From David Warner to R Ashwin: Top five players at highest base price ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction

A whopping 1214 players have registered for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction which is all set to be conducted next month. Not eight but ten teams will be part of the mega auction this time around and will be looking to build their squads from a scratch. All ten teams have already revealed the list of players they have retained/picked from the draft ahead of the mega auction.

A total of 270 capped, 903 uncapped and 41 players from associate nations have registered their names for the IPL mega auction. The top bracket for the auction is Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million). A number of top Indian and overseas players have opted to register in the highest bracket for the auction.

The 2 crore&nbsp;(INR 20 million) bracket consists of 17 Indians and a total of 32 overseas players. The likes of senior Indian spinner R Ashwin, senior India batter Shikhar Dhawan, veteran batter Suresh Raina and young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan are among the big Indian names in the top bracket for the mega auction.

Australian opener David Warner, Faf du Plessis, Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada and Pat Cummins among others are among the overseas superstars, who have opted for the highest base price. The players in this bracket will see their bidding start from the base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) at the mega auction.

While there are several familiar names in the top bracket, there are some surprising names as well in the Rs 2 crore category with the likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar opting for the highest base price. West Indies' all-rounder Odean Smith, who is not a prominent figure in international cricket yet, has also opted for the highest bracket alongside the likes of Evin Lewis and Dwayne Bravo.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chris-gayle-jofra-archer-and-mitchell-starc-among-big-names-to-pull-out-of-ipl-2022-446656">Chris Gayle, Jofra Archer and Mitchell Starc among big names to pull out of IPL 2022</a>

Here is the full list of Indian and overseas players with the base price of Rs 2 crore for IPL 2022 mega auction:

Indian players with base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million):

R Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, Mohammad Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Chahar, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Ishan Kishan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Devdutt Padikkal, Krunal Pandya, Harshal Patel, Ambati Rayudu, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav.&nbsp;

Overseas players with base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million):

Mujeeb Zadran, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mithcell Marsh, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Shakib Al Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Sam Billiings, Saqib Mahmood, Chris Jordan, Craig Overton, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Quinton de Kock, Marchant de Lange, Faf du Plessis, Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir, Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Evin Lewis, Odean Smith.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-rashid-khan-and-shubman-gill-join-ahmedabad-ipl-team-ahead-of-mega-auction-446575">Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill join Ahmedabad IPL team ahead of mega auction</a>

The list contains some of the most experienced campaigners and young prospects who can go on to become future superstars in the league. While experience is valued significantly by all teams in the IPL, the young guns will also be in huge demand considering they can prove to be long-term investments for the franchises.

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A whopping 1214 players have registered for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction which is all set to be conducted next month. Not eight but ten teams will be part of the mega auction this time around and will be looking to build their squads from a scratch.

A whopping 1214 players have registered for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction which is all set to be conducted next month. Not eight but ten teams will be part of the mega auction this time around and will be looking to build their squads from a scratch. All ten teams have already revealed the list of players they have retained/picked from the draft ahead of the mega auction. A total of 270 capped, 903 uncapped and 41 players from associate nations have registered their names for the IPL mega auction. The top bracket for the auction is Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million). A number of top Indian and overseas players have opted to register in the highest bracket for the auction. The 2 crore (INR 20 million) bracket consists of 17 Indians and a total of 32 overseas players. The likes of senior Indian spinner R Ashwin, senior India batter Shikhar Dhawan, veteran batter Suresh Raina and young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan are among the big Indian names in the top bracket for the mega auction. Australian opener David Warner, Faf du Plessis, Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada and Pat Cummins among others are among the overseas superstars, who have opted for the highest base price. The players in this bracket will see their bidding start from the base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) at the mega auction. While there are several familiar names in the top bracket, there are some surprising names as well in the Rs 2 crore category with the likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar opting for the highest base price. West Indies' all-rounder Odean Smith, who is not a prominent figure in international cricket yet, has also opted for the highest bracket alongside the likes of Evin Lewis and Dwayne Bravo. Also Read: Chris Gayle, Jofra Archer and Mitchell Starc among big names to pull out of IPL 2022 Here is the full list of Indian and overseas players with the base price of Rs 2 crore for IPL 2022 mega auction: Indian players with base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million): R Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, Mohammad Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Chahar, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Ishan Kishan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Devdutt Padikkal, Krunal Pandya, Harshal Patel, Ambati Rayudu, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav. Overseas players with base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million): Mujeeb Zadran, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mithcell Marsh, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Shakib Al Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Sam Billiings, Saqib Mahmood, Chris Jordan, Craig Overton, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Quinton de Kock, Marchant de Lange, Faf du Plessis, Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir, Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Evin Lewis, Odean Smith. Also Read: Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill join Ahmedabad IPL team ahead of mega auction The list contains some of the most experienced campaigners and young prospects who can go on to become future superstars in the league. While experience is valued significantly by all teams in the IPL, the young guns will also be in huge demand considering they can prove to be long-term investments for the franchises.

Shreyas Iyer to David Warner: Full list of players with highest base price of Rs 2cr ahead of IPL mega auction

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction has started with as many as 1214 players registering for the mega event which is set to be staged next month. The mega auction will see a number of top players from across the globe go under the hammer as ten teams will battle it out for them.

While there are a number of overseas superstars who have registered for the IPL 2022 mega auction, several big names have decided to pull out of the tournament by not registering for the auction. England pacer Jofra Archer, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc and veteran West Indies batter Chris Gayle are among the big names missing from the final list of registered players for the IPL 2022 mega auction.

Starc had recently expressed his desire to put his name up in the mega auction after the conclusion of the Ashes 2021-22. However, the Aussie pacer might have decided to pull out due to workload management and bio-bubble fatigue. Archer, who had missed IPL 2021 due to injury has made his comeback after recovery but is not willing to put his name up in the mega auction.

Gayle was part of the Punjab Kings squad last season and had pulled out from IPL 2021 midway through the league owing to bio-bubble fatigue. The T20 superstar, who is 42 now, has decided to not take part in the upcoming IPL season.&nbsp; He also seems to have played his final international game for West Indies, however, he might make a farewell appearance for his national team.

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With Gayle pulling out his name from the IPL mega auction, it appears likely that he might not feature in the competition again. One of the most destructive batters of the present era, Gayle enjoyed massive success in the IPL over the years and entertained fans with his swashbuckling batting.

Gayle has 4965 runs to his name in 142 IPL matches at a stunning strike rate of 148.96. Earlier, England stars Ben Stokes and Joe Root had confirmed they would not be part of IPL 2022 this year and have opted not to enter the IPL 2022 mega auction.

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction has started with as many as 1214 players registering for the mega event which is set to be staged next month.

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction has started with as many as 1214 players registering for the mega event which is set to be staged next month. The mega auction will see a number of top players from across the globe go under the hammer as ten teams will battle it out for them. While there are a number of overseas superstars who have registered for the IPL 2022 mega auction, several big names have decided to pull out of the tournament by not registering for the auction. England pacer Jofra Archer, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc and veteran West Indies batter Chris Gayle are among the big names missing from the final list of registered players for the IPL 2022 mega auction. Starc had recently expressed his desire to put his name up in the mega auction after the conclusion of the Ashes 2021-22. However, the Aussie pacer might have decided to pull out due to workload management and bio-bubble fatigue. Archer, who had missed IPL 2021 due to injury has made his comeback after recovery but is not willing to put his name up in the mega auction. Gayle was part of the Punjab Kings squad last season and had pulled out from IPL 2021 midway through the league owing to bio-bubble fatigue. The T20 superstar, who is 42 now, has decided to not take part in the upcoming IPL season. He also seems to have played his final international game for West Indies, however, he might make a farewell appearance for his national team. Also Read: Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill join Ahmedabad IPL team ahead of mega auction With Gayle pulling out his name from the IPL mega auction, it appears likely that he might not feature in the competition again. One of the most destructive batters of the present era, Gayle enjoyed massive success in the IPL over the years and entertained fans with his swashbuckling batting. Gayle has 4965 runs to his name in 142 IPL matches at a stunning strike rate of 148.96. Earlier, England stars Ben Stokes and Joe Root had confirmed they would not be part of IPL 2022 this year and have opted not to enter the IPL 2022 mega auction.

Chris Gayle, Jofra Archer and Mitchell Starc among big names to pull out of IPL 2022

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

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

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

Ahead of the much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction, the Lucknow franchise has officially unveiled their three picks from the players draft. The Lucknow team has roped in India's limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul, Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young uncapped Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi ahead of the auction.

While Rahul has been roped in as the top pick of the franchise for a whopping sum of Rs 17 crore (INR 170 million), Stoinis and Bishnoi will be earning Rs 9.2 crore (INR 92 million) and Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) respectively. Both Rahul and Bishnoi were part of the Punjab Kings side in the IPL 2021.

Rahul is all set to be appointed the captain of the Lucknow IPL team and will be leading the side in their debut IPL campaign this year. Rahul has been one of the most consistent performers with the bat in the IPL over the years and has been among the top run-getters in the last few seasons.

With 626 runs from 13 matches for Punjab Kings last season, Rahul was the third-highest run-getter in the IPL 2021. He has so far been part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Punjab Kings teams in his IPL career.

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The stylish right-hander has played 94 IPL matches and has amassed 3273 runs at an average of over 47 and a strike rate of over 136. With the lack of quality pace-bowling all-rounders in the league, Stoinis is also a cleaver pick for the Lucknow team.

The Australian all-rounder has enjoyed a rich vein of form in T20 cricket over the last few years and can be a great asset for the team. He was part of the Delhi Capitals squad last season and has 914 runs, and 30 wickets to his name in 56 IPL matches so far.

Bishnoi is regarded as one of the most promising young spinners in the country at present and has been impressive in the IPL since making his debut in 2020. He has 24&nbsp;wickets to his name 23 IPL matches so far.

Ahead of the much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction, the Lucknow franchise has officially unveiled their three picks from the players draft. The Lucknow team has roped in India's limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul, Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young uncapped Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi ahead of the auction.

Ahead of the much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction, the Lucknow franchise has officially unveiled their three picks from the players draft. The Lucknow team has roped in India's limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul, Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young uncapped Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi ahead of the auction. While Rahul has been roped in as the top pick of the franchise for a whopping sum of Rs 17 crore (INR 170 million), Stoinis and Bishnoi will be earning Rs 9.2 crore (INR 92 million) and Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) respectively. Both Rahul and Bishnoi were part of the Punjab Kings side in the IPL 2021. Rahul is all set to be appointed the captain of the Lucknow IPL team and will be leading the side in their debut IPL campaign this year. Rahul has been one of the most consistent performers with the bat in the IPL over the years and has been among the top run-getters in the last few seasons. With 626 runs from 13 matches for Punjab Kings last season, Rahul was the third-highest run-getter in the IPL 2021. He has so far been part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Punjab Kings teams in his IPL career. Also Read: Rahul's impact as a batter diminishes when he captains, he should learn from Kohli: Sanjay Manjrekar The stylish right-hander has played 94 IPL matches and has amassed 3273 runs at an average of over 47 and a strike rate of over 136. With the lack of quality pace-bowling all-rounders in the league, Stoinis is also a cleaver pick for the Lucknow team. The Australian all-rounder has enjoyed a rich vein of form in T20 cricket over the last few years and can be a great asset for the team. He was part of the Delhi Capitals squad last season and has 914 runs, and 30 wickets to his name in 56 IPL matches so far. Bishnoi is regarded as one of the most promising young spinners in the country at present and has been impressive in the IPL since making his debut in 2020. He has 24 wickets to his name 23 IPL matches so far.

Lucknow franchise rope in KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mumbai Indians (MI) had a tough time deciding their final four retentions ahead of the deadline day with a number of superstars in their star-studded squad. The five-time champions let go of the likes of Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya and Ishan Kishan among others while retaining their captain Rohit Sharma and three others.

Former India pacer Zaheer Khan, who is part of the Mumbai Indians backroom staff, recently revealed why the franchise didn't retain Hardik ahead of the mega auction. Hardik had been a vital cog in the Mumbai Indians set up over the years and played an instrumental role in the team's success in the IPL.

However, he was let go of by the five-time champions, who decided to keep Rohit, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard. Hardik, who has been dealing with constant fitness issues, didn't bowl at all in IPL 2021 and has also been left out of the Indian team after average performances in the T20 World Cup 2021.

However, Zaheer has backed the star all-rounder to make a strong comeback after gaining full fitness while opening up on Mumbai Indians' decision to release him.&nbsp;

"Absolutely (Hardik can regain his full fitness). Hardik is very keen on that. The retention calls usually take into consideration various aspects and angles. The debates are usually very long (laughs). It is not an easy process when you set yourself up for a big auction and say goodbye to all players with a heavy heart with whom you spent a lot of time and energy," Zaheer was quoted as saying by TimesofIndia.com.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/its-lord-shardul-thakur-vs-south-africa-twitter-erupts-as-indian-pacer-bags-fifer-in-johannesburg-test-442215">&nbsp;'It's Lord Shardul Thakur vs South Africa': Twitter erupts as Indian pacer bags fifer in Johannesburg Test</a>

With two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad also in the fray this time around, it remains to be seen if Hardik will head to the auction pool or he will be picked by one of the two new franchises in the players' draft before the auction. Both Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchises can pick three players each from the non-retained ones ahead of the mega auction.

Hardik is one of the best all-rounders in the league with 1476 runs and 42 wickets in 96 matches in his IPL career so far.

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Mumbai Indians (MI) had a tough time deciding their final four retentions ahead of the deadline day with a number of superstars in their star-studded squad. The five-time champions let go of the likes of Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya and Ishan Kishan among others while retaining their captain Rohit Sharma and three others.

Mumbai Indians (MI) had a tough time deciding their final four retentions ahead of the deadline day with a number of superstars in their star-studded squad. The five-time champions let go of the likes of Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya and Ishan Kishan among others while retaining their captain Rohit Sharma and three others. Former India pacer Zaheer Khan, who is part of the Mumbai Indians backroom staff, recently revealed why the franchise didn't retain Hardik ahead of the mega auction. Hardik had been a vital cog in the Mumbai Indians set up over the years and played an instrumental role in the team's success in the IPL. However, he was let go of by the five-time champions, who decided to keep Rohit, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard. Hardik, who has been dealing with constant fitness issues, didn't bowl at all in IPL 2021 and has also been left out of the Indian team after average performances in the T20 World Cup 2021. However, Zaheer has backed the star all-rounder to make a strong comeback after gaining full fitness while opening up on Mumbai Indians' decision to release him. "Absolutely (Hardik can regain his full fitness). Hardik is very keen on that. The retention calls usually take into consideration various aspects and angles. The debates are usually very long (laughs). It is not an easy process when you set yourself up for a big auction and say goodbye to all players with a heavy heart with whom you spent a lot of time and energy," Zaheer was quoted as saying by TimesofIndia.com. Also Read: 'It's Lord Shardul Thakur vs South Africa': Twitter erupts as Indian pacer bags fifer in Johannesburg Test With two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad also in the fray this time around, it remains to be seen if Hardik will head to the auction pool or he will be picked by one of the two new franchises in the players' draft before the auction. Both Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchises can pick three players each from the non-retained ones ahead of the mega auction. Hardik is one of the best all-rounders in the league with 1476 runs and 42 wickets in 96 matches in his IPL career so far.

