition in India, from late March. Before the upcoming season begins, all eyes are on the mega auction.

The IPL 2022 edition is still two months away. The BCCI is planning to host the 15th edition in India, from late March. Before the upcoming season begins, all eyes are on the mega auction. It is set to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February. Before the auction proceedings, seven out of the ten teams don't have to worry about choosing a captain as they have either retained their respective skippers or named new captains. However, the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) need to choose a captain as well in the forthcoming mega auction. While Virat Kohli resigned as the RCB captain post IPL 2021, KL Rahul left PBKS and will captain the Lucknow Super Giants in the forthcoming edition. Despite taking KKR to the IPL 14 finale, Eoin Morgan wasn't retained by the two-time winners and, hence, the Kolkata-based franchise will have to look for a captain in the auction proceedings. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: 'He wanted me to....'- Ahmedabad captain Hardik Pandya hails MS Dhoni for grooming him Speaking on Cricbuzz, former KKR captain Dinesh Karthik -- who has also registered himself in the mega auction -- named three players who can take up captaincy roles. He named Shreyas Iyer as one of the options and further said, "If you go by recent history, obviously David Warner. He has captained a franchise, he's available. If you go by the current international standards, Pat Cummins. He is put his name in so he obviously has an opportunity to be a captain if he goes to a franchise that believes he could be a captain." “If you throw an outside name, obviously Ishan Kishan has led the U-19s. He has led Jharkhand. So, they seem as options,” he added. ALSO READ | 'Pun(e) intended': How CSK, Rajasthan Royals reacted to Lucknow Super Giants' name announcement It will be interesting to see who all are named the captains for the three franchises who are in need of a skipper at the moment. The likes of Shreyas, Ishan, Warner, Cummins will surely be expensive buys and can also serve as captains. Some other options are Morgan, Jason Holder, Ben Stokes, etc.

IPL 2022: Dinesh Karthik names Indian youngster among 3 star players who could captain a franchise

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

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

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

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

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

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

From Rahul to Hardik: 6 players who can be picked by new teams and not enter IPL 2022 auction pool

The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council meeting took place on Tuesday (January 11). Apart from officially approving the two new IPL teams' entry -- i.e. RPSG group's Lucknow franchise and CVC Capital-owned Ahmedabad -- into the cash-rich league, TATA Group were declared as the title sponsors after Chinese mobile manufacturer VIVO's pullout. In addition, the venue and dates for the forthcoming IPL 2022 mega auction also got confirmed.&nbsp;

The upcoming mega auction is set to be two-day affair and will take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. For the unversed, the two new IPL teams will get a chance to pick three players each from the non-retained list before the action in the mega auction. The likes of KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik and Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, David Warner and many other top names haven't been retained by their respective franchises. Hence, the mega auction is keenly awaited among IPL loyalists all around the globe.&nbsp;

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>

While many key decisions took place in the IPL GC meeting, nothing has been finalised when it comes to the venues for the IPL 2022 edition. The last two IPL seasons have been played largely in the UAE (with the 2020 season held entirely in UAE whereas last year's final leg also took place in the Middle East), this year's IPL season's scheduling will also test the BCCI as Covid-19 cases are on the rise in India. Thus, the board hasn't taken a call on the venues and will decide after monitoring the situation in March. The Sourav Ganguly-led board will get in touch with all the stakeholders and the government before a final call is made. At present, the third-wave scare is looming large in the country.&nbsp;

It is believed that if the situation doesn't improve by early March, BCCI will take a call, create a cluster to shift the tournament where there are four of five stadiums with no air travel.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/governing-council-approves-new-teams-entry-into-ipl-will-get-10-14-days-to-pick-players-443905">Governing Council approves new teams' entry into IPL, will get 10-14 days to pick players</a>

