India's star wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan said his heart skipped a beat when teams were involved in a bidding war for him at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction earlier this month. Kishan was the most expensive pick at the IPL 2022 auction after being bought back by Mumbai Indians (MI) for a whopping Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million).

Kishan became the second-most expensive Indian player of all time in the history of IPL auctions. The wicket-keeper batter has been impressive with the bat for Mumbai Indians in the IPL over the last few seasons and has reaped rewards for his brilliant performances for the team.

While many had expected Mumbai Indians to go all out to get him back at the auction, not a lot of people would have guessed that he could become the most expensive buy at the mega auction. As it turned out, Kishan drew bids from a number of teams but Mumbai Indians held on in the bidding war to eventually secure his signing ahead of the start of IPL 2022.

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In an interview with the Times of India, Kishan said he knew Mumbai Indians would go for him but his heart skipped a beat when the price continued to rise. The wicket-keeper batter said Mumbai Indians needed money to build a good squad and it wasn't just about him at the mega auction.

“I knew MI would go for me. That wasn't the worrying bit. The worrying part was the rising price because MI needed to save on money to build the rest of the team. It wasn't just about me," said Kishan.

"For a minute there, I must admit, my heart skipped a beat. There's a reason why I wanted to come back to MI. They know me, they understand my game and I know my franchise and how it works. Because I've been part of this family, I was sure I didn't want to go anywhere else. I've been here four years and the bonding has been amazing. We've won two trophies, stood for each other and with each other, they know my cricket and I know they will take care of me. So, I didn't want to go anywhere else,” he added.

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Kishan will be one of the key members of the Mumbai Indians squad in IPL 2022 as he will be expected to keep the wickets and play almost every game after the franchise also let go of Quintin de Kock, who used to open the batting with skipper Rohit Sharma.

Ishan might take De Kock's opening spot and open the batting with Rohit for the five-time champions from the upcoming season.

India's star wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan said his heart skipped a beat when teams were involved in a bidding war for him at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction earlier this month.

India's star wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan said his heart skipped a beat when teams were involved in a bidding war for him at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction earlier this month. Kishan was the most expensive pick at the IPL 2022 auction after being bought back by Mumbai Indians (MI) for a whopping Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million). Kishan became the second-most expensive Indian player of all time in the history of IPL auctions. The wicket-keeper batter has been impressive with the bat for Mumbai Indians in the IPL over the last few seasons and has reaped rewards for his brilliant performances for the team. While many had expected Mumbai Indians to go all out to get him back at the auction, not a lot of people would have guessed that he could become the most expensive buy at the mega auction. As it turned out, Kishan drew bids from a number of teams but Mumbai Indians held on in the bidding war to eventually secure his signing ahead of the start of IPL 2022. Also Read: Quinton de Kock to David Warner: Top 5 steals of IPL 2022 mega auction In an interview with the Times of India, Kishan said he knew Mumbai Indians would go for him but his heart skipped a beat when the price continued to rise. The wicket-keeper batter said Mumbai Indians needed money to build a good squad and it wasn't just about him at the mega auction. “I knew MI would go for me. That wasn't the worrying bit. The worrying part was the rising price because MI needed to save on money to build the rest of the team. It wasn't just about me," said Kishan. "For a minute there, I must admit, my heart skipped a beat. There's a reason why I wanted to come back to MI. They know me, they understand my game and I know my franchise and how it works. Because I've been part of this family, I was sure I didn't want to go anywhere else. I've been here four years and the bonding has been amazing. We've won two trophies, stood for each other and with each other, they know my cricket and I know they will take care of me. So, I didn't want to go anywhere else,” he added. Also Read: Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction Kishan will be one of the key members of the Mumbai Indians squad in IPL 2022 as he will be expected to keep the wickets and play almost every game after the franchise also let go of Quintin de Kock, who used to open the batting with skipper Rohit Sharma. Ishan might take De Kock's opening spot and open the batting with Rohit for the five-time champions from the upcoming season.