Zaheer Khan explains why Hardik Pandya was not retained by Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL mega auction

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have retained captain MS Dhoni, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and opener Ruturaj&nbsp;Gaikwad ahead of the mega auction. It must have been difficult for CSK to pick only four players from a squad full of match-winners and some of the most talented players in the league.

There were a number of talented players who were let go of by the four-time champions due to limitations on retentions. The likes of Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Shardul Thakur, Sam Curran and Josh Hazlewood among others were some of the top players released by CSK ahead of the mega auction.&nbsp;

The franchise would be certainly hoping to buy some of their old players back during the upcoming mega auction. Among the players who are keen to rejoin CSK and play under Dhoni is veteran India batter Rayudu, who was recently seen in action for Andhra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, believes he has a lot of cricket left in him and can continue playing&nbsp;for the next three years.

"I would love to keep playing till I am in good form and fit. I will be ready for the next cycle, which is three years and I am working hard on my fitness," Rayudu was quoted as saying by PTI.

"I recently played the Vijay Hazare Trophy which is five one-day games in six days which I got through well. I am in good shape and I hope to continue to play at least for the next three years," the 36-year old added.

Rayudu has played a vital role in CSK's success since joining the franchise in the 2018 season. He played 61 matches for CSK and scored 1500 runs at an average of 34.09 and a strike rate close to 130. He played an instrumental role in CSK's title triumph in 2018 and scored runs consistently in the next three seasons as well.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/how-ms-dhonis-chennai-super-kings-scripted-a-fairytale-comeback-in-ipl-2021-440193">How MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings scripted a fairytale comeback in IPL 2021</a>

Rayudu said his stint with CSK has been a special one and called Dhoni the best captain to have led India. Rayudu said Dhoni had a huge impact on his game and knew how to bring the best out of the batsman.

"My stint with CSK has been a very special one. We have won two IPLs till now and played one final. 2018 was a very special season, a comeback season for CSK and us winning the IPL that year made it very special," said Rayudu.&nbsp;

"Dhoni bhai has had the impact of getting the best out of me, not only me but he has an impact on everyone and brings the best performance out of everyone in the team. That is why he is the best captain India has ever had," he added.

The Hyderabad star revealed he has not had any formal conversations yet with the team but&nbsp;is hopeful of reuniting with CSK at the mega auction next year. The IPL mega auction is set to take place in February next year and will feature a host of superstars who are set to go under the hammer.

"I would definitely love to play for CSK. Formally, there has not been any communication with me so far, But I am hoping to get picked by them and have a successful league again," said Rayudu.

(With agency inputs)

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have retained captain MS Dhoni, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and opener Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the mega auction.

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have retained captain MS Dhoni, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and opener Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the mega auction. It must have been difficult for CSK to pick only four players from a squad full of match-winners and some of the most talented players in the league. There were a number of talented players who were let go of by the four-time champions due to limitations on retentions. The likes of Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Shardul Thakur, Sam Curran and Josh Hazlewood among others were some of the top players released by CSK ahead of the mega auction. The franchise would be certainly hoping to buy some of their old players back during the upcoming mega auction. Among the players who are keen to rejoin CSK and play under Dhoni is veteran India batter Rayudu, who was recently seen in action for Andhra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, believes he has a lot of cricket left in him and can continue playing for the next three years. "I would love to keep playing till I am in good form and fit. I will be ready for the next cycle, which is three years and I am working hard on my fitness," Rayudu was quoted as saying by PTI. "I recently played the Vijay Hazare Trophy which is five one-day games in six days which I got through well. I am in good shape and I hope to continue to play at least for the next three years," the 36-year old added. Rayudu has played a vital role in CSK's success since joining the franchise in the 2018 season. He played 61 matches for CSK and scored 1500 runs at an average of 34.09 and a strike rate close to 130. He played an instrumental role in CSK's title triumph in 2018 and scored runs consistently in the next three seasons as well. Also Read: How MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings scripted a fairytale comeback in IPL 2021 Rayudu said his stint with CSK has been a special one and called Dhoni the best captain to have led India. Rayudu said Dhoni had a huge impact on his game and knew how to bring the best out of the batsman. "My stint with CSK has been a very special one. We have won two IPLs till now and played one final. 2018 was a very special season, a comeback season for CSK and us winning the IPL that year made it very special," said Rayudu. "Dhoni bhai has had the impact of getting the best out of me, not only me but he has an impact on everyone and brings the best performance out of everyone in the team. That is why he is the best captain India has ever had," he added. The Hyderabad star revealed he has not had any formal conversations yet with the team but is hopeful of reuniting with CSK at the mega auction next year. The IPL mega auction is set to take place in February next year and will feature a host of superstars who are set to go under the hammer. "I would definitely love to play for CSK. Formally, there has not been any communication with me so far, But I am hoping to get picked by them and have a successful league again," said Rayudu. (With agency inputs)

'Would love to play for CSK again': Ambati Rayudu hopeful of reunion with MS Dhoni & Co. after being released

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL)'s mega auction has started with the existing eight teams revealing their final list of retained players. All eight teams have managed to keep some of their important players from their previous squads around whom they can build a fresh squad almost from scratch. Each of the eight old teams was allowed a maximum of four retentions each.

The two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can now pick a maximum of three players each from the pool of non-retained players ahead of the mega auction where all ten teams will get a fair chance to build strong squads. The IPL mega auction is likely to be conducted in the first week of February this year, as per a report in Cricket.com.

As per the report, the IPL Governing Council (GC) has already informed the franchises about the details of the mega auction. The auction would have been conducted at an earlier date but it has been delayed due to the lack of clarity regarding the Ahmedabad franchise's future after BCCI initiated an inquiry on CVC Capital Partners' association with betting firms.&nbsp;

CVC Capitals Partners, a British private equity and investment advisory firm, had acquired the Ahmedabad franchise for a sum of Rs 5625 crore (INR 56.25 billion). The firm is yet to receive a letter of intent from BCCI as the matter currently sits with Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, who is yet to give a clean chit. Once cleared, the Ahmedabad franchise will be able to go ahead with their plans of picking up players and selecting their coaching staff ahead of the mega auction.

The IPL Governing Council had to extend the deadline for the draft for the two new franchises due to the ongoing investigation on CVC Capital's betting links. While the Lucknow franchise has already roped in the likes of Andy Flower as head coach and Gautam Gambhir as a mentor, Ahmedabad have not been able to make any moves as such.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-pakistan-pacer-rates-ipl-below-psl-over-low-quality-bowling-gets-trolled-brutally-on-twitter-438389">Former Pakistan pacer rates IPL below PSL over 'low quality bowling', gets trolled brutally on Twitter</a>

As per the report, the IPL mega auction is likely to be a two-day affair like the mega auction in 2018 and Bengaluru or Hyderabad can be selected as the venue to host the mega event. The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to be a grand event as a number of players will go under the hammer with ten teams in the fray this time around.

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL)'s mega auction has started with the existing eight teams revealing their final list of retained players. All eight teams have managed to keep some of their important players from their previous squads around whom they can build a fresh squad almost from scratch.

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL)'s mega auction has started with the existing eight teams revealing their final list of retained players. All eight teams have managed to keep some of their important players from their previous squads around whom they can build a fresh squad almost from scratch. Each of the eight old teams was allowed a maximum of four retentions each. The two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can now pick a maximum of three players each from the pool of non-retained players ahead of the mega auction where all ten teams will get a fair chance to build strong squads. The IPL mega auction is likely to be conducted in the first week of February this year, as per a report in Cricket.com. As per the report, the IPL Governing Council (GC) has already informed the franchises about the details of the mega auction. The auction would have been conducted at an earlier date but it has been delayed due to the lack of clarity regarding the Ahmedabad franchise's future after BCCI initiated an inquiry on CVC Capital Partners' association with betting firms. CVC Capitals Partners, a British private equity and investment advisory firm, had acquired the Ahmedabad franchise for a sum of Rs 5625 crore (INR 56.25 billion). The firm is yet to receive a letter of intent from BCCI as the matter currently sits with Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, who is yet to give a clean chit. Once cleared, the Ahmedabad franchise will be able to go ahead with their plans of picking up players and selecting their coaching staff ahead of the mega auction. The IPL Governing Council had to extend the deadline for the draft for the two new franchises due to the ongoing investigation on CVC Capital's betting links. While the Lucknow franchise has already roped in the likes of Andy Flower as head coach and Gautam Gambhir as a mentor, Ahmedabad have not been able to make any moves as such. Also Read: Former Pakistan pacer rates IPL below PSL over 'low quality bowling', gets trolled brutally on Twitter As per the report, the IPL mega auction is likely to be a two-day affair like the mega auction in 2018 and Bengaluru or Hyderabad can be selected as the venue to host the mega event. The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to be a grand event as a number of players will go under the hammer with ten teams in the fray this time around.

IPL 2022 mega auction likely dates revealed, set to be a two-day affair

The Lucknow Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise is making all the right moves ahead of the mega auction, feels former India cricketer and popular commentator Aakash Chopra. Lucknow franchise has managed to catch the attention of fans and experts alike with some major appointments ahead of the mega auction.&nbsp;

The franchise has roped in former Zimbabwe cricketer Andy Flower as their head coach and former India opener Gautam Gambhir as the mentor ahead of their debut season in the league next year. While Flower has worked as a coach with several T20 franchises across the globe, Gambhir is a two-time IPL-winning captain with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Chopra has been left impressed by the Lucknow franchise's moves ahead of the IPL mega auction and took to Twitter to name three players they should target in the players' draft ahead of the auction. Both new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can pick a maximum of three players each ahead of the mega auction.

Chopra believes Lucknow franchise should pick former Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and all-rounder Hardik Pandya or wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan ahead of the mega auction. All these players have been released by their respective franchises and are available in the draft.

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Lucknow franchise is making all the right moves…Flower as a coach. Gambhir as a mentor. Now, waiting for the draft picks. These three will make their season— 
1. Rahul 
2. Rashid 
3. Ishan/Hardik <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2022</a>
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketaakash/status/1472179856465035264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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As per reports, the Lucknow franchise is already in talks with both Rahul and Rashid to join the team ahead of the mega auction. Rahul is likely to be appointed as the captain of the franchise and has been offered a mega contract by the RPSG Group, who are the owners of the Lucknow team.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-like-virat-kohlis-attitude-but-he-fights-a-lot-says-bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-amid-captaincy-row-438107">I like Virat Kohli's attitude but he fights a lot, says BCCI president Sourav Ganguly amid captaincy row</a>

Rashid, who was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad, and has been one of the best bowlers in the IPL over the last few years, wanted to be retained by SRH as the first-choice player. However, he was released after failing to agree to a contract with his former side and is likely to head to Lucknow ahead of the mega auction.

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The Lucknow Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise is making all the right moves ahead of the mega auction, feels former India cricketer and popular commentator Aakash Chopra.

The Lucknow Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise is making all the right moves ahead of the mega auction, feels former India cricketer and popular commentator Aakash Chopra. Lucknow franchise has managed to catch the attention of fans and experts alike with some major appointments ahead of the mega auction. The franchise has roped in former Zimbabwe cricketer Andy Flower as their head coach and former India opener Gautam Gambhir as the mentor ahead of their debut season in the league next year. While Flower has worked as a coach with several T20 franchises across the globe, Gambhir is a two-time IPL-winning captain with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Chopra has been left impressed by the Lucknow franchise's moves ahead of the IPL mega auction and took to Twitter to name three players they should target in the players' draft ahead of the auction. Both new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can pick a maximum of three players each ahead of the mega auction. Chopra believes Lucknow franchise should pick former Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and all-rounder Hardik Pandya or wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan ahead of the mega auction. All these players have been released by their respective franchises and are available in the draft. Lucknow franchise is making all the right moves…Flower as a coach. Gambhir as a mentor. Now, waiting for the draft picks. These three will make their season— 1. Rahul 2. Rashid 3. Ishan/Hardik #IPL2022 — Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 18, 2021 × As per reports, the Lucknow franchise is already in talks with both Rahul and Rashid to join the team ahead of the mega auction. Rahul is likely to be appointed as the captain of the franchise and has been offered a mega contract by the RPSG Group, who are the owners of the Lucknow team. Also Read: I like Virat Kohli's attitude but he fights a lot, says BCCI president Sourav Ganguly amid captaincy row Rashid, who was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad, and has been one of the best bowlers in the IPL over the last few years, wanted to be retained by SRH as the first-choice player. However, he was released after failing to agree to a contract with his former side and is likely to head to Lucknow ahead of the mega auction.

Lucknow making right moves: Aakash Chopra names 3 players franchise should pick before IPL mega auction

A number of top Indian players are all set to grace the auction pool ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction which is all set to take place before the start of the new season next year. The existing eight IPL teams have already revealed the list of retained players while the two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad have the option to pick three players each from the pool of non-retained players ahead of the mega auction.

There will be no Right To Match (RTM) option this time around in the mega auction for the old teams. Nonetheless, a number of teams will be looking to buy back some of the important players they had to let go of due to the cap on retentions. Ahead of the mega auction, senior Indian off-spinner R Ashwin has expressed his desire to return to his former team Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Ashwin said CSK is like a school for him where he learnt the tricks of the trade and would love to return back home. He said the franchise remains close to his heart but insisted the auction dynamics might see him end up at some other franchise. Ashwin had started his IPL career with CSK in the inaugural season of the IPL in 2008 and went on to make his India debut against Sri Lanka in June 2010 after impressing for the MS Dhoni-led side.

"CSK is a franchise close to my heart, for me, CSK is like a school. That is where I joined Pre KG, LKG, UKG, primary school, then I did my middle school, and then starting high school and completing 10th standard board exams, I moved to a different school. I did my 11th and 12th, a couple of years, outside. Then I did a couple of years of Junior College,"&nbsp;Ashwin said in a video&nbsp;on his YouTube channel.