Talking about the last IPL season, it was the first-ever edition to be held in two halves. IPL 14 started in India before it was postponed indefinitely midway, in early May, due to the second wave of the Covid-19 infection. Later in the year, the tournament was shifted in the UAE where MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) returned victorious by winning their fourth title overall.&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council meeting took place on Tuesday (January 11). Apart from officially approving the two new IPL teams' entry -- i.e.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council meeting took place on Tuesday (January 11). Apart from officially approving the two new IPL teams' entry -- i.e. RPSG group's Lucknow franchise and CVC Capital-owned Ahmedabad -- into the cash-rich league, TATA Group were declared as the title sponsors after Chinese mobile manufacturer VIVO's pullout. In addition, the venue and dates for the forthcoming IPL 2022 mega auction also got confirmed. The upcoming mega auction is set to be two-day affair and will take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. For the unversed, the two new IPL teams will get a chance to pick three players each from the non-retained list before the action in the mega auction. The likes of KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik and Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, David Warner and many other top names haven't been retained by their respective franchises. Hence, the mega auction is keenly awaited among IPL loyalists all around the globe. ALSO READ | Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out While many key decisions took place in the IPL GC meeting, nothing has been finalised when it comes to the venues for the IPL 2022 edition. The last two IPL seasons have been played largely in the UAE (with the 2020 season held entirely in UAE whereas last year's final leg also took place in the Middle East), this year's IPL season's scheduling will also test the BCCI as Covid-19 cases are on the rise in India. Thus, the board hasn't taken a call on the venues and will decide after monitoring the situation in March. The Sourav Ganguly-led board will get in touch with all the stakeholders and the government before a final call is made. At present, the third-wave scare is looming large in the country. It is believed that if the situation doesn't improve by early March, BCCI will take a call, create a cluster to shift the tournament where there are four of five stadiums with no air travel. ALSO READ | Governing Council approves new teams' entry into IPL, will get 10-14 days to pick players Talking about the last IPL season, it was the first-ever edition to be held in two halves. IPL 14 started in India before it was postponed indefinitely midway, in early May, due to the second wave of the Covid-19 infection. Later in the year, the tournament was shifted in the UAE where MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) returned victorious by winning their fourth title overall.

IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru as dates confirmed after governing council meeting

India's former captain MS Dhoni continues to be a big name in world cricket. Having retired from international cricket in mid-August 2020, the 41-year-old still remains active in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he continues to lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).&nbsp;

Dhoni didn't have a great run with the bat in IPL 2020 and in the following edition in 2021. However, the keeper-batsman led his troops magnificently to take the Yellow Army to their fourth title in last year's tournament; held in two halves in India and the UAE.

Recently, the CSK franchise's official Twitter handle shared a post featuring the 'Thala' Dhoni, who was seen feeding his pet pony. The post has soon become the talk of the town,&nbsp;garnering over 41K likes on Twitter. On the other hand,&nbsp;the same photo has fetched over 582k likes on Instagram.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/test-without-him-is-soulless-twitterati-reacts-as-virat-kohli-misses-india-vs-sa-2nd-test-in-jburg-441948">'Test without him is soulless' - Twitterati reacts as Virat Kohli misses India vs SA 2nd Test in J'burg</a>

Here's the first pic of Dhoni in the new calendar year:&nbsp;

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🦁💛🐎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/THA7A?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#THA7A</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://t.co/qTJyIQSvnw">pic.twitter.com/qTJyIQSvnw</a>
— Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1477637525296783362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-may-have-supported-some-bcci-officials-who-didnt-want-me-harbhajan-singh-makes-glaring-remark-441643">MS Dhoni may have supported some BCCI officials who didn't want me: Harbhajan Singh makes glaring remark</a>

Dhoni will next be seen on the 22-yard cricket strip during the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, which is set to be held in India in April-May. The CSK franchise, on the other hand, will look to form a solid unit this time around in the upcoming mega auction, which will be held in mid-February in Bengaluru.&nbsp;

For the unversed, CSK have retained the likes of Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali. They will look to regain the services of some of their old players and add more new faces to defend their title in the IPL 15 edition.

The next season of the IPL will also feature two new teams, in the form of Lucknow and Ahmedabad.