'My heart skipped a beat': Ishan Kishan on becoming IPL 2022 mega auction's most expensive signing

Team India demolished West Indies in the just-concluded three-match T20I series at home. On Sunday evening (February 20), Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. took on the Kieron Pollard-led Windies in the third and final encounter with an aim to inflict a series whitewash.

Being asked to bat first, India made 184-5 riding on Suryakumar Yadav's 65 and Venkatesh Iyer's 35* (19). In reply, the visitors were restricted for 167-9 in 20 overs. Harshal Patel's 3 for 22 and two wickets apiece Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur and Iyer propelled the home team to a 17-run win. With this, India closed the WI home series&nbsp;without conceding a single game.&nbsp;

There were a lot of positives for Team India throughout the white-ball series versus West Indies. The likes of Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, SKY, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Venky Iyer, etc. did well and made heads turn with their impressive returns. Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, also got starts in the T20I leg but his strike-rate remained below par.

He returned with scores of 35 (42), 2 (10)&nbsp;and 34 (31) in three innings. Kishan, who ended as the most-expensive player at IPL 2022 auction -- bought back by&nbsp;Mumbai Indians (MI) for INR 152.5 million&nbsp;-- struggled to hit the right chord despite getting starts in the series.

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Talking about the same in a video on his YouTube channel, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra said, "There was pressure again on Ishan Kishan. He batted well but the strike rate is still questionable. Questions will be raised repeatedly on that as he is playing because of left-right combination plus destructive, explosive but he is not able to do that job."

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Being a part of India's 18-member squad for the forthcoming T20Is versus Sri Lanka, Ishan will be eager to turn the tides and make the most of his opportunities versus the Islanders. The three T20Is gets underway on Thursday (February 24) in Lucknow.

Team India demolished West Indies in the just-concluded three-match T20I series at home. On Sunday evening (February 20), Rohit Sharma & Co. took on the Kieron Pollard-led Windies in the third and final encounter with an aim to inflict a series whitewash.

Team India demolished West Indies in the just-concluded three-match T20I series at home. On Sunday evening (February 20), Rohit Sharma & Co. took on the Kieron Pollard-led Windies in the third and final encounter with an aim to inflict a series whitewash. Being asked to bat first, India made 184-5 riding on Suryakumar Yadav's 65 and Venkatesh Iyer's 35* (19). In reply, the visitors were restricted for 167-9 in 20 overs. Harshal Patel's 3 for 22 and two wickets apiece Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur and Iyer propelled the home team to a 17-run win. With this, India closed the WI home series without conceding a single game. There were a lot of positives for Team India throughout the white-ball series versus West Indies. The likes of Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, SKY, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Venky Iyer, etc. did well and made heads turn with their impressive returns. Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, also got starts in the T20I leg but his strike-rate remained below par. He returned with scores of 35 (42), 2 (10) and 34 (31) in three innings. Kishan, who ended as the most-expensive player at IPL 2022 auction -- bought back by Mumbai Indians (MI) for INR 152.5 million -- struggled to hit the right chord despite getting starts in the series. ALSO READ | Have a fair idea of team combination for T20 World Cup, says Rahul Dravid after WI series Talking about the same in a video on his YouTube channel, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra said, "There was pressure again on Ishan Kishan. He batted well but the strike rate is still questionable. Questions will be raised repeatedly on that as he is playing because of left-right combination plus destructive, explosive but he is not able to do that job." ALSO READ | Today, there is another opportunity: Venkatesh Iyer reveals motivating words from 'likeable' Suryakumar Yadav Being a part of India's 18-member squad for the forthcoming T20Is versus Sri Lanka, Ishan will be eager to turn the tides and make the most of his opportunities versus the Islanders. The three T20Is gets underway on Thursday (February 24) in Lucknow.

He batted well versus WI but strike rate is questionable: Aakash Chopra on Team India's star player

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction saw all ten teams engage in an intense battle against each other to rope in some of the top players from around the globe. There were a number of Indian and overseas stars who triggered massive bidding wars at the auction with Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan emerging as the costliest pick.