"But after completing everything, obviously one has to come home right? So even I would love to come back home, but it all depends on the auction dynamics," he added.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/faf-du-plessis-to-ishan-kishan-5-players-who-might-be-bought-back-by-their-ipl-franchise-at-mega-auction-436140">Du Plessis to Ishan Kishan: 5 players who might be bought back by their IPL franchise at mega auction</a>

Ashwin played 94 matches for CSK in the IPL, picking up 90 wickets before leaving the team in 2016. He played for the Rising Pune Supergiant for two seasons before moving to Punjab Kings followed by Delhi Capitals.

He is one of the most experienced Indian spinners available in the auction pool and will have a number of contenders to get his services. The senior spinner vowed to give his all for the franchise which picks him up at the mega auction ahead of IPL 2022.

"But I understand the fact that the auction dynamics is a different ball game. There are 10 teams, coming up with 10 different strategies. They will all think differently. We don't know which team's core playing XI we will fit into. So let's see what happens at the auction. But as a professional, wherever I go, the mindset is simple, any franchise is trusting you and spending so much money to avail your services, for them I'd give my entire life and put in all efforts and not let them down" Ashwin said.

A number of top Indian players are all set to grace the auction pool ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction which is all set to take place before the start of the new season next year.

A number of top Indian players are all set to grace the auction pool ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction which is all set to take place before the start of the new season next year. The existing eight IPL teams have already revealed the list of retained players while the two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad have the option to pick three players each from the pool of non-retained players ahead of the mega auction. There will be no Right To Match (RTM) option this time around in the mega auction for the old teams. Nonetheless, a number of teams will be looking to buy back some of the important players they had to let go of due to the cap on retentions. Ahead of the mega auction, senior Indian off-spinner R Ashwin has expressed his desire to return to his former team Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Ashwin said CSK is like a school for him where he learnt the tricks of the trade and would love to return back home. He said the franchise remains close to his heart but insisted the auction dynamics might see him end up at some other franchise. Ashwin had started his IPL career with CSK in the inaugural season of the IPL in 2008 and went on to make his India debut against Sri Lanka in June 2010 after impressing for the MS Dhoni-led side. "CSK is a franchise close to my heart, for me, CSK is like a school. That is where I joined Pre KG, LKG, UKG, primary school, then I did my middle school, and then starting high school and completing 10th standard board exams, I moved to a different school. I did my 11th and 12th, a couple of years, outside. Then I did a couple of years of Junior College," Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel. "But after completing everything, obviously one has to come home right? So even I would love to come back home, but it all depends on the auction dynamics," he added. Also Read: Du Plessis to Ishan Kishan: 5 players who might be bought back by their IPL franchise at mega auction Ashwin played 94 matches for CSK in the IPL, picking up 90 wickets before leaving the team in 2016. He played for the Rising Pune Supergiant for two seasons before moving to Punjab Kings followed by Delhi Capitals. He is one of the most experienced Indian spinners available in the auction pool and will have a number of contenders to get his services. The senior spinner vowed to give his all for the franchise which picks him up at the mega auction ahead of IPL 2022. "But I understand the fact that the auction dynamics is a different ball game. There are 10 teams, coming up with 10 different strategies. They will all think differently. We don't know which team's core playing XI we will fit into. So let's see what happens at the auction. But as a professional, wherever I go, the mindset is simple, any franchise is trusting you and spending so much money to avail your services, for them I'd give my entire life and put in all efforts and not let them down" Ashwin said.

'CSK is like a school': Indian star expresses desire to join MS Dhoni & Co. ahead of IPL mega auction

In the first major announcement by an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise ahead of the mega auction for the 2022 season, the RPSG Group has confirmed the appointment of former Zimbabwe cricketer Andy Flower as the new head coach of the Lucknow IPL team. RPSG Group owns the Lucknow franchise which is one of the two new teams to debut in the IPL from the 2022 season.

Flower has left his post as the assistant coach of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) franchise to join the Lucknow IPL team ahead of the new season. The former Zimbabwe wicket-keeper is an experienced coach and has worked with a number of teams including the England national side.&nbsp;

Flower worked as an assistant coach for Punjab Kings for two seasons under their current head coach Anil Kumble and is now set to be at the helm of affairs himself at the Lucknow franchise. Welcoming the former Zimbabwe cricketer, Lucknow IPL team's owner Sanjeev Goenka lauded him for his contributions to world cricket.

"As a player and a coach Andy has left an indelible mark in the history of cricket. We respect his professionalism and hope he will work with our vision and add value to our team," said Goenka.

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Former Zimbabwe captain and wicketkeeper Andy Flower will coach IPL's Lucknow franchise. 
 
Dr Sanjiv Goenka, Owner, Lucknow IPL team welcomed Andy to the RPSG family.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianPremierLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianPremierLeague</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LucknowIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LucknowIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LucknowIPLTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LucknowIPLTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AndyFlower?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AndyFlower</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/RwTeony9ym">pic.twitter.com/RwTeony9ym</a>
— RP Sanjiv Goenka Group (@rpsggroup) <a href="https://twitter.com/rpsggroup/status/1471793888314597383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-kl-rahul-to-shreyas-iyer-5-potential-captaincy-candidates-for-new-ipl-teams-lucknow-and-ahmedabad-434365">From Rahul to Iyer: 5 potential captaincy candidates for new IPL teams Lucknow and Ahmedabad</a>

As per several reports, the Lucknow IPL team is in talks with KL Rahul to rope him in ahead of the mega auction. Rahul is likely to be appointed as the captain of the side after leaving Punjab Kings ahead of the new season. Rahul has reportedly been offered a huge contract to join the Lucknow team.

While the existing eight IPL teams have already revealed the list of retained players, the two news teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can pick at least three players each ahead of the mega auction. A number of top players are reportedly in talks with the two new teams to join them ahead of the mega auction.

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In the first major announcement by an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise ahead of the mega auction for the 2022 season, the RPSG Group has confirmed the appointment of former Zimbabwe cricketer Andy Flower as the new head coach of the Lucknow IPL team.

In the first major announcement by an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise ahead of the mega auction for the 2022 season, the RPSG Group has confirmed the appointment of former Zimbabwe cricketer Andy Flower as the new head coach of the Lucknow IPL team. RPSG Group owns the Lucknow franchise which is one of the two new teams to debut in the IPL from the 2022 season. Flower has left his post as the assistant coach of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) franchise to join the Lucknow IPL team ahead of the new season. The former Zimbabwe wicket-keeper is an experienced coach and has worked with a number of teams including the England national side. Flower worked as an assistant coach for Punjab Kings for two seasons under their current head coach Anil Kumble and is now set to be at the helm of affairs himself at the Lucknow franchise. Welcoming the former Zimbabwe cricketer, Lucknow IPL team's owner Sanjeev Goenka lauded him for his contributions to world cricket. "As a player and a coach Andy has left an indelible mark in the history of cricket. We respect his professionalism and hope he will work with our vision and add value to our team," said Goenka. Former Zimbabwe captain and wicketkeeper Andy Flower will coach IPL's Lucknow franchise. Dr Sanjiv Goenka, Owner, Lucknow IPL team welcomed Andy to the RPSG family.#IndianPremierLeague #LucknowIPL #LucknowIPLTeam #Cricket #AndyFlower @IPL pic.twitter.com/RwTeony9ym — RP Sanjiv Goenka Group (@rpsggroup) December 17, 2021 × Also Read: From Rahul to Iyer: 5 potential captaincy candidates for new IPL teams Lucknow and Ahmedabad As per several reports, the Lucknow IPL team is in talks with KL Rahul to rope him in ahead of the mega auction. Rahul is likely to be appointed as the captain of the side after leaving Punjab Kings ahead of the new season. Rahul has reportedly been offered a huge contract to join the Lucknow team. While the existing eight IPL teams have already revealed the list of retained players, the two news teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can pick at least three players each ahead of the mega auction. A number of top players are reportedly in talks with the two new teams to join them ahead of the mega auction.

KL Rahul next? Andy Flower leaves Punjab Kings to become head coach of Lucknow IPL franchise

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction has started with the existing eight teams having revealed their final list of retained and released players. All eight teams have managed to keep some of the best players to build their squads around ahead of the 2022 season which is all set to be a ten-team affair.

While the existing eight teams have been allowed to retain a maximum of four players each, the two new teams - Ahmedabad and Lucknow can pick a maximum of three players each ahead of the mega auction from the large pool of non-retained players.

While some of the top players are already in negotiations with the two new teams and are likely to be part of a new team in IPL 2022, some players might get bought back by their respective former franchises at the mega auction. Here is a look at five players that the teams will look to buy back at the IPL mega auction.

1) Faf du Plessis&nbsp; - Chennai Super Kings&nbsp;

Faf du Plessis played an instrumental role in helping Chennai Super Kings (CSK) reach the final of the IPL 2019 before inspiring them to a memorable title triumph in IPL 2021 this year. The veteran South African batter has been one of the best performers with the willow for CSK in the last few years. Du Plessis was the second-highest run-getter in the IPL 2021 with 633 runs in 16 games at an average of over 45.&nbsp;

Du Plessis missed out on the Orange Cap by just three runs as his opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad finished as the top run-getter of the season with 635 runs. Du Plessis was one of the favourites to be retained by CSK, however, he was pipped by all-rounder Moeen Ali. Nonetheless, CSK are likely to go all out to get Du Plessis back at the mega auction.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/suresh-raina-to-chris-gayle-five-ipl-veterans-who-might-go-unsold-at-the-upcoming-mega-auction-434904">Suresh Raina to Chris Gayle: Five IPL veterans who might go unsold at the upcoming mega auction</a>

2) Ishan Kishan

The explosive young wicket-keeper batter has seen his stature grow in the past couple of years. Kishan was sensational for the four-time champions in IPL 2020 with a staggering 516 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of over 145 and a brilliant average of over 57.

Kishan made his T20I debut for India earlier this year and has been impressive in the handful of games he has played for the national team. He was one of the major contenders to be retained by the Mumbai Indians ahead of the mega auction, however, was let go of at the end with the franchise retaining Suryakumar Yadav. MI might look to buy back Kishan at the mega auction.

3) Avesh Khan

One of the best Indian pacers of the 2021 season, Avesh Khan was instrumental in helping Delhi Capitals reach the playoffs this year. He was the second-highest wicket-taker of the season with 24 wickets in 16 matches in IPL 2021. The Indian fast bowler is likely to be in huge demand at the mega auction and Delhi Capitals would be hoping to bring him back to the franchise ahead of IPL 2022.

4) Devdutt Padikkal&nbsp;

One of the prominent young batting talents in the country at present, Devdutt Padikkal has been a consistent run-getter for RCB since making his debut for the franchise in IPL 2020. The left-hander notched up 473 runs in 15 games in his debut season before following it up with 411 runs in 14 matches in IPL 2021 this year. RCB were expected to keep hold of the youngster but he was surprisingly released by the franchise. RCB will be hopeful of getting him back at the mega auction.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-kl-rahul-to-shreyas-iyer-5-potential-captaincy-candidates-for-new-ipl-teams-lucknow-and-ahmedabad-434365">From&nbsp;Rahul to&nbsp;Iyer: 5 potential captaincy candidates for new IPL teams Lucknow and Ahmedabad</a> 
&nbsp;

5)&nbsp;Sam Curran

Chennai Super Kings retained Moeen Ali while letting go of some of their prominent overseas players like Du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo and Sam Curran. While Bravo's growing age remains a concern, England star Curran can be bought back by the franchise at the mega auction. Curran did well for CSK in the last couple of years with 242 runs and 22 wickets in the last two seasons.

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction has started with the existing eight teams having revealed their final list of retained and released players.

The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction has started with the existing eight teams having revealed their final list of retained and released players. All eight teams have managed to keep some of the best players to build their squads around ahead of the 2022 season which is all set to be a ten-team affair. While the existing eight teams have been allowed to retain a maximum of four players each, the two new teams - Ahmedabad and Lucknow can pick a maximum of three players each ahead of the mega auction from the large pool of non-retained players. While some of the top players are already in negotiations with the two new teams and are likely to be part of a new team in IPL 2022, some players might get bought back by their respective former franchises at the mega auction. Here is a look at five players that the teams will look to buy back at the IPL mega auction. 1) Faf du Plessis - Chennai Super Kings Faf du Plessis played an instrumental role in helping Chennai Super Kings (CSK) reach the final of the IPL 2019 before inspiring them to a memorable title triumph in IPL 2021 this year. The veteran South African batter has been one of the best performers with the willow for CSK in the last few years. Du Plessis was the second-highest run-getter in the IPL 2021 with 633 runs in 16 games at an average of over 45. Du Plessis missed out on the Orange Cap by just three runs as his opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad finished as the top run-getter of the season with 635 runs. Du Plessis was one of the favourites to be retained by CSK, however, he was pipped by all-rounder Moeen Ali. Nonetheless, CSK are likely to go all out to get Du Plessis back at the mega auction. Also Read: Suresh Raina to Chris Gayle: Five IPL veterans who might go unsold at the upcoming mega auction 2) Ishan Kishan The explosive young wicket-keeper batter has seen his stature grow in the past couple of years. Kishan was sensational for the four-time champions in IPL 2020 with a staggering 516 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of over 145 and a brilliant average of over 57. Kishan made his T20I debut for India earlier this year and has been impressive in the handful of games he has played for the national team. He was one of the major contenders to be retained by the Mumbai Indians ahead of the mega auction, however, was let go of at the end with the franchise retaining Suryakumar Yadav. MI might look to buy back Kishan at the mega auction. 3) Avesh Khan One of the best Indian pacers of the 2021 season, Avesh Khan was instrumental in helping Delhi Capitals reach the playoffs this year. He was the second-highest wicket-taker of the season with 24 wickets in 16 matches in IPL 2021. The Indian fast bowler is likely to be in huge demand at the mega auction and Delhi Capitals would be hoping to bring him back to the franchise ahead of IPL 2022. 4) Devdutt Padikkal One of the prominent young batting talents in the country at present, Devdutt Padikkal has been a consistent run-getter for RCB since making his debut for the franchise in IPL 2020. The left-hander notched up 473 runs in 15 games in his debut season before following it up with 411 runs in 14 matches in IPL 2021 this year. RCB were expected to keep hold of the youngster but he was surprisingly released by the franchise. RCB will be hopeful of getting him back at the mega auction. Also Read: From Rahul to Iyer: 5 potential captaincy candidates for new IPL teams Lucknow and Ahmedabad 5) Sam Curran Chennai Super Kings retained Moeen Ali while letting go of some of their prominent overseas players like Du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo and Sam Curran. While Bravo's growing age remains a concern, England star Curran can be bought back by the franchise at the mega auction. Curran did well for CSK in the last couple of years with 242 runs and 22 wickets in the last two seasons.