India's former captain MS Dhoni continues to be a big name in world cricket. Having retired from international cricket in mid-August 2020, the 41-year-old still remains active in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he continues to lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

India's former captain MS Dhoni continues to be a big name in world cricket. Having retired from international cricket in mid-August 2020, the 41-year-old still remains active in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he continues to lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Dhoni didn't have a great run with the bat in IPL 2020 and in the following edition in 2021. However, the keeper-batsman led his troops magnificently to take the Yellow Army to their fourth title in last year's tournament; held in two halves in India and the UAE. Recently, the CSK franchise's official Twitter handle shared a post featuring the 'Thala' Dhoni, who was seen feeding his pet pony. The post has soon become the talk of the town, garnering over 41K likes on Twitter. On the other hand, the same photo has fetched over 582k likes on Instagram. ALSO READ | 'Test without him is soulless' - Twitterati reacts as Virat Kohli misses India vs SA 2nd Test in J'burg Here's the first pic of Dhoni in the new calendar year: 🦁💛🐎#THA7A #WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/qTJyIQSvnw — Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) January 2, 2022 × ALSO READ | MS Dhoni may have supported some BCCI officials who didn't want me: Harbhajan Singh makes glaring remark Dhoni will next be seen on the 22-yard cricket strip during the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, which is set to be held in India in April-May. The CSK franchise, on the other hand, will look to form a solid unit this time around in the upcoming mega auction, which will be held in mid-February in Bengaluru. For the unversed, CSK have retained the likes of Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali. They will look to regain the services of some of their old players and add more new faces to defend their title in the IPL 15 edition. The next season of the IPL will also feature two new teams, in the form of Lucknow and Ahmedabad.

CSK shares MS Dhoni's first pic of 2022 with his pet pony, post breaks the internet

The mega auction for the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is keenly awaited. After the eight existing franchises shared their list of retained players on November 30, the two new IPL teams in the form of Lucknow and Ahmedabad will get a chance to pick three players each -- among the non-retained list of players -- before the action moves to the mega auction. As per latest reports, the IPL 2022 mega auction is set to be held in the garden city, i.e. Bengaluru on February 7 and 8.&nbsp;

"Unless the COVID-19 situation worsens, we will have the IPL mega auction in India. The two-day event will be held on February 7 and 8 and like other years, we plan to hold it in Bengaluru. Preparations are underway," a senior BCCI official told the news agency PTI.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-likely-dates-revealed-set-to-be-a-two-day-affair-438406">IPL 2022 mega auction likely dates revealed, set to be a two-day affair</a>

This time around, several top players are set to go under the hammer as the eight existing IPL franchises will look to revamp whereas the two new teams will build their respective line-ups after wisely choosing three players each prior to the mega auction. The likes of KL Rahul, Rashid Khan, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, David Warner, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jonny Bairstow, Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo, Sam Curran, Pandya brothers and many others have not been retained. Hence, all eyes will be on them before as well as during the auction.&nbsp;

For the unversed, the auction was supposed to be held in early January, 2022. However, it has been delayed due to lack of clarity regarding the Ahmedabad franchise's future ever since the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI initiated an inquiry on CVC Capital Partners' association with betting firms. On the other hand, the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group-owned Lucknow franchise are on a signing spree at the moment. They have already signed Andy Flower as the head coach, Gautam Gambhir as the team mentor and named Vijay Dahiya as the assistant coach recently.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-virat-kohli-shadab-khan-names-star-indian-opener-and-david-warner-as-toughest-batter-to-bowl-at-439078">Not Virat Kohli! Shadab Khan names star Indian opener and David Warner as 'toughest batter to bowl' at</a>

With plenty of action in the shortest format in the run-up to the mega auction, in form of BBL, Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament, etc., there will be several&nbsp;options for all the ten IPL teams in the star-studded event which is likely to be held in Bengaluru.

The mega auction for the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is keenly awaited. After the eight existing franchises shared their list of retained players on November 30, the two new IPL teams in the form of Lucknow and Ahmedabad will get a chance to pick three players each -- among the non-retained list of players -- before the action moves to the mega auction.