Ishan was bought back by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million) making him the most expensive player of the IPL 2022 auction. A number of other players managed to reach the Rs 10 crore (INR 100 million) mark and drew big fat pay cheques at the auction.

While many would have thought Kishan being the most expensive pick at the auction, would have drawn the most amount of bids from all teams. However, that is not the case as the Indian wicket-keeper batter had the second most bids for any player at the auction.

As per ESPN Cricinfo, it was uncapped Indian pacer Avesh Khan who drew the most bids from all teams at the IPL 2022 auction. As many as five teams were involved in the race to sign Avesh and the fast bowler managed to draw a total of 62 bids before being sold to Lucknow Super Giants for a whopping Rs 10 crore (INR 100 million).

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Ishan finished second in the list of players who received the most bids at the auction as he drew a total of 55 bids. Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia and Liam Livingstone are at the third spot having drawn 54 bids each at the IPL 2022 mega auction.

Avesh had a superb season for his former team Delhi Capitals in IPL 2022 last year where he picked up 24 wickets in 16 matches to finish as the second-highest wicket-taker of the season. Delhi Capitals joined the race to get him back but pulled out after the bidding reached the Rs 9 crore (90 million) mark.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction saw all ten teams engage in an intense battle against each other to rope in some of the top players from around the globe.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction saw all ten teams engage in an intense battle against each other to rope in some of the top players from around the globe. There were a number of Indian and overseas stars who triggered massive bidding wars at the auction with Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan emerging as the costliest pick. Ishan was bought back by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million) making him the most expensive player of the IPL 2022 auction. A number of other players managed to reach the Rs 10 crore (INR 100 million) mark and drew big fat pay cheques at the auction. While many would have thought Kishan being the most expensive pick at the auction, would have drawn the most amount of bids from all teams. However, that is not the case as the Indian wicket-keeper batter had the second most bids for any player at the auction. As per ESPN Cricinfo, it was uncapped Indian pacer Avesh Khan who drew the most bids from all teams at the IPL 2022 auction. As many as five teams were involved in the race to sign Avesh and the fast bowler managed to draw a total of 62 bids before being sold to Lucknow Super Giants for a whopping Rs 10 crore (INR 100 million). Also Read: BCCI unlikely to take action against CSK's Rajvardhan Hangargekar despite age fraud allegations - Report Ishan finished second in the list of players who received the most bids at the auction as he drew a total of 55 bids. Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia and Liam Livingstone are at the third spot having drawn 54 bids each at the IPL 2022 mega auction. Avesh had a superb season for his former team Delhi Capitals in IPL 2022 last year where he picked up 24 wickets in 16 matches to finish as the second-highest wicket-taker of the season. Delhi Capitals joined the race to get him back but pulled out after the bidding reached the Rs 9 crore (90 million) mark.

Not Ishan Kishan! Uncapped Indian pacer drew the most bids at IPL 2022 mega auction

Team India were clinical in the first T20I of the three-match series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies. Opting to bowl first, the Rohit Sharma-led side restricted Windies for 157/7 and chased down the score with seven balls and 6 wickets to spare on Wednesday (February 16).&nbsp;

India were led by Harshal Patel and debutant spinner Ravi Bishnoi's two wickets apiece to restrict the tall West Indian batting line-up before Rohit &amp; Co. chased down the score in the penultimate over. However, it wasn't an easy ride as the Indian batting line-up were challenged towards the end of the run-chase before Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer's unbeaten fifth-wicket stand completed the formalities.&nbsp;

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During the course of the game, India had some injury concerns. Deepak Chahar got injured while fielding. On the other hand, all-rounder Iyer also incurred a blow on his thumb. While nothing has been confirmed regarding the duo's availability, Shardul Thakur and Avesh Khan or Mohammad Siraj could be drafted into the playing XI in place of Iyer and Chahar, respectively.

India can also bring in Shreyas Iyer or Ruturaj Gaikwad for the KKR opener Venkatesh. However, they might not risk being a bowler short versus a dented WI batting line-up. Hence, Shardul is very likely to replace Iyer if the latter sits out. Rest of the line-up is expected to be unchanged.