Faf du Plessis to Ishan Kishan: 5 players who might be bought back by their IPL franchise at mega auction

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to witness a mega auction ahead of the new season with ten teams looking to build their squads almost from scratch. While the existing eight teams have already revealed the list of retained players, the two new franchises - Ahmedabad and Lucknow have a chance to pick three players each from the pool of non-retained ones.

The mega auction is all set to feature a host of Indian and overseas superstars who will be in demand considering the increase in the number of teams from eight to ten. While some of the stars released by their respective franchises might be bought back, some may find new teams in the mega auction.

There will also be a number of IPL veterans who might go unsold at the mega auction this time around. Here is a look at five IPL stars who might not find any buyer at the mega auction considering their age and poor form.

1) Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina is a bonafide legend in the Indian Premier League. He has been part of the league right from the inception of the tournament in 2008 and has played an integral role in Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s success over the years. Raina is the fourth-highest run-getter in the history of IPL with 5528 runs in 205 matches but is no more the player he once was.

The 35-year-old, who retired from international cricket last year, has struggled in the IPL over the last few seasons and has failed to churn out runs consistently. He was released by CSK ahead of the mega auction this year and might go unsold if the four-time champions decide not to buy him back.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-kl-rahul-to-shreyas-iyer-5-potential-captaincy-candidates-for-new-ipl-teams-lucknow-and-ahmedabad-434365">From&nbsp;Rahul to&nbsp;Iyer: 5 potential captaincy candidates for new IPL teams Lucknow and Ahmedabad</a>

2) Chris Gayle&nbsp;

Another IPL great who is in the final lap of his cricketing career, Chris Gayle might remain unsold at the IPL mega auction ahead of the 2022 season. The legendary batter is regarded as one of the greatest of all times in T20 cricket and has been entertaining his fans with his exploits in the IPL over the years.

The power-hitter was once a nightmare to face for the best of bowlers in the world but his waning prowess with the willow over the last few years has seen him fail to make an impact in the IPL. Gayle, who has 4965 runs in 142 matches, was picked at the last minute by Punjab Kings in the 2018 player auction after going unsold twice. He might not be picked by any team this time around.

3) Ajinkya Rahane

Former Rajasthan Royals captain Ajinkya Rahane played only eleven matches for Delhi Capitals in the last two seasons since joining the franchise from RR. An IPL veteran, Rahane too has been part of the league since its inception in 2008 and has a great record.

However, he is no longer a regular for India in white-ball cricket and plas only Test cricket at the international level. He has also struggled to score runs in IPL over the last couple of seasons with just 121 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of just above 100. Rahane might go unsold at the IPL mega auction ahead of the new season considering his lean patch in Tests as well of late.

4) Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik is one of the few players to have already played over 200 matches in the IPL. He had led KKR in the 2018 and 2019 seasons before handing over the captaincy to Eoin Morgan midway through the 2020 edition. Karthik's form in the tournament has been concerning as he has failed to attain consistency.

In the last two seasons, he has 169 and 223 runs to his name in 14 and 17 matches respectively. Karthik has been released by KKR and might not find a buyer at the IPL mega auction.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rashid-khan-to-ben-stokes-top-5-overseas-players-released-by-their-teams-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-433867">Rashid Khan to Ben Stokes: Top 5 overseas players released by their teams ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

5) Piyush Chawla&nbsp;

Piyush Chawla is one of the most successful bowlers in the history of IPL. He is the fourth-highest wicket-taker of all time in IPL with 157 wickets in 165 matches. Chawla has been part of KKR's title triumphs in the 2012 and 2014 seasons but with growing age, he has seen a massive drop in his performance levels.

The spinner was part of the Mumbai Indians squad in IPL 2021 and managed to make only a solitary appearance. He finished the season with just one wicket to his name. In the last two seasons, Chawla has played just 8 matches in the PL and has seven wickets to his name. He is one of the IPL veterans who might go unsold in the upcoming mega auction.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to witness a mega auction ahead of the new season with ten teams looking to build their squads almost from scratch. While the existing eight teams have already revealed the list of retained players, the two new franchises - Ahmedabad and Lucknow have a chance to pick three players each from the pool of non-retained ones.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to witness a mega auction ahead of the new season with ten teams looking to build their squads almost from scratch. While the existing eight teams have already revealed the list of retained players, the two new franchises - Ahmedabad and Lucknow have a chance to pick three players each from the pool of non-retained ones. The mega auction is all set to feature a host of Indian and overseas superstars who will be in demand considering the increase in the number of teams from eight to ten. While some of the stars released by their respective franchises might be bought back, some may find new teams in the mega auction. There will also be a number of IPL veterans who might go unsold at the mega auction this time around. Here is a look at five IPL stars who might not find any buyer at the mega auction considering their age and poor form. 1) Suresh Raina Suresh Raina is a bonafide legend in the Indian Premier League. He has been part of the league right from the inception of the tournament in 2008 and has played an integral role in Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s success over the years. Raina is the fourth-highest run-getter in the history of IPL with 5528 runs in 205 matches but is no more the player he once was. The 35-year-old, who retired from international cricket last year, has struggled in the IPL over the last few seasons and has failed to churn out runs consistently. He was released by CSK ahead of the mega auction this year and might go unsold if the four-time champions decide not to buy him back. Also Read: From Rahul to Iyer: 5 potential captaincy candidates for new IPL teams Lucknow and Ahmedabad 2) Chris Gayle Another IPL great who is in the final lap of his cricketing career, Chris Gayle might remain unsold at the IPL mega auction ahead of the 2022 season. The legendary batter is regarded as one of the greatest of all times in T20 cricket and has been entertaining his fans with his exploits in the IPL over the years. The power-hitter was once a nightmare to face for the best of bowlers in the world but his waning prowess with the willow over the last few years has seen him fail to make an impact in the IPL. Gayle, who has 4965 runs in 142 matches, was picked at the last minute by Punjab Kings in the 2018 player auction after going unsold twice. He might not be picked by any team this time around. 3) Ajinkya Rahane Former Rajasthan Royals captain Ajinkya Rahane played only eleven matches for Delhi Capitals in the last two seasons since joining the franchise from RR. An IPL veteran, Rahane too has been part of the league since its inception in 2008 and has a great record. However, he is no longer a regular for India in white-ball cricket and plas only Test cricket at the international level. He has also struggled to score runs in IPL over the last couple of seasons with just 121 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of just above 100. Rahane might go unsold at the IPL mega auction ahead of the new season considering his lean patch in Tests as well of late. 4) Dinesh Karthik Dinesh Karthik is one of the few players to have already played over 200 matches in the IPL. He had led KKR in the 2018 and 2019 seasons before handing over the captaincy to Eoin Morgan midway through the 2020 edition. Karthik's form in the tournament has been concerning as he has failed to attain consistency. In the last two seasons, he has 169 and 223 runs to his name in 14 and 17 matches respectively. Karthik has been released by KKR and might not find a buyer at the IPL mega auction. Also Read: Rashid Khan to Ben Stokes: Top 5 overseas players released by their teams ahead of IPL mega auction 5) Piyush Chawla Piyush Chawla is one of the most successful bowlers in the history of IPL. He is the fourth-highest wicket-taker of all time in IPL with 157 wickets in 165 matches. Chawla has been part of KKR's title triumphs in the 2012 and 2014 seasons but with growing age, he has seen a massive drop in his performance levels. The spinner was part of the Mumbai Indians squad in IPL 2021 and managed to make only a solitary appearance. He finished the season with just one wicket to his name. In the last two seasons, Chawla has played just 8 matches in the PL and has seven wickets to his name. He is one of the IPL veterans who might go unsold in the upcoming mega auction.

Suresh Raina to Chris Gayle: Five IPL veterans who might go unsold at the upcoming mega auction

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to become a ten-team tournament from the 2022 season with the inclusion of two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad. While the existing eight IPL teams have already revealed the list of retained players ahead of the mega auction which is set to take place before the start of the new season, Lucknow and Ahmedabad have been given the right to pick three players each from the pool of non-retained players.

While both Lucknow and Ahmedabad IPL franchises will be looking to pick quality players from the pool of the non-retained ones ahead of the mega auction, they would also be looking to secure the signing of their respective captains. Both Ahmedabad and Lucknow franchises will be on the lookout for captaincy candidates who can be picked before the mega auction to build the team around them.

A number of top Indian and overseas players have been let go of by their respective franchises who can become the future leaders of the two new IPL teams. The likes of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer among others will be on the radar of not just the two new teams but several others, who will be looking to get a new captain ahead of the new season.

Here is a look at 5 potential captaincy candidates for two new IPL teams:

KL Rahul&nbsp;

KL Rahul is one of the favourites to take over as the captain of the Lucknow IPL team and is reportedly in negotiations with the franchise after leaving Punjab Kings. Rahul has been reportedly offered a staggering deal of Rs 20 crore (INR 200 million) per year to join the Lucknow team ahead of the new season.

One of the best Indian batters in the IPL over the last few years, Rahul led Punjab for two seasons in 2020 and 2021. While he was consistent with the bat on the personal front, Rahul failed to inspire his side to playoffs in both seasons. Nonetheless, he has been one of the best batters in the league for the last few years and is a great captaincy prospect for both the new teams.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rashid-khan-to-ben-stokes-top-5-overseas-players-released-by-their-teams-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-433867">Rashid Khan to Ben Stokes: Top 5 overseas players released by their teams ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

Shreyas Iyer

Another Indian star, who has the experience of captaining an IPL team, Shreyas Iyer will also be on the radar of the two new teams for the captaincy role. Iyer left Delhi Capitals in search of a leadership role after leading the franchise for two and a half seasons. Iyer helped DC make it to their first final in 2020 and was exceptional as a leader.&nbsp;

His stature in the IPL has grown over the years and it won't be a surprise if an IPL team ropes him in as their new skipper. Iyer has plenty of experience behind his back having played 87 matches in IPL. He has 2375 runs to his name at an average of over 31.

David Warner&nbsp;

One of the best overseas batters in the league over the years, David Warner was released by his former team Sunrisers Hyderabad after a fallout during IPL 2021. Warner was sacked from captaincy midway through the IPL 2021 before being dropped from the playing XI by SRH. He remains the only captain to have led SRH to an IPL title in 2016 and will be a strong captaincy contender for both the new teams as well as some other franchises.

While he has a plethora of experience as a captain, Warner has been a consistent performer as a batter in the IPL. He has the highest runs among the overseas batters in the history of the league and fifth overall with 5449 runs in 150 games at a stunning average of over 41.

Steve Smith&nbsp;

Steve Smith has not had great campaigns in the IPL in the last few years but he remains an experienced leader who is capable of taking over the captaincy role for a top IPL side considering his experience and pedigree. Smith has led Rising Pune Supergiant and Rajasthan Royals in the past.&nbsp;

He had led Rising Pune Supergiant to their maiden final in the 2017 season where they lost against Mumbai Indians just by 1 run. Smith has been part of the IPL since 2012 and the former Australia skipper can be a great leader for any team. He has 2485 runs to his name in 103 IPL matches at an average of over 34.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-rs-20-lakh-to-8-crore-indian-youngsters-who-earned-massive-salary-hikes-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-434151">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-rs-20-lakh-to-8-crore-indian-youngsters-who-earned-massive-salary-hikes-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-434151">From Rs 20 lakh to 8 crore! Youngsters who earned massive salary hikes ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes managed to play just one game for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021 as he injured his finger in the opening game of the season before flying back home. One of the best all-rounders in the world at present, Stokes has been released by Rajasthan Royals ahead of the mega auction and can trigger a bidding war at the auction table.

He is also an ideal candidate for captaincy with the kind of experience he possesses. Stokes is a crucial player for England across formats and has been amazing as an all-rounder. He has 920 runs and 28 wickets to his name in 43 IPL matches.

&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to become a ten-team tournament from the 2022 season with the inclusion of two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad. While the existing eight IPL teams have already revealed the list of retained players ahead of the mega auction which is set to take place before the start of the new season, Lucknow and Ahmedabad have been given the right to pick three players each from the pool of non-retained players.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to become a ten-team tournament from the 2022 season with the inclusion of two new teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad. While the existing eight IPL teams have already revealed the list of retained players ahead of the mega auction which is set to take place before the start of the new season, Lucknow and Ahmedabad have been given the right to pick three players each from the pool of non-retained players. While both Lucknow and Ahmedabad IPL franchises will be looking to pick quality players from the pool of the non-retained ones ahead of the mega auction, they would also be looking to secure the signing of their respective captains. Both Ahmedabad and Lucknow franchises will be on the lookout for captaincy candidates who can be picked before the mega auction to build the team around them. A number of top Indian and overseas players have been let go of by their respective franchises who can become the future leaders of the two new IPL teams. The likes of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer among others will be on the radar of not just the two new teams but several others, who will be looking to get a new captain ahead of the new season. Here is a look at 5 potential captaincy candidates for two new IPL teams: KL Rahul KL Rahul is one of the favourites to take over as the captain of the Lucknow IPL team and is reportedly in negotiations with the franchise after leaving Punjab Kings. Rahul has been reportedly offered a staggering deal of Rs 20 crore (INR 200 million) per year to join the Lucknow team ahead of the new season. One of the best Indian batters in the IPL over the last few years, Rahul led Punjab for two seasons in 2020 and 2021. While he was consistent with the bat on the personal front, Rahul failed to inspire his side to playoffs in both seasons. Nonetheless, he has been one of the best batters in the league for the last few years and is a great captaincy prospect for both the new teams. Also Read: Rashid Khan to Ben Stokes: Top 5 overseas players released by their teams ahead of IPL mega auction Shreyas Iyer Another Indian star, who has the experience of captaining an IPL team, Shreyas Iyer will also be on the radar of the two new teams for the captaincy role. Iyer left Delhi Capitals in search of a leadership role after leading the franchise for two and a half seasons. Iyer helped DC make it to their first final in 2020 and was exceptional as a leader. His stature in the IPL has grown over the years and it won't be a surprise if an IPL team ropes him in as their new skipper. Iyer has plenty of experience behind his back having played 87 matches in IPL. He has 2375 runs to his name at an average of over 31. David Warner One of the best overseas batters in the league over the years, David Warner was released by his former team Sunrisers Hyderabad after a fallout during IPL 2021. Warner was sacked from captaincy midway through the IPL 2021 before being dropped from the playing XI by SRH. He remains the only captain to have led SRH to an IPL title in 2016 and will be a strong captaincy contender for both the new teams as well as some other franchises. While he has a plethora of experience as a captain, Warner has been a consistent performer as a batter in the IPL. He has the highest runs among the overseas batters in the history of the league and fifth overall with 5449 runs in 150 games at a stunning average of over 41. Steve Smith Steve Smith has not had great campaigns in the IPL in the last few years but he remains an experienced leader who is capable of taking over the captaincy role for a top IPL side considering his experience and pedigree. Smith has led Rising Pune Supergiant and Rajasthan Royals in the past. He had led Rising Pune Supergiant to their maiden final in the 2017 season where they lost against Mumbai Indians just by 1 run. Smith has been part of the IPL since 2012 and the former Australia skipper can be a great leader for any team. He has 2485 runs to his name in 103 IPL matches at an average of over 34. Also Read: From Rs 20 lakh to 8 crore! Youngsters who earned massive salary hikes ahead of IPL mega auction Ben Stokes Ben Stokes managed to play just one game for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021 as he injured his finger in the opening game of the season before flying back home. One of the best all-rounders in the world at present, Stokes has been released by Rajasthan Royals ahead of the mega auction and can trigger a bidding war at the auction table. He is also an ideal candidate for captaincy with the kind of experience he possesses. Stokes is a crucial player for England across formats and has been amazing as an all-rounder. He has 920 runs and 28 wickets to his name in 43 IPL matches.