The mega auction for the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is keenly awaited. After the eight existing franchises shared their list of retained players on November 30, the two new IPL teams in the form of Lucknow and Ahmedabad will get a chance to pick three players each -- among the non-retained list of players -- before the action moves to the mega auction. As per latest reports, the IPL 2022 mega auction is set to be held in the garden city, i.e. Bengaluru on February 7 and 8. "Unless the COVID-19 situation worsens, we will have the IPL mega auction in India. The two-day event will be held on February 7 and 8 and like other years, we plan to hold it in Bengaluru. Preparations are underway," a senior BCCI official told the news agency PTI. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 mega auction likely dates revealed, set to be a two-day affair This time around, several top players are set to go under the hammer as the eight existing IPL franchises will look to revamp whereas the two new teams will build their respective line-ups after wisely choosing three players each prior to the mega auction. The likes of KL Rahul, Rashid Khan, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, David Warner, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jonny Bairstow, Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo, Sam Curran, Pandya brothers and many others have not been retained. Hence, all eyes will be on them before as well as during the auction. For the unversed, the auction was supposed to be held in early January, 2022. However, it has been delayed due to lack of clarity regarding the Ahmedabad franchise's future ever since the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI initiated an inquiry on CVC Capital Partners' association with betting firms. On the other hand, the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group-owned Lucknow franchise are on a signing spree at the moment. They have already signed Andy Flower as the head coach, Gautam Gambhir as the team mentor and named Vijay Dahiya as the assistant coach recently. ALSO READ | Not Virat Kohli! Shadab Khan names star Indian opener and David Warner as 'toughest batter to bowl' at With plenty of action in the shortest format in the run-up to the mega auction, in form of BBL, Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament, etc., there will be several options for all the ten IPL teams in the star-studded event which is likely to be held in Bengaluru.

Countdown begins! IPL 2022 mega auction likely to be held on Feb 7 and 8 in Bengaluru: Report

IPL 2022 mega auction is set to take place in the garden city of India, i.e. Bengaluru, on February 12 and 13. While an official confirmation from the BCCI is still pending, it is believed that the board is set to go ahead with the said dates for the two-day affair.

As per a report in Cricbuzz, the BCCI have also informed all the franchises about the above-mentioned dates for the mega auction, which is set to see some big players go under the hammer. During their calls to the franchises on Thursday morning (December 23), the BCCI insisted that the dates remain final despite it clashing with an ODI between India and West Indies. After the South Africa tour, India will host Sri Lanka which will be followed by a limited-overs tour of Kieron Pollard-led West Indies.&nbsp;

The India-Windies third and final ODI is set to take place on February 12, at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, but the BCCI has assured the franchises that the match will have no bearing on the auction proceedings, which will be held in mid-February in Bengaluru.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/countdown-begins-ipl-2022-mega-auction-likely-to-be-held-on-feb-7-and-8-in-bengaluru-report-439104">Countdown begins! IPL 2022 mega auction likely to be held on Feb 7 and 8 in Bengaluru: Report</a>

Earlier, it was reported that the mega auction was set to take place in early January, 2022. However, it got&nbsp;delayed as a result of lack of clarity regarding the Ahmedabad franchise's future ever since the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI initiated an inquiry on CVC Capital Partners' association with betting firms. Nonetheless, it is reported that the CVC Capitals is set to get a clean chit from the board, allowing it to own the Ahmedabad franchise.&nbsp;

For the unversed, star players such as KL Rahul, Rashid Khan, Shreyas Iyer, Eoin Morgan, David Warner, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, R Ashwin and many others have not been retained by the eight existing franchises. Hence, the two new IPL teams -- such as Ahmedabad and Lucknow -- will get a chance to pick three players each before the auction whereas a bulk of them are set to go under the hammer in the star-studded event in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

IPL 2022 mega auction is set to take place in the garden city of India, i.e. Bengaluru, on February 12 and 13. While an official confirmation from the BCCI is still pending, it is believed that the board is set to go ahead with the said dates for the two-day affair.