The second and penultimate tie will be held at the same venue, at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Friday evening (February 18). The final T20I will also be played here.

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India's likely playing XI for 2nd T20I:&nbsp;Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Venkatesh Iyer/Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar/Mohammed Siraj/Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Team India were clinical in the first T20I of the three-match series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies. Opting to bowl first, the Rohit Sharma-led side restricted Windies for 157/7 and chased down the score with seven balls and 6 wickets to spare on Wednesday (February 16).

Team India were clinical in the first T20I of the three-match series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies. Opting to bowl first, the Rohit Sharma-led side restricted Windies for 157/7 and chased down the score with seven balls and 6 wickets to spare on Wednesday (February 16). India were led by Harshal Patel and debutant spinner Ravi Bishnoi's two wickets apiece to restrict the tall West Indian batting line-up before Rohit & Co. chased down the score in the penultimate over. However, it wasn't an easy ride as the Indian batting line-up were challenged towards the end of the run-chase before Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer's unbeaten fifth-wicket stand completed the formalities. ALSO READ | This is your property: Heartwarming! Tendulkar reveals why he returned Virat Kohli's retirement gift During the course of the game, India had some injury concerns. Deepak Chahar got injured while fielding. On the other hand, all-rounder Iyer also incurred a blow on his thumb. While nothing has been confirmed regarding the duo's availability, Shardul Thakur and Avesh Khan or Mohammad Siraj could be drafted into the playing XI in place of Iyer and Chahar, respectively. India can also bring in Shreyas Iyer or Ruturaj Gaikwad for the KKR opener Venkatesh. However, they might not risk being a bowler short versus a dented WI batting line-up. Hence, Shardul is very likely to replace Iyer if the latter sits out. Rest of the line-up is expected to be unchanged. The second and penultimate tie will be held at the same venue, at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Friday evening (February 18). The final T20I will also be played here. ALSO READ | India vs WI, 1st T20I: 'I’m saying it' - How Virat Kohli convinced skipper Rohit Sharma to take DRS - Watch India's likely playing XI for 2nd T20I: Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Venkatesh Iyer/Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar/Mohammed Siraj/Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Will Avesh Khan get a look-in for Deepak Chahar? Predicting India's XI for 2nd T20I vs West Indies

Mumbai Indians (MI) didn't have the best of starts to the proceedings at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction but the five-time champions managed to finish things off in style on the second day of the event. Mumbai Indians had a quiet first day as they made very calculated moves and went all out to buy back Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan for a whopping sum of Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million).

Mumbai Indians had headed into the mega auction with a purse of Rs 48 crore (INR 480 million) after retaining a total of four players - Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard. One of the most successful teams in the history of the league, MI were expected to make swift moves at the auction but they remained mostly inactive on the first day.

After making Kishan the costliest buy at the IPL 2022 mega auction on the first day, MI went big on England pacer Jofra Archer and Singapore all-rounder Tim David, spending Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) and Rs 8.25 crore (INR 82.5 million) on the two players respectively. While the prospect of facing Archer and Bumrah together will be nightmarish for the best of batters in the IPL, MI have a lot of holes in their squad.

As per Hogg, Mumbai Indians now have a lack of finishers in the side after the departure of Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya. The former Australia spinner also feels the quality of spinner in the Mumbai Indians line-up is average. Hogg also labelled Archer's acquisition as a huge risk as the England pacer has been nursing an elbow injury which has kept him away from cricket for a long time now. Archer will also miss the upcoming season of IPL and will be in action from the 2023 edition of the tournament.

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“Spending 8 crore on Archer is a huge risk, especially after spending 15 crore on Ishan Kishan. He’s had two elbow surgeries in the last 18 months, that’s the worst injury a fast bowler could have,” said Hogg.