From KL Rahul to Shreyas Iyer: 5 potential captaincy candidates for new IPL teams Lucknow and Ahmedabad

Australian star batter David Warner has hinted at entering the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction ahead of the 2022 season after being released by Surisers Hyderabad (SRH). Warner had a fall out with SRH during IPL 2021 which culminated in his exit from the franchise as they decided to retain skipper Kane Williamson, and uncapped players Abdul Samad and Umran Malik.

Warner has been one of the best overseas batters in the IPL over the years and has notched up runs consistently one season after another. He is currently the top run-getter among overseas batters and the 5th highest run-getter overall in the history of IPL with 5449 runs from 150 matches at a stunning average of over 41.

The Aussie batter is also coming off a brilliant campaign for Australia in the recently-concluded T20 World Cup 2021 where he had notched up 289 runs in seven matches to bag the Player of the Tournament award. Considering his experience and recent form, Warner was expected to be picked by one of the two new IPL teams - Ahmedabad and Lucknow - who are both allowed to pick a maximum of three players from the pool of non-retained players ahead of the mega auction.

The two new teams can retain a maximum of two Indians and one overseas player. However, Warner has hinted that he will not be joining any of the two new teams and is likely to head into the mega auction. Replying to a fan on Instagram, he hinted at entering the upcoming auction.&nbsp;

Check out David Warner's reply:

<img alt="David Warner on IPL mega auction" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b421dadc-f26d-48a6-9a78-e970387bcb26" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Warner%20IPL%20auction.png" />

Warner was sacked from captaincy by SRH midway through the IPL 2021 season after a poor start by the team in the first leg of the tournament. He was later dropped completely from the playing XI after the first game of the second leg of the season in the UAE and managed to make only eight appearances for the team.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-rs-20-lakh-to-8-crore-indian-youngsters-who-earned-massive-salary-hikes-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-434151">From Rs 20 lakh to 8 crore! Indian youngsters who earned massive salary hikes ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

It was one of the worst seasons in the history of IPL for Warner, who remains the only captain to have led SRH to an IPL title. He is likely to trigger a bidding war at the auction table if Warner enters the mega auction as a number of teams will be on the lookout for a captaincy candidate.

Australian star batter David Warner has hinted at entering the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction ahead of the 2022 season after being released by Surisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Australian star batter David Warner has hinted at entering the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction ahead of the 2022 season after being released by Surisers Hyderabad (SRH). Warner had a fall out with SRH during IPL 2021 which culminated in his exit from the franchise as they decided to retain skipper Kane Williamson, and uncapped players Abdul Samad and Umran Malik. Warner has been one of the best overseas batters in the IPL over the years and has notched up runs consistently one season after another. He is currently the top run-getter among overseas batters and the 5th highest run-getter overall in the history of IPL with 5449 runs from 150 matches at a stunning average of over 41. The Aussie batter is also coming off a brilliant campaign for Australia in the recently-concluded T20 World Cup 2021 where he had notched up 289 runs in seven matches to bag the Player of the Tournament award. Considering his experience and recent form, Warner was expected to be picked by one of the two new IPL teams - Ahmedabad and Lucknow - who are both allowed to pick a maximum of three players from the pool of non-retained players ahead of the mega auction. The two new teams can retain a maximum of two Indians and one overseas player. However, Warner has hinted that he will not be joining any of the two new teams and is likely to head into the mega auction. Replying to a fan on Instagram, he hinted at entering the upcoming auction. Check out David Warner's reply: Warner was sacked from captaincy by SRH midway through the IPL 2021 season after a poor start by the team in the first leg of the tournament. He was later dropped completely from the playing XI after the first game of the second leg of the season in the UAE and managed to make only eight appearances for the team. Also Read: From Rs 20 lakh to 8 crore! Indian youngsters who earned massive salary hikes ahead of IPL mega auction It was one of the worst seasons in the history of IPL for Warner, who remains the only captain to have led SRH to an IPL title. He is likely to trigger a bidding war at the auction table if Warner enters the mega auction as a number of teams will be on the lookout for a captaincy candidate.

'Auction I guess': David Warner unlikely to be picked by two new IPL teams, hints at entering mega auction

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has over the years witnessed the rise of a number of youngsters who have gone on to become world-beaters for their respective countries. IPL has served as a perfect platform for budding Indian cricketers, who have made the most of the opportunities&nbsp;in the league and gone on to represent the country at the highest level.

A number of youngsters have also been rewarded by the franchises for their performances and have become millionaires at a tender age. It was no different this time around as a number of young Indian players saw their salaries skyrocket after being retained by their respective franchises.

Some capped as well as uncapped youngsters witnessed their salaries grow multiple folds after being retained by their respective teams. While Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star Venkatesh Iyer saw his salary grow fourty times to reach Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) from Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million), Chennai Super Kings opener Ruturaj Gaikwad saw his salary grow thirty times to Rs 6 crore (INR 60 million) from Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million).

Here is a look at five youngsters who received&nbsp;massive salary hikes in IPL ahead of mega auction:

1) Venkatesh Iyer (Rs 20 lakh to Rs 8 crore)

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Venkatesh Iyer was an unknown entity in Indian cricket before the second leg of IPL 2021 earlier this year. Making his debut for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the league, Iyer took the second leg of the season by a storm as he produced consistent performances with the bat while opening the innings.

The batting all-rounder notched up 370 runs and picked up three wickets in ten matches to help KKR spark a turnaround and make it to the final of IPL 2021. The young all-rounder was on a salary of Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) before being retained for a staggering Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) by the franchise ahead of the mega auction.

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">IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction</a>

2) Ruturaj Gaikwad (Rs 20 lakh to Rs 6 core)

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) would have had no second thoughts about retaining Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been fabulous as an opener for the franchise in the last two seasons. After impressing in his debut IPL campaign last year, Gaikwad continued his purple patch in IPL 2021 and went on to bag the Orange Cap for being the highest run-getter of the season with 635 runs from 16 matches for the four-time champions.

Gaikwad played an instrumental role in CSK's fourth title triumph in IPL 2021 as he formed a formidable opening partnership with Faf du Plessis at the top and the duo got CSK off to good starts consistently throughout the season. Gaikwad was on a salary of Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) per season and saw it rise thirty times to Rs 6 crore (INR 60 million) after being retained.

3) Abdul Samad - Rs 20 lakh to Rs 4 crore&nbsp;

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Swashbuckling young batter Abdul Samad saw his salary increase 20 times from Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) to Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) after being retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad. Known for his big-hitting ability, Samad has been mentored by former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan. He scored only 111 runs in 11 matches in IPL 2021 but SRH have shown their faith in him by retaining him ahead of the mega auction.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rashid-khan-to-ben-stokes-top-5-overseas-players-released-by-their-teams-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-433867">Rashid Khan to Ben Stokes: Top 5 overseas players released by their teams ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

4) Umran Malik - Rs 20 lakh to Rs 4 crore&nbsp;

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Another uncapped player&nbsp;retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad for a huge amount, Umran Malik was the find of IPL 2021 for the Orange Army. Malik recorded the fastest ball by an Indian in the tournament this year by clocking over 151 kph and took the cricket fraternity by a storm with his raw pace. He was on the minimum salary of Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) but will now be making Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) per season after being retained by the side.

5)&nbsp;Arshdeep Singh - Rs 20 lakh to Rs 4 crore&nbsp;

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Fast bowler Arshdeep Singh was the second-choice retention for Punjab Kings ahead of the IPL mega auction. He saw his salary grow from Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) per season to Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) per season after being retained by the franchise. He is one of the best fast bowling prospects in India at present and will be groomed by the IPL franchise to become a world-beater in the future.

 
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The Indian Premier League (IPL) has over the years witnessed the rise of a number of youngsters who have gone on to become world-beaters for their respective countries.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has over the years witnessed the rise of a number of youngsters who have gone on to become world-beaters for their respective countries. IPL has served as a perfect platform for budding Indian cricketers, who have made the most of the opportunities in the league and gone on to represent the country at the highest level. A number of youngsters have also been rewarded by the franchises for their performances and have become millionaires at a tender age. It was no different this time around as a number of young Indian players saw their salaries skyrocket after being retained by their respective franchises. Some capped as well as uncapped youngsters witnessed their salaries grow multiple folds after being retained by their respective teams. While Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star Venkatesh Iyer saw his salary grow fourty times to reach Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) from Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million), Chennai Super Kings opener Ruturaj Gaikwad saw his salary grow thirty times to Rs 6 crore (INR 60 million) from Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million). Here is a look at five youngsters who received massive salary hikes in IPL ahead of mega auction: 1) Venkatesh Iyer (Rs 20 lakh to Rs 8 crore) × Venkatesh Iyer was an unknown entity in Indian cricket before the second leg of IPL 2021 earlier this year. Making his debut for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the league, Iyer took the second leg of the season by a storm as he produced consistent performances with the bat while opening the innings. The batting all-rounder notched up 370 runs and picked up three wickets in ten matches to help KKR spark a turnaround and make it to the final of IPL 2021. The young all-rounder was on a salary of Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) before being retained for a staggering Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) by the franchise ahead of the mega auction. Also Read: IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction 2) Ruturaj Gaikwad (Rs 20 lakh to Rs 6 core) × Chennai Super Kings (CSK) would have had no second thoughts about retaining Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been fabulous as an opener for the franchise in the last two seasons. After impressing in his debut IPL campaign last year, Gaikwad continued his purple patch in IPL 2021 and went on to bag the Orange Cap for being the highest run-getter of the season with 635 runs from 16 matches for the four-time champions. Gaikwad played an instrumental role in CSK's fourth title triumph in IPL 2021 as he formed a formidable opening partnership with Faf du Plessis at the top and the duo got CSK off to good starts consistently throughout the season. Gaikwad was on a salary of Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) per season and saw it rise thirty times to Rs 6 crore (INR 60 million) after being retained. 3) Abdul Samad - Rs 20 lakh to Rs 4 crore × Swashbuckling young batter Abdul Samad saw his salary increase 20 times from Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) to Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) after being retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad. Known for his big-hitting ability, Samad has been mentored by former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan. He scored only 111 runs in 11 matches in IPL 2021 but SRH have shown their faith in him by retaining him ahead of the mega auction. Also Read: Rashid Khan to Ben Stokes: Top 5 overseas players released by their teams ahead of IPL mega auction 4) Umran Malik - Rs 20 lakh to Rs 4 crore × Another uncapped player retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad for a huge amount, Umran Malik was the find of IPL 2021 for the Orange Army. Malik recorded the fastest ball by an Indian in the tournament this year by clocking over 151 kph and took the cricket fraternity by a storm with his raw pace. He was on the minimum salary of Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) but will now be making Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) per season after being retained by the side. 5) Arshdeep Singh - Rs 20 lakh to Rs 4 crore × Fast bowler Arshdeep Singh was the second-choice retention for Punjab Kings ahead of the IPL mega auction. He saw his salary grow from Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) per season to Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) per season after being retained by the franchise. He is one of the best fast bowling prospects in India at present and will be groomed by the IPL franchise to become a world-beater in the future.

From Rs 20 lakh to 8 crore! Indian youngsters who earned massive salary hikes ahead of IPL mega auction

The existing eight franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL) recently revealed the names of the players they have retained ahead of the mega auction for the 2022 season and beyond. While the franchises made some smart retentions, some of the picks&nbsp;surprised many as a number of top players were released by their respective franchises.

The&nbsp;likes of Rashid Khan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya among others were released by their respective teams as the countdown for the mega auction begins. The two new IPL teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad now have a chance to pick a maximum of three players each from the pool of non-retained players ahead of the mega auction.

The mega auction ahead of IPL 2022 is all set to be one of the busiest ones as ten teams will be looking to build their respective squads almost from scratch with the remaining amount in their auction purse. While there will be plenty of Indian names in the fray, a number of overseas superstars will also feature in the mega auction this time around.

Here we take a look at the top five overseas stars who have been released by their respective IPL franchises and are set to head into the auction pool or get picked by one of the two new teams.

1) David Warner&nbsp;

The first name on the list is Australian star batter David Warner. An IPL great and one of the most consistent performers in the history of the league, Warner has been let go of by Sunrisers Hyderabad after a disappointing campaign in the 2021 season. Warner has been one of the best batters in the league over the years and his numbers prove his class. Warner is the highest run-getter among overseas batters and the fifth-highest overall with 5449 runs to his name in 150 matches at an average of over 41 and a strike rate close to 140.

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">Uthappa hints at MS Dhoni's successor as CSK captain: 'They have given him the due he deserved'</a>

2) Rashid Khan

Another Sunrisers Hyderabad star who features in the list. Many had expected SRH to retain Rashid, however, the spinner's desire to reportedly be the first-choice retention saw the franchise releasing him ahead of the mega auction. Rashid has been one of the most successful bowlers in the IPL ever since making his debut in 2017. He spent four years with SRH, playing 76 matches and picking up 93 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 6.33. He is reportedly in talks with the Lucknow franchise ahead of the mega auction.

3) Ben Stokes

England all-rounder Ben Stokes had become the most expensive overseas player at the time when he was picked up by Rising Pune Supergiant for a whopping Rs 14.5 crore (INR 145 million) in 2017. Stokes' stature has since grown in leaps and bounds and he has established his credentials as one of the best all-rounders in the world at present. Stokes has 920 runs and 28 wickets under his belt in 48 IPL matches. He was released by Rajasthan Royals this year but is expected to fetch a big amount at the mega auction.