IPL 2022 mega auction is set to take place in the garden city of India, i.e. Bengaluru, on February 12 and 13. While an official confirmation from the BCCI is still pending, it is believed that the board is set to go ahead with the said dates for the two-day affair. As per a report in Cricbuzz, the BCCI have also informed all the franchises about the above-mentioned dates for the mega auction, which is set to see some big players go under the hammer. During their calls to the franchises on Thursday morning (December 23), the BCCI insisted that the dates remain final despite it clashing with an ODI between India and West Indies. After the South Africa tour, India will host Sri Lanka which will be followed by a limited-overs tour of Kieron Pollard-led West Indies. The India-Windies third and final ODI is set to take place on February 12, at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, but the BCCI has assured the franchises that the match will have no bearing on the auction proceedings, which will be held in mid-February in Bengaluru. ALSO READ | Countdown begins! IPL 2022 mega auction likely to be held on Feb 7 and 8 in Bengaluru: Report Earlier, it was reported that the mega auction was set to take place in early January, 2022. However, it got delayed as a result of lack of clarity regarding the Ahmedabad franchise's future ever since the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI initiated an inquiry on CVC Capital Partners' association with betting firms. Nonetheless, it is reported that the CVC Capitals is set to get a clean chit from the board, allowing it to own the Ahmedabad franchise. For the unversed, star players such as KL Rahul, Rashid Khan, Shreyas Iyer, Eoin Morgan, David Warner, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, R Ashwin and many others have not been retained by the eight existing franchises. Hence, the two new IPL teams -- such as Ahmedabad and Lucknow -- will get a chance to pick three players each before the auction whereas a bulk of them are set to go under the hammer in the star-studded event in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

IPL 2022 mega auction dates finalised, to take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13: Report

All the eight IPL franchises revealed their list of retained players on Tuesday evening (November 30). While some big names were retained by their respective franchises, some known faces got released. As two more teams have been added to the IPL, in the form of Lucknow and Ahmedabad, they will get a chance to pick three players each prior to the IPL 2022 mega auction.

Hence, six players will find themselves being part of the two new teams. On the other hand, the IPL 2022 mega auction will see some marquee players enter the auction pool. Among them, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra feels ex-Mumbai Indians (MI) player Rahul Chahar is likely to get acquired by the Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/robin-uthappa-hints-at-ms-dhonis-successor-as-csk-captain-they-have-given-him-the-due-he-deserved-433772">Robin Uthappa hints at MS Dhoni's successor as CSK captain: 'They have given him the due he deserved'</a>

Chopra said during a Q/A session on his Youtube channel, "RCB will not get Rashid, they can forget about that. Instead, they will go after Rahul Chahar, big time. No spinners apart from leg spinners work at the Chinnaswamy stadium. He also bowls a lot quicker in the air. Ravi Bishnoi is also an option, but I’m thinking Rahul Chahar, they will break the bank for him. Chahal might not make it to the auctions."

It is important to note that RCB have retained Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj. Hence, with no Yuzvendra Chahal, RCB will like to rope in a quality spinner. While Rashid Khan will be very costly, Chopra feels Rahul Chahar can be a handy pick for the Bengaluru franchise.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-rcb-co-are-you-listening-jamacian-sprinter-usain-bolt-eyeing-cricket-career-keen-to-play-in-ipl-433511">CSK, RCB &amp; Co. are you listening? Jamacian sprinter Usain Bolt eyeing cricket career, keen to play in IPL</a>

Talking about the MI franchise, they have released plenty of star players such as Pandya brothers, Trent Boult, Rahul Chahar, Quinton de Kock, Ishan Kishan. All of them are expected to get whopping deals in the forthcoming auction, which is slated to be held early in 2022.

All the eight IPL franchises revealed their list of retained players on Tuesday evening (November 30). While some big names were retained by their respective franchises, some known faces got released.

All the eight IPL franchises revealed their list of retained players on Tuesday evening (November 30). While some big names were retained by their respective franchises, some known faces got released. As two more teams have been added to the IPL, in the form of Lucknow and Ahmedabad, they will get a chance to pick three players each prior to the IPL 2022 mega auction. Hence, six players will find themselves being part of the two new teams. On the other hand, the IPL 2022 mega auction will see some marquee players enter the auction pool. Among them, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra feels ex-Mumbai Indians (MI) player Rahul Chahar is likely to get acquired by the Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). ALSO READ | Robin Uthappa hints at MS Dhoni's successor as CSK captain: 'They have given him the due he deserved' Chopra said during a Q/A session on his Youtube channel, "RCB will not get Rashid, they can forget about that. Instead, they will go after Rahul Chahar, big time. No spinners apart from leg spinners work at the Chinnaswamy stadium. He also bowls a lot quicker in the air. Ravi Bishnoi is also an option, but I’m thinking Rahul Chahar, they will break the bank for him. Chahal might not make it to the auctions." It is important to note that RCB have retained Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj. Hence, with no Yuzvendra Chahal, RCB will like to rope in a quality spinner. While Rashid Khan will be very costly, Chopra feels Rahul Chahar can be a handy pick for the Bengaluru franchise. ALSO READ | CSK, RCB & Co. are you listening? Jamacian sprinter Usain Bolt eyeing cricket career, keen to play in IPL Talking about the MI franchise, they have released plenty of star players such as Pandya brothers, Trent Boult, Rahul Chahar, Quinton de Kock, Ishan Kishan. All of them are expected to get whopping deals in the forthcoming auction, which is slated to be held early in 2022.