“They have a formidable top order in Rohit, Kishan and Surya and then David at No.4, which is also a risk. Who’s going to bat at No.5 is the big question. The bowling department is where their headache starts. They don’t have depth in their bowling and not many top-class spinners. They also don’t have finishers like the Pandya brothers. This is one of the worst auctions MI has ever had,” he added.

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In the absence of Archer, Mumbai will hope the likes of Jaydev Unadkat and Tymal Mills can form a destructive pairing with Bumrah. They also would hope for a good show from South Africa U-19 star Dewald Brevis, who has been termed as the 'next AB de Villiers' by many.

Mumbai Indians full squad for IPL 2022: Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard&nbsp;Ishan Kishan, Dewald Brevis, Basil Thampi, Murugan Ashwin, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Markande, N Tilak Varma, Sanjay Yadav, Jofra Archer, Daniel Sams, Tymal Mills, Tim David, Riley Meredith, Mohammad Arshad Khan, Anmolpreet Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Rahul Buddhi, Hrithik Shokeen, Arjun Tendulkar, Aryan Juyal, Fabian Allen.

Mumbai Indians (MI) didn't have the best of starts to the proceedings at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction but the five-time champions managed to finish things off in style on the second day of the event.

Mumbai Indians (MI) didn't have the best of starts to the proceedings at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction but the five-time champions managed to finish things off in style on the second day of the event. Mumbai Indians had a quiet first day as they made very calculated moves and went all out to buy back Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan for a whopping sum of Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million). Mumbai Indians had headed into the mega auction with a purse of Rs 48 crore (INR 480 million) after retaining a total of four players - Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard. One of the most successful teams in the history of the league, MI were expected to make swift moves at the auction but they remained mostly inactive on the first day. After making Kishan the costliest buy at the IPL 2022 mega auction on the first day, MI went big on England pacer Jofra Archer and Singapore all-rounder Tim David, spending Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) and Rs 8.25 crore (INR 82.5 million) on the two players respectively. While the prospect of facing Archer and Bumrah together will be nightmarish for the best of batters in the IPL, MI have a lot of holes in their squad. As per Hogg, Mumbai Indians now have a lack of finishers in the side after the departure of Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya. The former Australia spinner also feels the quality of spinner in the Mumbai Indians line-up is average. Hogg also labelled Archer's acquisition as a huge risk as the England pacer has been nursing an elbow injury which has kept him away from cricket for a long time now. Archer will also miss the upcoming season of IPL and will be in action from the 2023 edition of the tournament. Also Read: Not Faf du Plessis! Sunil Gavaskar picks Virat Kohli's successor at RCB for IPL 2022 “Spending 8 crore on Archer is a huge risk, especially after spending 15 crore on Ishan Kishan. He’s had two elbow surgeries in the last 18 months, that’s the worst injury a fast bowler could have,” said Hogg. “They have a formidable top order in Rohit, Kishan and Surya and then David at No.4, which is also a risk. Who’s going to bat at No.5 is the big question. The bowling department is where their headache starts. They don’t have depth in their bowling and not many top-class spinners. They also don’t have finishers like the Pandya brothers. This is one of the worst auctions MI has ever had,” he added. Also Read: WATCH: Charu Sharma makes big goof-up, sells Khaleel Ahmed to DC for same bid as MI at IPL mega auction In the absence of Archer, Mumbai will hope the likes of Jaydev Unadkat and Tymal Mills can form a destructive pairing with Bumrah. They also would hope for a good show from South Africa U-19 star Dewald Brevis, who has been termed as the 'next AB de Villiers' by many. Mumbai Indians full squad for IPL 2022: Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard Ishan Kishan, Dewald Brevis, Basil Thampi, Murugan Ashwin, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Markande, N Tilak Varma, Sanjay Yadav, Jofra Archer, Daniel Sams, Tymal Mills, Tim David, Riley Meredith, Mohammad Arshad Khan, Anmolpreet Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Rahul Buddhi, Hrithik Shokeen, Arjun Tendulkar, Aryan Juyal, Fabian Allen.