4) Faf du Plessis&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had to let go of one of their most consistent batters over the last couple of years due to the 4-player cap on retentions. CSK decided to keep all-rounder Moeen Ali over Faf due to his all-round abilities but will be trying their best to get the Proteas batter back in the mega auction. Du Plessis played a key role in CSK's IPL triumph in the 2021 season with 633 runs from 16 matches as he finished 2nd on the list of highest run-getters of the season behind only his opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad, who notched up 635 runs and was retained by the franchise for Rs 6 crore (INR 60 million).

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/same-franchise-supported-him-when-his-country-banned-him-irfans-cryptic-tweet-on-david-warner-srh-saga-433750">Same franchise supported him when his country banned him: Irfan's cryptic tweet on&nbsp;Warner-SRH saga</a>

5) Kagiso Rabada

One of the best fast bowlers in the world and a force to reckon with in IPL over the years, it came as a surprise to many when Delhi Capitals decided to release Kagiso Rabada and keep Anrich Nortje. Rabada has been a prolific wicket-taker in the IPL with 76 wickets in just 50 IPL matches. He was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament in IPL 2020 with 30 scalps in 17 matches.

The existing eight franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL) recently revealed the names of the players they have retained ahead of the mega auction for the 2022 season and beyond.

The existing eight franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL) recently revealed the names of the players they have retained ahead of the mega auction for the 2022 season and beyond. While the franchises made some smart retentions, some of the picks surprised many as a number of top players were released by their respective franchises. The likes of Rashid Khan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya among others were released by their respective teams as the countdown for the mega auction begins. The two new IPL teams - Lucknow and Ahmedabad now have a chance to pick a maximum of three players each from the pool of non-retained players ahead of the mega auction. The mega auction ahead of IPL 2022 is all set to be one of the busiest ones as ten teams will be looking to build their respective squads almost from scratch with the remaining amount in their auction purse. While there will be plenty of Indian names in the fray, a number of overseas superstars will also feature in the mega auction this time around. Here we take a look at the top five overseas stars who have been released by their respective IPL franchises and are set to head into the auction pool or get picked by one of the two new teams. 1) David Warner The first name on the list is Australian star batter David Warner. An IPL great and one of the most consistent performers in the history of the league, Warner has been let go of by Sunrisers Hyderabad after a disappointing campaign in the 2021 season. Warner has been one of the best batters in the league over the years and his numbers prove his class. Warner is the highest run-getter among overseas batters and the fifth-highest overall with 5449 runs to his name in 150 matches at an average of over 41 and a strike rate close to 140. Also Read: Uthappa hints at MS Dhoni's successor as CSK captain: 'They have given him the due he deserved' 2) Rashid Khan Another Sunrisers Hyderabad star who features in the list. Many had expected SRH to retain Rashid, however, the spinner's desire to reportedly be the first-choice retention saw the franchise releasing him ahead of the mega auction. Rashid has been one of the most successful bowlers in the IPL ever since making his debut in 2017. He spent four years with SRH, playing 76 matches and picking up 93 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 6.33. He is reportedly in talks with the Lucknow franchise ahead of the mega auction. 3) Ben Stokes England all-rounder Ben Stokes had become the most expensive overseas player at the time when he was picked up by Rising Pune Supergiant for a whopping Rs 14.5 crore (INR 145 million) in 2017. Stokes' stature has since grown in leaps and bounds and he has established his credentials as one of the best all-rounders in the world at present. Stokes has 920 runs and 28 wickets under his belt in 48 IPL matches. He was released by Rajasthan Royals this year but is expected to fetch a big amount at the mega auction. 4) Faf du Plessis Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had to let go of one of their most consistent batters over the last couple of years due to the 4-player cap on retentions. CSK decided to keep all-rounder Moeen Ali over Faf due to his all-round abilities but will be trying their best to get the Proteas batter back in the mega auction. Du Plessis played a key role in CSK's IPL triumph in the 2021 season with 633 runs from 16 matches as he finished 2nd on the list of highest run-getters of the season behind only his opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad, who notched up 635 runs and was retained by the franchise for Rs 6 crore (INR 60 million). Also Read: Same franchise supported him when his country banned him: Irfan's cryptic tweet on Warner-SRH saga 5) Kagiso Rabada One of the best fast bowlers in the world and a force to reckon with in IPL over the years, it came as a surprise to many when Delhi Capitals decided to release Kagiso Rabada and keep Anrich Nortje. Rabada has been a prolific wicket-taker in the IPL with 76 wickets in just 50 IPL matches. He was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament in IPL 2020 with 30 scalps in 17 matches.

Rashid Khan to Ben Stokes: Top 5 overseas players released by their teams ahead of IPL mega auction

Former skipper of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Virat Kohli hailed the "special bond" with the "amazing" team after the franchise announced that 'King Kohli' has been retained ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. RCB have also retained Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, along with fast bowler Mohammed Siraj.

Kohli, who has been with the team since inception, is retained for INR 150 million and Maxwell, who was signed by the team last season, was retained for INR 110 million. The franchise has invested a sum of INR 70 million to keep pacer Siraj, who has been with the team since 2018.&nbsp;

After the names were released, Kohli said that he did not have any second thoughts about staying with RCB. In a recorded video uploaded on the official Twitter handle of the Bengaluru-based team, Kohli said, "The journey continues, I have been retained by RCB. When I was contacted, did not have any second thoughts at all."&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <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>

"It has been an amazing journey over the years, three more years with the franchise that means so much to me. I believe the best is yet to come and I have a special feeling about what is to come next season onwards," Kohli added.&nbsp;

"Our fan base is amazing, management has been amazing with me and all other players. Renewed energy and a different version of me on the field. But I will be there with my heart and soul for RCB," he added. 
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Kohli had announced that he will step down as captain of RCB after the IPL 2021. In a video message, Kohli said, "I felt I needed this space to refresh, to regroup and be absolutely clear in how I want to move forward. And also understanding that RCB is going through a transitional phase with the big auction coming next year."&nbsp;

Watch the video here:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“The amazing journey at RCB continues. 3 more years with this franchise that means so much to me. I believe the best is yet to come.” - <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> 
 
We and the RCB fans love you too, King Kohli. ❤️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreChallengers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreChallengers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLRetention?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLRetention</a> <a href="https://t.co/63rkMcPcCO">pic.twitter.com/63rkMcPcCO</a>
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1465870769448226818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Former skipper of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Virat Kohli hailed the "special bond" with the "amazing" team after the franchise announced that 'King Kohli' has been retained ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction.

Former skipper of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Virat Kohli hailed the "special bond" with the "amazing" team after the franchise announced that 'King Kohli' has been retained ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. RCB have also retained Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, along with fast bowler Mohammed Siraj. Kohli, who has been with the team since inception, is retained for INR 150 million and Maxwell, who was signed by the team last season, was retained for INR 110 million. The franchise has invested a sum of INR 70 million to keep pacer Siraj, who has been with the team since 2018. After the names were released, Kohli said that he did not have any second thoughts about staying with RCB. In a recorded video uploaded on the official Twitter handle of the Bengaluru-based team, Kohli said, "The journey continues, I have been retained by RCB. When I was contacted, did not have any second thoughts at all." ALSO READ | He'll be the likely heir: Not KL Rahul! Former RCB skipper picks Virat Kohli's successor at Bengaluru "It has been an amazing journey over the years, three more years with the franchise that means so much to me. I believe the best is yet to come and I have a special feeling about what is to come next season onwards," Kohli added. "Our fan base is amazing, management has been amazing with me and all other players. Renewed energy and a different version of me on the field. But I will be there with my heart and soul for RCB," he added. Kohli had announced that he will step down as captain of RCB after the IPL 2021. In a video message, Kohli said, "I felt I needed this space to refresh, to regroup and be absolutely clear in how I want to move forward. And also understanding that RCB is going through a transitional phase with the big auction coming next year." Watch the video here: “The amazing journey at RCB continues. 3 more years with this franchise that means so much to me. I believe the best is yet to come.” - @imVkohli We and the RCB fans love you too, King Kohli. ❤️#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPLRetention pic.twitter.com/63rkMcPcCO — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) December 1, 2021 ×

'The best is yet to come': Virat Kohli reacts after RCB released names of retained players - Watch

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have reportedly decided to retain only skipper Kane Williamson ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction for the 2022 season. While the franchise were also in talks with star spinner Rashid Khan to retain him, it remains to be seen if the Afghanistan ace will stay with SRH for the next season.

All eight existing IPL teams are set to reveal their final list of retained players on Tuesday (November 30). Ahead of making their retentions official, SRH took to Instagram to thank their players for their contributions over the years. SRH also stated that it was not a goodbye from the franchise side as they would like to buy back some of the players again during the auction.

England batter Jonny Bairstow is among the players to be released by SRH ahead of the mega auction. Bairstow himself confirmed the end of his association with the Orange Army as he reacted to SRH's farewell post for their players and wrote - “Thank you all for your support! Hopefully, at some point our paths cross again in the future,”&nbsp;

Check out Sunrisers Hyderabad's post:

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<img alt="Bairstow comment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c920c51c-09cb-426e-8458-1645de21ddaf" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Bairstow%20comment.png" />

Bairstow made his IPL debut for SRH in the 2019 season and formed a formidable opening partnership at the top with David Warner, who is also set to be released by the franchsie after enduring a disappointing campaign in IPL 2020. Bairstow was one of the most consistent batters for SRH since joining the side with 1038 runs from 28 matches at an average of over 41.

He will be in demand at the upcoming IPL mega auction as a lot of franchises will be looking for good opening batters. Bairstow is a white-ball regular for England and is known for his swashbuckling style of batting. He can be a a great addition to a number of teams in the league.

SRH will be hoping to build a strong squad from scratch this time around with Williamson as full-time captain.

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Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have reportedly decided to retain only skipper Kane Williamson ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction for the 2022 season.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have reportedly decided to retain only skipper Kane Williamson ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction for the 2022 season. While the franchise were also in talks with star spinner Rashid Khan to retain him, it remains to be seen if the Afghanistan ace will stay with SRH for the next season. All eight existing IPL teams are set to reveal their final list of retained players on Tuesday (November 30). Ahead of making their retentions official, SRH took to Instagram to thank their players for their contributions over the years. SRH also stated that it was not a goodbye from the franchise side as they would like to buy back some of the players again during the auction. England batter Jonny Bairstow is among the players to be released by SRH ahead of the mega auction. Bairstow himself confirmed the end of his association with the Orange Army as he reacted to SRH's farewell post for their players and wrote - “Thank you all for your support! Hopefully, at some point our paths cross again in the future,” Check out Sunrisers Hyderabad's post: Bairstow made his IPL debut for SRH in the 2019 season and formed a formidable opening partnership at the top with David Warner, who is also set to be released by the franchsie after enduring a disappointing campaign in IPL 2020. Bairstow was one of the most consistent batters for SRH since joining the side with 1038 runs from 28 matches at an average of over 41. He will be in demand at the upcoming IPL mega auction as a lot of franchises will be looking for good opening batters. Bairstow is a white-ball regular for England and is known for his swashbuckling style of batting. He can be a a great addition to a number of teams in the league. SRH will be hoping to build a strong squad from scratch this time around with Williamson as full-time captain.

'Hopefully, our paths cross again': Jonny Bairstow thanks franchise after being released ahead of IPL auction

The deadline for Indian Premier League (IPL) retentions ahead of the mega auction is over as the existing eight franchises had until 12:00 PM on Tuesday (November 30) to submit the final list of retained players. A lot of questions will be answered by the end of the day as all eight teams will reveal the names of the players they have decided to keep ahead of the new season.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are reportedly considering retaining only captain Kane Williamson. The franchise are also in talks with their star spinner Rashid Khan but it remains uncertain whether he has been kept or not. Meanwhile, former SRH captain David Warner has confirmed he has been released by the franchise despite his stellar campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 where he bagged the Player of the Tournament award for 289 runs in seven matches for Australia.

One of the most consistent batters in the history of the Indian Premier League, Warner has been instrumental in Sunrisers' success over the years. However, the treatment dished out to him by the franchise in IPL 2021 was nothing less than humiliating as he was first sacked from captaincy before being dropped from the playing XI entirely. Warner managed only eight appearances for SRH in IPL 2021 in what was a disappointing season for him.

Ahead of the mega auction, Warner has confirmed SRH will not be retaining him and that he can't do anything about it. Despite his fallout with the franchise last season, the Aussie left-hander remains hugely popular among the SRH fans. One of the fans recently asked him if he will continue playing for SRH if they retain him, Warner responded by stating that - "They won't but I can't do anything about that".

<img alt="Warner response" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="35916e3b-a933-44f1-8823-775d427a4646" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/warner%20response.png" />

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-to-rohit-sharma-complete-list-of-reported-retentions-for-all-8-franchises-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-432931">Dhoni to Rohit: Complete list of reported retentions for all 8 franchises ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

Warner is the leading run-getter for Sunrisers Hyderabad with 4014 runs in 95 matches for the one-time champions. He remains the only captain to have led the Orange Army to an IPL title and is likely to trigger a bidding war at the auction table in case he is not picked by one of the two new teams.

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The deadline for Indian Premier League (IPL) retentions ahead of the mega auction is over as the existing eight franchises had until 12:00 PM on Tuesday (November 30) to submit the final list of retained players.

The deadline for Indian Premier League (IPL) retentions ahead of the mega auction is over as the existing eight franchises had until 12:00 PM on Tuesday (November 30) to submit the final list of retained players. A lot of questions will be answered by the end of the day as all eight teams will reveal the names of the players they have decided to keep ahead of the new season. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are reportedly considering retaining only captain Kane Williamson. The franchise are also in talks with their star spinner Rashid Khan but it remains uncertain whether he has been kept or not. Meanwhile, former SRH captain David Warner has confirmed he has been released by the franchise despite his stellar campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 where he bagged the Player of the Tournament award for 289 runs in seven matches for Australia. One of the most consistent batters in the history of the Indian Premier League, Warner has been instrumental in Sunrisers' success over the years. However, the treatment dished out to him by the franchise in IPL 2021 was nothing less than humiliating as he was first sacked from captaincy before being dropped from the playing XI entirely. Warner managed only eight appearances for SRH in IPL 2021 in what was a disappointing season for him. Ahead of the mega auction, Warner has confirmed SRH will not be retaining him and that he can't do anything about it. Despite his fallout with the franchise last season, the Aussie left-hander remains hugely popular among the SRH fans. One of the fans recently asked him if he will continue playing for SRH if they retain him, Warner responded by stating that - "They won't but I can't do anything about that". Also Read: Dhoni to Rohit: Complete list of reported retentions for all 8 franchises ahead of IPL mega auction Warner is the leading run-getter for Sunrisers Hyderabad with 4014 runs in 95 matches for the one-time champions. He remains the only captain to have led the Orange Army to an IPL title and is likely to trigger a bidding war at the auction table in case he is not picked by one of the two new teams.