Not Hardik! Aakash Chopra feels RCB can 'break the bank' for ex-MI player in IPL 2022 mega auction

The three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) revealed their list of retained players on Tuesday evening (November 30), along with the other seven existing IPL teams. The Bengaluru franchise retained the likes of former skipper Virat Kohli, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and pacer Mohammed Siraj.

Thus, many star players were releases from the franchise, such as Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Devdutt Padikkal, etc. While the RCB franchise have to rebuild and form a new set of core players, the Bengaluru unit will also have to name a new captain after Kohl stepped aside from the top job post IPL 2021. While some believe Maxwell will land up with the top job, many are of the opinion that KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, David Warner or some new face will be added and made the next RCB captain.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-gets-the-best-out-of-csk-nobody-can-doubt-his-skills-as-captain-yellow-armys-ceo-k-viswanathan-433822">MS Dhoni gets the best out of CSK, nobody can doubt his skills as captain: Yellow Army's CEO K Viswanathan</a>

Former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra suggested an interesting name who can captain RCB. On his Youtube channel, he stated, "For RCB, Jason Holder is also an option for captaincy. They need to buy a new captain and it could be Holder. When I think about the pitch over there and other things, I think Holder could be a valuable player. He does well in all the teams."

For the unversed, IPL 2022 will also see two new teams in the form of Lucknow and Ahmedabad. Chopra opened on the probable captaincy options for the new entrants and said, "Teams ideally go towards Indian captains, so the obvious captaincy candidates for the two new teams are KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. But KL Rahul and Warner are also a possibility. Apart from them, I don’t see anybody. Don’t see teams picking Ishan Kishan or R Ashwin for captaincy."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-hardik-aakash-chopra-feels-rcb-can-break-the-bank-for-ex-mi-player-in-ipl-2022-mega-auction-433796">Not Hardik! Aakash Chopra feels RCB can 'break the bank' for ex-MI player in IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Before the next edition, a mega auction is slated to be held in early 2022. Prior to the auction, the two new teams will also have a chance to pick three players each from the list of released players. Hence, some big names won't even go to the auction.&nbsp;

The three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) revealed their list of retained players on Tuesday evening (November 30), along with the other seven existing IPL teams.

The three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) revealed their list of retained players on Tuesday evening (November 30), along with the other seven existing IPL teams. The Bengaluru franchise retained the likes of former skipper Virat Kohli, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and pacer Mohammed Siraj. Thus, many star players were releases from the franchise, such as Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Devdutt Padikkal, etc. While the RCB franchise have to rebuild and form a new set of core players, the Bengaluru unit will also have to name a new captain after Kohl stepped aside from the top job post IPL 2021. While some believe Maxwell will land up with the top job, many are of the opinion that KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, David Warner or some new face will be added and made the next RCB captain. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni gets the best out of CSK, nobody can doubt his skills as captain: Yellow Army's CEO K Viswanathan Former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra suggested an interesting name who can captain RCB. On his Youtube channel, he stated, "For RCB, Jason Holder is also an option for captaincy. They need to buy a new captain and it could be Holder. When I think about the pitch over there and other things, I think Holder could be a valuable player. He does well in all the teams." For the unversed, IPL 2022 will also see two new teams in the form of Lucknow and Ahmedabad. Chopra opened on the probable captaincy options for the new entrants and said, "Teams ideally go towards Indian captains, so the obvious captaincy candidates for the two new teams are KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. But KL Rahul and Warner are also a possibility. Apart from them, I don’t see anybody. Don’t see teams picking Ishan Kishan or R Ashwin for captaincy." ALSO READ | Not Hardik! Aakash Chopra feels RCB can 'break the bank' for ex-MI player in IPL 2022 mega auction Before the next edition, a mega auction is slated to be held in early 2022. Prior to the auction, the two new teams will also have a chance to pick three players each from the list of released players. Hence, some big names won't even go to the auction.