IPL 2022 mega auction was one of the worst auctions Mumbai Indians have ever had: Ex-Australia spinner

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh wants the Indian team to promote young Ishan Kishan as an opener alongside Rohit Sharma in T20Is. While Rohit has been India's permanent opener in limited-overs cricket for several years now, KL Rahul has managed to topple Shikhar Dhawan from the top spot and make the second opening slot his own in the last few years.

Rahul and Rohit have been opening for India in both ODIs and T20Is for a while now and have enjoyed tremendous success as a pair. However, Harbhajan believes having someone like Kishan as an opener will give India's batting line-up another dimension and the team can expect explosive starts in the shortest format.

Kishan, who made his ODI and T20I debut for India last year, has seen his stocks rise in the last couple of years owing to his batting exploits in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and domestic cricket. Kishan turned out to be the most expensive buy at the recently-concluded IPL 2022 meg auction where he was roped in by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million).

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Kishan opened the batting with Rohit in the first ODI of the recently-concluded three-match ODI series against West Indies in the absence of Rahul. He now looks set to once again open the batting with Rohit in the upcoming three-match T20I series against West Indies which gets underway from Wednesday (February 15). Rahul is not a part of the series due to an injury.

Harbhajan recently explained why Kishan should be India's first-choice opener in T20Is while suggesting that Rahul can be slotted in the middle-order which will also give India flexibility in the batting line-up.

"In my opinion, you don't have to prepare Ishan Kishan, he is a ready player. You have to play him, you have to think how you can get him in. If you can bat KL Rahul at No. 5 in ODIs, why not in this format?," Harbhajan said on Star Sports.

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"We understand that when he [Rahul] comes down the order in ODIs, he is capable of playing the big shots. So if he bats at No. 5 in T20Is, I feel it will not be a bad thing because you will get a strong middle order and along with that if you want to score 40-60 runs in the first six, you need a fearless player like Ishan Kishan up the order," he added.

India also have young Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was added to the T20I squad as Rahul's replacement. Gaikwad has been a revelation for Chennai Super Kings as an opener in the IPL and can be used as an opener by the Indian team for the West Indies T20Is.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh wants the Indian team to promote young Ishan Kishan as an opener alongside Rohit Sharma in T20Is. While Rohit has been India's permanent opener in limited-overs cricket for several years now, KL Rahul has managed to topple Shikhar Dhawan from the top spot and make the second opening slot his own in the last few years.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh wants the Indian team to promote young Ishan Kishan as an opener alongside Rohit Sharma in T20Is. While Rohit has been India's permanent opener in limited-overs cricket for several years now, KL Rahul has managed to topple Shikhar Dhawan from the top spot and make the second opening slot his own in the last few years. Rahul and Rohit have been opening for India in both ODIs and T20Is for a while now and have enjoyed tremendous success as a pair. However, Harbhajan believes having someone like Kishan as an opener will give India's batting line-up another dimension and the team can expect explosive starts in the shortest format. Kishan, who made his ODI and T20I debut for India last year, has seen his stocks rise in the last couple of years owing to his batting exploits in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and domestic cricket. Kishan turned out to be the most expensive buy at the recently-concluded IPL 2022 meg auction where he was roped in by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million). Also Read: WATCH: Charu Sharma makes big goof-up, sells Khaleel Ahmed to DC for same bid as MI at IPL auction Kishan opened the batting with Rohit in the first ODI of the recently-concluded three-match ODI series against West Indies in the absence of Rahul. He now looks set to once again open the batting with Rohit in the upcoming three-match T20I series against West Indies which gets underway from Wednesday (February 15). Rahul is not a part of the series due to an injury. Harbhajan recently explained why Kishan should be India's first-choice opener in T20Is while suggesting that Rahul can be slotted in the middle-order which will also give India flexibility in the batting line-up. "In my opinion, you don't have to prepare Ishan Kishan, he is a ready player. You have to play him, you have to think how you can get him in. If you can bat KL Rahul at No. 5 in ODIs, why not in this format?," Harbhajan said on Star Sports. Also Read: 'If you guys can keep quiet..': Rohit Sharma tells reporters when asked about Virat Kohli's lean patch "We understand that when he [Rahul] comes down the order in ODIs, he is capable of playing the big shots. So if he bats at No. 5 in T20Is, I feel it will not be a bad thing because you will get a strong middle order and along with that if you want to score 40-60 runs in the first six, you need a fearless player like Ishan Kishan up the order," he added. India also have young Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was added to the T20I squad as Rahul's replacement. Gaikwad has been a revelation for Chennai Super Kings as an opener in the IPL and can be used as an opener by the Indian team for the West Indies T20Is.