David Warner confirms SRH will not retain him ahead of IPL mega auction: Can't do anything about that

The existing eight franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have all but decided on their retentions ahead of the deadline which is Tuesday (November 30). Each of the eight franchises can retain a maximum of four players. They cannot retain more than three Indians or two overseas players as part of their final four.

Meanwhile, the two new franchises - Lucknow and Ahmedabad have the option to pick at least three players each from the pool of non-retained players once the eight teams have submitted the list of their retained players. While none of the teams have made their retentions official yet, multiple reports have confirmed the players that are set to be retained by each of the eight franchises.

The likes of MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are all set to stay with their respective teams ahead of the IPL mega auction. However, a number of big names such as KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya among others are likely to be released by their respective franchises. Here we take a look at the reported final retentions of each of the eight IPL teams.

1) Chennai Super Kings - MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali&nbsp;

As per ESPN Cricinfo, defending champions CSK have retained captain MS Dhoni along with opener Ruturaj Gaikwad and all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali.

2) Mumbai Indians - Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Kieron Pollard, Ishan Kishan

As per a report in the Times of India, Mumbai Indians have retained veteran all-rounder Kieron Pollard and young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan apart from captain Rohit Sharma and pacer Jasprit Bumrah. MI reportedly retained Kishan ahead of Suryakumar Yadav. It also means that both Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya will be released by the franchise.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-kl-rahul-to-hardik-pandya-top-5-indian-players-who-might-not-be-retained-by-their-ipl-franchises-432611">From&nbsp;Rahul to Hardik:&nbsp;Top 5 Indian players who might not be retained by their IPL franchises</a>

3) Royal Challengers Bangalore - Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj

RCB have reportedly retained three players ahead of the mega auction. While Virat Kohli has been retained as a player after leaving captaincy, Aussie all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj will also remain with the franchise.

4) Delhi Capitals - Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel, Anrich Nortje&nbsp;

Shreyas Iyer and R Ashwin are all set to be released by Delhi Capitals, who have reportedly decided to retain captain Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel and South African speedster Anrich Nortje ahead of the new season.

5) Kolkata Knight Riders - Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer and Varun Chakaravarthy&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders have also retained four players ahead of the IPL mega auction. As per ESPN Cricinfo, they have retained all-rounder Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy ahead of the new season.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/most-expensive-player-in-ipl-kl-rahul-offered-staggering-amount-by-lucknow-franchise-report-432718">Most expensive player in IPL? KL Rahul offered staggering amount by Lucknow franchise - Report</a>

6) Sunrisers Hyderabad - Kane Williamson&nbsp;

As per ESPN Cricinfo, Sunrisers Hyderabad have retained captain Kane Williamson ahead of the mega auction. The franchise were also keen on retaining Rashid Khan but it remains to be seen if he will stay with SRH or not.

7) Rajasthan Royals - Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal

Rajasthan Royals have retained only three players, as per a report in the Times of India. Skipper Samson is their first-choice retention and will be paid Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million). Jos Buttler and young Indian batter Yashasvi Jaiswal are the other two players retained by RR.

8) Punjab Kings&nbsp;

Punjab Kings are reportedly planning to retain none of the players from their current squad and will head into the auction with a full purse of Rs 90 crore. However, they are set to lose their captain KL Rahul, who is likely to join the Lucknow franchise ahead of the mega acution.

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The existing eight franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have all but decided on their retentions ahead of the deadline which is Tuesday (November 30). Each of the eight franchises can retain a maximum of four players.

The existing eight franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have all but decided on their retentions ahead of the deadline which is Tuesday (November 30). Each of the eight franchises can retain a maximum of four players. They cannot retain more than three Indians or two overseas players as part of their final four. Meanwhile, the two new franchises - Lucknow and Ahmedabad have the option to pick at least three players each from the pool of non-retained players once the eight teams have submitted the list of their retained players. While none of the teams have made their retentions official yet, multiple reports have confirmed the players that are set to be retained by each of the eight franchises. The likes of MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are all set to stay with their respective teams ahead of the IPL mega auction. However, a number of big names such as KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya among others are likely to be released by their respective franchises. Here we take a look at the reported final retentions of each of the eight IPL teams. 1) Chennai Super Kings - MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali As per ESPN Cricinfo, defending champions CSK have retained captain MS Dhoni along with opener Ruturaj Gaikwad and all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali. 2) Mumbai Indians - Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Kieron Pollard, Ishan Kishan As per a report in the Times of India, Mumbai Indians have retained veteran all-rounder Kieron Pollard and young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan apart from captain Rohit Sharma and pacer Jasprit Bumrah. MI reportedly retained Kishan ahead of Suryakumar Yadav. It also means that both Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya will be released by the franchise. Also Read: From Rahul to Hardik: Top 5 Indian players who might not be retained by their IPL franchises 3) Royal Challengers Bangalore - Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj RCB have reportedly retained three players ahead of the mega auction. While Virat Kohli has been retained as a player after leaving captaincy, Aussie all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj will also remain with the franchise. 4) Delhi Capitals - Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel, Anrich Nortje Shreyas Iyer and R Ashwin are all set to be released by Delhi Capitals, who have reportedly decided to retain captain Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel and South African speedster Anrich Nortje ahead of the new season. 5) Kolkata Knight Riders - Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer and Varun Chakaravarthy Kolkata Knight Riders have also retained four players ahead of the IPL mega auction. As per ESPN Cricinfo, they have retained all-rounder Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy ahead of the new season. Also Read: Most expensive player in IPL? KL Rahul offered staggering amount by Lucknow franchise - Report 6) Sunrisers Hyderabad - Kane Williamson As per ESPN Cricinfo, Sunrisers Hyderabad have retained captain Kane Williamson ahead of the mega auction. The franchise were also keen on retaining Rashid Khan but it remains to be seen if he will stay with SRH or not. 7) Rajasthan Royals - Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal Rajasthan Royals have retained only three players, as per a report in the Times of India. Skipper Samson is their first-choice retention and will be paid Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million). Jos Buttler and young Indian batter Yashasvi Jaiswal are the other two players retained by RR. 8) Punjab Kings Punjab Kings are reportedly planning to retain none of the players from their current squad and will head into the auction with a full purse of Rs 90 crore. However, they are set to lose their captain KL Rahul, who is likely to join the Lucknow franchise ahead of the mega acution.

MS Dhoni to Rohit Sharma: Complete list of reported retentions for all 8 franchises ahead of IPL mega auction

Less than 48 hours are left for the deadline for the existing eight Indian Premier League (IPL) teams to submit their final list of retained players ahead of the mega auction. The eight teams can retain a maximum of only four players with no Right To Match (RTM) option available at the mega auction this time around. The deadline for retention is November 30.

While the old teams can retain four players each, the two new franchises - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can pick three players each from the pool of non-retained players. The existing franchises can retain a maximum of three Indian and two overseas players among their retentions while the new teams can pick not more than two Indian players as part of their three selections.

A number of major Indian players are likely to be released by their respective franchises due to the retention limits. Here we take a look at some of the top Indian players who might be released by the teams and will be heading into the auction table this year.

Top 5 Indian players who might get released by their respective franchise:

KL Rahul

Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul is all set to be released by the franchise as per multiple reports. While Punjab Kings would have liked to keep their biggest superstar, Rahul himself had expressed his desire to leave the side seeking a new challenge.&nbsp;

The vice-captain of the Indian T20 team has been one of the most consistent performers with the bat in the IPL over the years and is likely to be targeted by the two new teams for a leadership role. Rahul has 3272 runs to his name in 94 IPL matches at an average of over 47.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-to-mumbai-indians-rohit-sharma-led-side-keen-on-roping-in-indian-star-at-ipl-mega-auction-432331">Shreyas Iyer to Mumbai Indians? Rohit-led side keen on roping in Indian star at IPL mega auction</a>

Hardik Pandya&nbsp;

Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya is likely to be released by his franchise, as per reports. With doubts over his bowling abilities, Hardik, who has struggled with injuries might join a new IPL team ahead of the mega auction. If he is not picked by any of the two new sides and heads into the auction pool, Hardik is likely to create a bidding war at the mega auction.

Hardik has played an instrumental role in Mumbai Indians' success over the last few seasons and has 1476 runs and 42 wickets to his name in 92 games in the IPL.

Shreyas Iyer&nbsp;

The former Delhi Capitals captain is likely to join a new franchise ahead of the new season as he has reportedly expressed his desire to leave his current team. As per reports, Iyer wants a leadership role and with DC set to keep Rishabh Pant as captain, he has decided to part ways with the franchise.

Iyer led DC to their first-ever final in IPL 2020 season and was a consistent run-getter for the team. He has played 87 IPL matches so far with 2375 runs to his name at an average of 31.66.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-not-keen-to-be-csks-first-choice-retention-wants-higher-salary-for-other-players-report-432296">MS Dhoni not keen to be CSK's first-choice retention, wants higher salary for other players - Report</a>

Bhuvneshwar Kumar&nbsp;

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are reportedly looking to retain only two players ahead of the mega auction - captain Kane Williamson and ace spinner Rashid Khan. Senior Indian fast bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar is likely to be released by the franchise and is expected to trigger a bidding war at the mega auction.

A regular member of India's white-ball teams, Bhuvneshwar is one of the most experienced pacers in the tournament. He has played 132 IPL matches so far and has 142 wickets to his name at an economy of 7.30.

Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami was the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the IPL 2021 with 19 wickets in 14 matches for Punjab Kings. However, Punjab Kings are reportedly planning to retain none of the players from their current squad which might see Shami head to the auction table.

Shami will be one of te most sought-after Indian pacers at the mega auction and can fetch a decent contract. He has 79 wickets in 79 matches in his IPL career and has an economy of 8.62.

Less than 48 hours are left for the deadline for the existing eight Indian Premier League (IPL) teams to submit their final list of retained players ahead of the mega auction.

Less than 48 hours are left for the deadline for the existing eight Indian Premier League (IPL) teams to submit their final list of retained players ahead of the mega auction. The eight teams can retain a maximum of only four players with no Right To Match (RTM) option available at the mega auction this time around. The deadline for retention is November 30. While the old teams can retain four players each, the two new franchises - Lucknow and Ahmedabad can pick three players each from the pool of non-retained players. The existing franchises can retain a maximum of three Indian and two overseas players among their retentions while the new teams can pick not more than two Indian players as part of their three selections. A number of major Indian players are likely to be released by their respective franchises due to the retention limits. Here we take a look at some of the top Indian players who might be released by the teams and will be heading into the auction table this year. Top 5 Indian players who might get released by their respective franchise: KL Rahul Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul is all set to be released by the franchise as per multiple reports. While Punjab Kings would have liked to keep their biggest superstar, Rahul himself had expressed his desire to leave the side seeking a new challenge. The vice-captain of the Indian T20 team has been one of the most consistent performers with the bat in the IPL over the years and is likely to be targeted by the two new teams for a leadership role. Rahul has 3272 runs to his name in 94 IPL matches at an average of over 47. Also Read: Shreyas Iyer to Mumbai Indians? Rohit-led side keen on roping in Indian star at IPL mega auction Hardik Pandya Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya is likely to be released by his franchise, as per reports. With doubts over his bowling abilities, Hardik, who has struggled with injuries might join a new IPL team ahead of the mega auction. If he is not picked by any of the two new sides and heads into the auction pool, Hardik is likely to create a bidding war at the mega auction. Hardik has played an instrumental role in Mumbai Indians' success over the last few seasons and has 1476 runs and 42 wickets to his name in 92 games in the IPL. Shreyas Iyer The former Delhi Capitals captain is likely to join a new franchise ahead of the new season as he has reportedly expressed his desire to leave his current team. As per reports, Iyer wants a leadership role and with DC set to keep Rishabh Pant as captain, he has decided to part ways with the franchise. Iyer led DC to their first-ever final in IPL 2020 season and was a consistent run-getter for the team. He has played 87 IPL matches so far with 2375 runs to his name at an average of 31.66. Also Read: MS Dhoni not keen to be CSK's first-choice retention, wants higher salary for other players - Report Bhuvneshwar Kumar Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are reportedly looking to retain only two players ahead of the mega auction - captain Kane Williamson and ace spinner Rashid Khan. Senior Indian fast bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar is likely to be released by the franchise and is expected to trigger a bidding war at the mega auction. A regular member of India's white-ball teams, Bhuvneshwar is one of the most experienced pacers in the tournament. He has played 132 IPL matches so far and has 142 wickets to his name at an economy of 7.30. Mohammed Shami Mohammed Shami was the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the IPL 2021 with 19 wickets in 14 matches for Punjab Kings. However, Punjab Kings are reportedly planning to retain none of the players from their current squad which might see Shami head to the auction table. Shami will be one of te most sought-after Indian pacers at the mega auction and can fetch a decent contract. He has 79 wickets in 79 matches in his IPL career and has an economy of 8.62.

From KL Rahul to Hardik Pandya: Top 5 Indian players who might not be retained by their IPL franchises

Mumbai Indians (MI) face one of the trickiest challenges as the deadline day for Indian Premier League (IPL) retentions approaches. With one of the best squads at their disposal, the five-time champions will have to do intense brainstorming to select the four players they want to retain&nbsp;ahead of the mega auction. Each of the existing eight teams can retain a maximum of four players each.

The total purse allotted&nbsp;to all ten franchises will be Rs 90 (INR 900 million), out of which Rs 42 crore (INR 420 million) will be deducted if a franchise decides to retain four players. MI are one of the teams who might consider utilising all four slots for retentions with an incredible amount of talent in their existing squad.

Former Mumbai Indians pacer Mitchell McClenaghan recently picked one player between the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya, who he feels the franchise should definitely retain. While captain Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah are likely to be the first two retentions for MI, it remains to be seen who will take the other two slots.

Responding to a question from ESPN Cricinfo on Twitter, McClenaghan said MI should retain Hardik if they had the choice to keep only one player between Suryakumar, Ishan, Hardik and Krunal. "Clearly Hardik. It's not even a question - there is a severe lack of Indian all-rounders and finishers. No one on that level yet," McClenaghan, a four-time IPL winner with MI, wrote on Twitter.