Not Rahul, Iyer or Warner! Aakash Chopra suggests Virat Kohli's successor at RCB ahead of IPL 2022

While MS Dhoni has gone past his prime, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend remains a big name in IPL. The veteran wicketkeeper-batsman has amassed 4,746 runs in 220 IPL games, eighth-most overall, and also accounts for most dismissals (161) behind the stumps.

Apart from Dhoni's batting and keeping, his finishing skills and captaincy have been hailed by many in the IPL (and also during his stint with Indian cricket). Thus, it wasn't any surprise when the four-time winners retained the 40-year-old Dhoni ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. For the unversed, Dhoni wasn't CSK's first-choice but was retained for a whopping 120 million (12 crores).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-suresh-raina-csk-ceo-names-ex-player-ms-dhoni-co-will-try-to-get-back-in-ipl-2022-mega-auction-433581">Not Suresh Raina! CSK CEO names ex-player MS Dhoni &amp; Co. will try to 'get back' in IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Opining on Dhoni's retention and what he brings to the table overall, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan hailed the 'Thala' and told in a video posted by the franchise on social media, "Thala has been the mainstay of CSK. He has been a captain who has delivered for us. He gets the best out of the team every time he plays. As far as we are concerned, Thala plays a major role because he controls the team, and the team is benefitted by his experience. Nobody can doubt his skills as a captain."

He added, "Chennai has been a very lucky ground for us, we had a good home advantage. That is because of the support we get from the CSK fans who throng to the stadium. I hope that this year, we get the entire MA Chidambaram Stadium for our use,”&nbsp;he stated.

The next edition of the IPL is slated to be held in India. Meanwhile, the mega auction is likely in early 2022.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-rcb-co-are-you-listening-jamacian-sprinter-usain-bolt-eyeing-cricket-career-keen-to-play-in-ipl-433511">CSK, RCB &amp; Co. are you listening? Jamacian sprinter Usain Bolt eyeing cricket career, keen to play in IPL</a>

Despite his low returns with the bat, Dhoni remained a vital cog for CSK in IPL 2021 edition. He led the franchise brilliantly and took them to their ninth IPL final in the last edition. In the summit clash, Dhoni-led CSK beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 27 runs to clinch the coveted title after three years.

While MS Dhoni has gone past his prime, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend remains a big name in IPL. The veteran wicketkeeper-batsman has amassed 4,746 runs in 220 IPL games, eighth-most overall, and also accounts for most dismissals (161) behind the stumps.

While MS Dhoni has gone past his prime, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend remains a big name in IPL. The veteran wicketkeeper-batsman has amassed 4,746 runs in 220 IPL games, eighth-most overall, and also accounts for most dismissals (161) behind the stumps. Apart from Dhoni's batting and keeping, his finishing skills and captaincy have been hailed by many in the IPL (and also during his stint with Indian cricket). Thus, it wasn't any surprise when the four-time winners retained the 40-year-old Dhoni ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. For the unversed, Dhoni wasn't CSK's first-choice but was retained for a whopping 120 million (12 crores). ALSO READ | Not Suresh Raina! CSK CEO names ex-player MS Dhoni & Co. will try to 'get back' in IPL 2022 mega auction Opining on Dhoni's retention and what he brings to the table overall, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan hailed the 'Thala' and told in a video posted by the franchise on social media, "Thala has been the mainstay of CSK. He has been a captain who has delivered for us. He gets the best out of the team every time he plays. As far as we are concerned, Thala plays a major role because he controls the team, and the team is benefitted by his experience. Nobody can doubt his skills as a captain." He added, "Chennai has been a very lucky ground for us, we had a good home advantage. That is because of the support we get from the CSK fans who throng to the stadium. I hope that this year, we get the entire MA Chidambaram Stadium for our use,” he stated. The next edition of the IPL is slated to be held in India. Meanwhile, the mega auction is likely in early 2022. ALSO READ | CSK, RCB & Co. are you listening? Jamacian sprinter Usain Bolt eyeing cricket career, keen to play in IPL Despite his low returns with the bat, Dhoni remained a vital cog for CSK in IPL 2021 edition. He led the franchise brilliantly and took them to their ninth IPL final in the last edition. In the summit clash, Dhoni-led CSK beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 27 runs to clinch the coveted title after three years.