<img alt="McClenaghan tweet." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dfd22f3d-18e9-4361-b271-51c825db832a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/McClenaghan%20tweet.png" />

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-think-ms-dhoni-will-play-full-season-ex-nz-bowler-makes-bold-prediction-on-csk-captains-ipl-future-432542">'Don't think&nbsp;Dhoni will play full season': Ex-NZ bowler makes bold prediction on CSK captain's IPL future</a>

However, as per reports, Hardik is unlikely to be retained by Mumbai Indians and is not on their list of priorities. West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard along with young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan are reportedly set to be retained by the Rohit Sharma-led side.

If released, Hardik might be roped in by one of the two new teams - Ahmedabad and Lucknow ahead of the mega auction. And if he goes into the auction pool, the Indian all-rounder is likely to trigger a bidding war among franchises.

&nbsp;

Mumbai Indians (MI) face one of the trickiest challenges as the deadline day for Indian Premier League (IPL) retentions approaches. With one of the best squads at their disposal, the five-time champions will have to do intense brainstorming to select the four players they want to retain ahead of the mega auction.

Mumbai Indians (MI) face one of the trickiest challenges as the deadline day for Indian Premier League (IPL) retentions approaches. With one of the best squads at their disposal, the five-time champions will have to do intense brainstorming to select the four players they want to retain ahead of the mega auction. Each of the existing eight teams can retain a maximum of four players each. The total purse allotted to all ten franchises will be Rs 90 (INR 900 million), out of which Rs 42 crore (INR 420 million) will be deducted if a franchise decides to retain four players. MI are one of the teams who might consider utilising all four slots for retentions with an incredible amount of talent in their existing squad. Former Mumbai Indians pacer Mitchell McClenaghan recently picked one player between the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya, who he feels the franchise should definitely retain. While captain Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah are likely to be the first two retentions for MI, it remains to be seen who will take the other two slots. Responding to a question from ESPN Cricinfo on Twitter, McClenaghan said MI should retain Hardik if they had the choice to keep only one player between Suryakumar, Ishan, Hardik and Krunal. "Clearly Hardik. It's not even a question - there is a severe lack of Indian all-rounders and finishers. No one on that level yet," McClenaghan, a four-time IPL winner with MI, wrote on Twitter. Also Read: 'Don't think Dhoni will play full season': Ex-NZ bowler makes bold prediction on CSK captain's IPL future However, as per reports, Hardik is unlikely to be retained by Mumbai Indians and is not on their list of priorities. West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard along with young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan are reportedly set to be retained by the Rohit Sharma-led side. If released, Hardik might be roped in by one of the two new teams - Ahmedabad and Lucknow ahead of the mega auction. And if he goes into the auction pool, the Indian all-rounder is likely to trigger a bidding war among franchises.

Ishan, Suryakumar, Hardik or Krunal? Former Mumbai Indians pacer picks one player franchise should retain

Former India pacer Irfan Pathan recently named four players he feels Mumbai Indians (MI) should retain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction. The deadline for the existing eight franchises to submit their final list of retentions is November 30. Each of the eight teams has been allowed a maximum of only four retentions with no right to match option in the auction this time around.

While reports have confirmed about some franchises having made up their minds on who to retain and whom to let go, there has been no official word from any of the eight teams yet. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians, who are the most successful team in the history of IPL, have a star-studded squad at their disposal and are set to face a tricky situation as far as their four retentions are concerned.

Pathan recently picked the four players he thinks MI should retain ahead of IPL 2022. The former pacer picked captain Rohit Sharma as the first-choice retention followed by ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. He also backed West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard to be retained by the side considering his all-round abilities and experience over the years.

Pathan picked Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya as his fourth-choice retention for Mumbai Indians. Despite his recent form being questionable and doubts over his bowling in the long-term, Pathan feels MI should not let go of Hardik, who can be a match-winner with both the bat and the ball on his day.

“Among overseas players, it will be Kieron Pollard. No doubt about that; at least in my mind. I don’t know what Mumbai Indians are thinking. He is the guy that has won you games for so many years and consistently. His batting is still top-notch and is still the powerhouse when it comes to big-hitting as well as finishing the games," Pathan told Star Sports.

"So, Pollard will definitely be on the radar. I would definitely go for Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya. I can actually name the other two guys as well. No. 1 would be Rohit Sharma and No. 2 would be Jasprit Bumrah," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-not-keen-to-be-csks-first-choice-retention-wants-higher-salary-for-other-players-report-432296">Dhoni not keen to be CSK's first-choice retention, wants higher salary for other players</a>

Pathan also said young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan could be one of the retentions for Mumbai Indians. However, he snubbed the likes of Trent Boult and Suryakumar Yadav among others, who have been vital cogs of the Mumbai Indians line-up over the last few years.

While Suryakumar has been one of the most consistent batters for the side, Boult has been exceptional since joining the five-time champions in the 2020 season. It remains to be seen who will Mumbai Indians keep and who will they let go of&nbsp;ahead of the mega auction.

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Former India pacer Irfan Pathan recently named four players he feels Mumbai Indians (MI) should retain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction. The deadline for the existing eight franchises to submit their final list of retentions is November 30.

Former India pacer Irfan Pathan recently named four players he feels Mumbai Indians (MI) should retain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction. The deadline for the existing eight franchises to submit their final list of retentions is November 30. Each of the eight teams has been allowed a maximum of only four retentions with no right to match option in the auction this time around. While reports have confirmed about some franchises having made up their minds on who to retain and whom to let go, there has been no official word from any of the eight teams yet. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians, who are the most successful team in the history of IPL, have a star-studded squad at their disposal and are set to face a tricky situation as far as their four retentions are concerned. Pathan recently picked the four players he thinks MI should retain ahead of IPL 2022. The former pacer picked captain Rohit Sharma as the first-choice retention followed by ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. He also backed West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard to be retained by the side considering his all-round abilities and experience over the years. Pathan picked Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya as his fourth-choice retention for Mumbai Indians. Despite his recent form being questionable and doubts over his bowling in the long-term, Pathan feels MI should not let go of Hardik, who can be a match-winner with both the bat and the ball on his day. “Among overseas players, it will be Kieron Pollard. No doubt about that; at least in my mind. I don’t know what Mumbai Indians are thinking. He is the guy that has won you games for so many years and consistently. His batting is still top-notch and is still the powerhouse when it comes to big-hitting as well as finishing the games," Pathan told Star Sports. "So, Pollard will definitely be on the radar. I would definitely go for Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya. I can actually name the other two guys as well. No. 1 would be Rohit Sharma and No. 2 would be Jasprit Bumrah," he added. Also Read: Dhoni not keen to be CSK's first-choice retention, wants higher salary for other players Pathan also said young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan could be one of the retentions for Mumbai Indians. However, he snubbed the likes of Trent Boult and Suryakumar Yadav among others, who have been vital cogs of the Mumbai Indians line-up over the last few years. While Suryakumar has been one of the most consistent batters for the side, Boult has been exceptional since joining the five-time champions in the 2020 season. It remains to be seen who will Mumbai Indians keep and who will they let go of ahead of the mega auction.

No Suryakumar, Boult! Irfan Pathan names 4 players Mumbai Indians might retain ahead of IPL 2022

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are reportedly set to retain their captain MS Dhoni ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction for the 2022 season. Despite Dhoni being in the final lap of his career, CSK wants him to continue leading the franchise for the next few years until he decides to hang up his boots completely from all forms of cricket.

The 39-year-old had retired from international cricket in August last year but continued to ply his trade in the IPL. While Dhoni is no more the player he once was as far as his batting is concerned, he remains one of the best captains in the league and led CSK to a memorable triumph in IPL 2021 this year.

However, considering Dhoni's waning prowess with the bat and his age, there was scepticism over his retention ahead of the mega auction set to be conducted before the 2022 season as CSK would have to shell out a whopping amount of money to keep him.

Dhoni himself had expressed concerns over his future and said the call will be taken by&nbsp;the franchise after the retention rules were clear. With the existing eight franchises allowed to retain a maximum of four players each, CSK has decided to retain Dhoni as their first-choice player.

However, as per a report in ESPN Cricinfo, Dhoni is not keen on being the first-choice retention for the side and wants CSK to give the higher salary to other players. CSK want to keep Dhoni as their no.1 retention for Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million) so that they can have a big purse ahead of the 2023 auction if the captain retires, however, Dhoni wants better deals for others and not him.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/who-will-keep-whom-list-of-players-likely-to-be-retained-by-csk-kkr-dc-and-mi-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-432050">List of players likely to be retained by CSK, KKR, DC and MI ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

Any franchise retaining four players will have to shell out a whopping Rs 42 crore (INR 420 million) from their total purse of Rs 90 crore (INR 900 million). The first-choice retention will get Rs 16 crore while the other three will get Rs 12 crore, Rs 8 crore and Rs 6 crore respectively.

CSK have reportedly zeroed in on retaining Dhoni, opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. One out of England all-rounders Moeen Ali and Sam Curran might become their final retention ahead of the mega auction.

&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are reportedly set to retain their captain MS Dhoni ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction for the 2022 season. Despite Dhoni being in the final lap of his career, CSK wants him to continue leading the franchise for the next few years until he decides to hang up his boots completely from all forms of cricket.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are reportedly set to retain their captain MS Dhoni ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction for the 2022 season. Despite Dhoni being in the final lap of his career, CSK wants him to continue leading the franchise for the next few years until he decides to hang up his boots completely from all forms of cricket. The 39-year-old had retired from international cricket in August last year but continued to ply his trade in the IPL. While Dhoni is no more the player he once was as far as his batting is concerned, he remains one of the best captains in the league and led CSK to a memorable triumph in IPL 2021 this year. However, considering Dhoni's waning prowess with the bat and his age, there was scepticism over his retention ahead of the mega auction set to be conducted before the 2022 season as CSK would have to shell out a whopping amount of money to keep him. Dhoni himself had expressed concerns over his future and said the call will be taken by the franchise after the retention rules were clear. With the existing eight franchises allowed to retain a maximum of four players each, CSK has decided to retain Dhoni as their first-choice player. However, as per a report in ESPN Cricinfo, Dhoni is not keen on being the first-choice retention for the side and wants CSK to give the higher salary to other players. CSK want to keep Dhoni as their no.1 retention for Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million) so that they can have a big purse ahead of the 2023 auction if the captain retires, however, Dhoni wants better deals for others and not him. Also Read: List of players likely to be retained by CSK, KKR, DC and MI ahead of IPL mega auction Any franchise retaining four players will have to shell out a whopping Rs 42 crore (INR 420 million) from their total purse of Rs 90 crore (INR 900 million). The first-choice retention will get Rs 16 crore while the other three will get Rs 12 crore, Rs 8 crore and Rs 6 crore respectively. CSK have reportedly zeroed in on retaining Dhoni, opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. One out of England all-rounders Moeen Ali and Sam Curran might become their final retention ahead of the mega auction.

MS Dhoni not keen to be CSK's first-choice retention, wants higher salary for other players - Report

November 30 is the deadline for the existing eight franchises of the Indian Premier League to submit their final list of retained players ahead of the mega auction. The auction will be conducted ahead of the IPL 2022 season with the addition of two new franchises - Lucknow and Ahmedabad. Each of the existing eight teams have been allowed a maximum of only four retentions this time around with no right-to-match option.

As all eight teams continue to finalise their retentions ahead of the mega auction, Delhi Capitals (DC) are all set to part ways with Shreyas Iyer. Iyer had earlier expressed his desire to be released by the franchise as he is keen to get a leadership role elsewhere after being replaced as captain of the Delhi Capitals by Rishabh Pant. Thus DC, who wanted to retain him, are likely to release him now.

As per a report in The Telegraph, Iyer and his Delhi Capitals teammate Shikhar Dhawan, who is also set to be released are being pursued by the two new teams - Ahmedabad and Lucknow. The report further states that even Mumbai Indians are keen on roping in Iyer ahead of the new season. The five-time champions are planning to pick him up at the mega auction.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/who-will-keep-whom-list-of-players-likely-to-be-retained-by-csk-kkr-dc-and-mi-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-432050">Who will&nbsp;CSK, KKR, DC and MI retain ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

While the existing eight teams have been allowed four retentions each, the two new teams will be allowed to pick a maximum of three players from the pool of players who have not been retained by the eight franchises. The two new teams can pick a maximum of only two Indian players out of the three picks.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-not-keen-to-be-csks-first-choice-retention-wants-higher-salary-for-other-players-report-432296">Dhoni not keen to be CSK's first-choice retention, wants higher salary for other players - Report</a>

If Iyer is roped in by one of the two new teams, Mumbai Indians will not be able to get him at the auction. However, if he remains available in the auction pool, there is set to be a bidding war for the star batter, who recently struck an impressive century on his Test debut in the ongoing Kanpur Test against New Zealand.

Iyer has so far played 87 matches in his IPL career and has 2375 runs to his name at an average of 31.66 and a strike rate of over 123.

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November 30 is the deadline for the existing eight franchises of the Indian Premier League to submit their final list of retained players ahead of the mega auction.

November 30 is the deadline for the existing eight franchises of the Indian Premier League to submit their final list of retained players ahead of the mega auction. The auction will be conducted ahead of the IPL 2022 season with the addition of two new franchises - Lucknow and Ahmedabad. Each of the existing eight teams have been allowed a maximum of only four retentions this time around with no right-to-match option. As all eight teams continue to finalise their retentions ahead of the mega auction, Delhi Capitals (DC) are all set to part ways with Shreyas Iyer. Iyer had earlier expressed his desire to be released by the franchise as he is keen to get a leadership role elsewhere after being replaced as captain of the Delhi Capitals by Rishabh Pant. Thus DC, who wanted to retain him, are likely to release him now. As per a report in The Telegraph, Iyer and his Delhi Capitals teammate Shikhar Dhawan, who is also set to be released are being pursued by the two new teams - Ahmedabad and Lucknow. The report further states that even Mumbai Indians are keen on roping in Iyer ahead of the new season. The five-time champions are planning to pick him up at the mega auction. Also Read: Who will CSK, KKR, DC and MI retain ahead of IPL mega auction While the existing eight teams have been allowed four retentions each, the two new teams will be allowed to pick a maximum of three players from the pool of players who have not been retained by the eight franchises. The two new teams can pick a maximum of only two Indian players out of the three picks. Also Read: Dhoni not keen to be CSK's first-choice retention, wants higher salary for other players - Report If Iyer is roped in by one of the two new teams, Mumbai Indians will not be able to get him at the auction. However, if he remains available in the auction pool, there is set to be a bidding war for the star batter, who recently struck an impressive century on his Test debut in the ongoing Kanpur Test against New Zealand. Iyer has so far played 87 matches in his IPL career and has 2375 runs to his name at an average of 31.66 and a strike rate of over 123.

Shreyas Iyer to Mumbai Indians? Rohit Sharma-led side keen on roping in Indian star at IPL mega auction

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