MS Dhoni gets the best out of CSK, nobody can doubt his skills as captain: Yellow Army's CEO K Viswanathan

IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction

KL Rahul was not retained by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the retention list announced by the 2014 runners-up on Tuesday evening (November 30). The retained players from the Punjab franchise were Mayank Agarwal and local boy Arshdeep Singh.

While Rahul's release was a shocker for many, several reports had already indicated that the captain-cum-opener was looking forward to playing for a new team. As per many reports, the new teams such as Lucknow and Ahmedabad are interested in attaining Rahul's services. Amid all this, PBKS had to release the swashbuckling opener despite his good run as a top-order batsman (surpassing the 500-run mark every season&nbsp;in Punjab's jersey since 2018).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hell-be-the-likely-heir-not-kl-rahul-former-rcb-skipper-picks-virat-kohlis-successor-at-bengaluru-433272">He'll be the likely heir: Not KL Rahul! Former RCB skipper picks Virat Kohli's successor at Bengaluru</a>

Speaking on Star Sports, head coach Anil Kumble revealed that Rahul was in their scheme of things but explained why he had to leave. He told, "Obviously we wanted to retain him, that is one of the reasons we chose him as captain two years back. But he decided to go into the auction. We respect that, we honour his decision. It's the player's prerogative."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-retention-whos-in-whos-out-ahead-of-mega-auction-all-you-need-to-know-433141">IPL retention: Who's in, who's out ahead of mega auction? All you need to know</a>

Not only Rahul, some big names such as Rashid Khan, David Warner, Pandya brothers, Jonny Bairstow, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, R Ashwin, Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal, etc. weren't retained by their respective franchises. All the non-retained players will now head to the mega auction for IPL 2022, likely to be held in early next year.

However, the two new teams such as Lucknow and Ahmedabad have a license to pick three players each prior to the auction. Hence, six players among Rahul &amp; Co. can find a new IPL team before the mega auction.

KL Rahul was not retained by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the retention list announced by the 2014 runners-up on Tuesday evening (November 30). The retained players from the Punjab franchise were Mayank Agarwal and local boy Arshdeep Singh.

KL Rahul was not retained by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the retention list announced by the 2014 runners-up on Tuesday evening (November 30). The retained players from the Punjab franchise were Mayank Agarwal and local boy Arshdeep Singh. While Rahul's release was a shocker for many, several reports had already indicated that the captain-cum-opener was looking forward to playing for a new team. As per many reports, the new teams such as Lucknow and Ahmedabad are interested in attaining Rahul's services. Amid all this, PBKS had to release the swashbuckling opener despite his good run as a top-order batsman (surpassing the 500-run mark every season in Punjab's jersey since 2018). ALSO READ | He'll be the likely heir: Not KL Rahul! Former RCB skipper picks Virat Kohli's successor at Bengaluru Speaking on Star Sports, head coach Anil Kumble revealed that Rahul was in their scheme of things but explained why he had to leave. He told, "Obviously we wanted to retain him, that is one of the reasons we chose him as captain two years back. But he decided to go into the auction. We respect that, we honour his decision. It's the player's prerogative." ALSO READ | IPL retention: Who's in, who's out ahead of mega auction? All you need to know Not only Rahul, some big names such as Rashid Khan, David Warner, Pandya brothers, Jonny Bairstow, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, R Ashwin, Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal, etc. weren't retained by their respective franchises. All the non-retained players will now head to the mega auction for IPL 2022, likely to be held in early next year. However, the two new teams such as Lucknow and Ahmedabad have a license to pick three players each prior to the auction. Hence, six players among Rahul & Co. can find a new IPL team before the mega auction.

IPL retention: Anil Kumble reveals PBKS wanted to retain KL Rahul, explains why star batter 'decided to leave'

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