Not KL Rahul! Harbhajan Singh picks young batter who should open with Rohit Sharma for India in T20Is

The multi-millionaires! Indian and overseas players sold for Rs 100 million or more at IPL 2022 auction

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan on Saturday said that Mumbai Indians are looking at Ishan Kishan as a long-term prospect and this is the reason why they spent so much on the left-handed batter in the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction.

Mumbai Indians spent Rs 15.25 crore to get Ishan Kishan back in the squad.

"He has the potential to be the future captain as well, not right now. They still have Keiron Pollard who can lead, Bumrah who is a leader himself, they have Suryakumar Yadav who could be the prospect for leadership as well. So, they want to invest for the next 5-7 years, that's why they went after Ishan Kishan so clearly and they knew that no matter what we needed to go back to Ishan Kishan," Pathan said on Star Sports'&nbsp;show 'Cricket Live -- IPL Auction Special'.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-ipl-2022-mega-auction-check-all-the-latest-updates-here-CSK-KKR-DC-RR-MI-RCB-SRH-LSG-GT-PBKS-452608">As it happened IPL 2022 Auction Day 1: Avesh Khan's historic bid, Ishan Kishan bags Rs 15.25 crore</a>

"I haven't seen in the Auction table, Mumbai Indian talking so much and taking a longer break than this in my history of this Auction list," he added.

Earlier, Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 10.75 crore while India all-rounder Washington Sundar was picked up by SunRisers Hyderabad for Rs 8.75 crore.

Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh garnered interest from quite a few franchises and in the end, he was picked by Delhi Capitals for Rs 6.5 crore.

Earlier in the auction, India opening batter Shikhar Dhawan was acquired by Punjab Kings for Rs 8.25 crore. Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 5 crore.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/auctioneer-hugh-edmeades-collapses-on-stage-as-ipl-2022-mega-auction-comes-to-sudden-halt-452616">Auctioneer Hugh Edmeades collapses on stage as IPL 2022 mega auction comes to sudden halt</a>

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins was taken by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for Rs 7.25 crore.Proteas pacer Kagiso Rabada was acquired by Punjab Kings for Rs 9.25 crore.

Kiwi pacer Trent Boult was sold to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 8 crore. Shreyas Iyer was picked up by KKR for Rs 12.25 crore. India pacer Mohammed Shami was picked up by Gujarat Titans for Rs 6.25 crore.

South Africa batter Faf du Plessis was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 7 crore. Lucknow Super Giants picked up Quinton de Kock for Rs 6.75 crore. Australia opening batter David Warner was picked up by Delhi Capitals for Rs 6.25 crore.

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan on Saturday said that Mumbai Indians are looking at Ishan Kishan as a long-term prospect and this is the reason why they spent so much on the left-handed batter in the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction.

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan on Saturday said that Mumbai Indians are looking at Ishan Kishan as a long-term prospect and this is the reason why they spent so much on the left-handed batter in the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction. Mumbai Indians spent Rs 15.25 crore to get Ishan Kishan back in the squad. "He has the potential to be the future captain as well, not right now. They still have Keiron Pollard who can lead, Bumrah who is a leader himself, they have Suryakumar Yadav who could be the prospect for leadership as well. So, they want to invest for the next 5-7 years, that's why they went after Ishan Kishan so clearly and they knew that no matter what we needed to go back to Ishan Kishan," Pathan said on Star Sports' show 'Cricket Live -- IPL Auction Special'. ALSO READ: As it happened IPL 2022 Auction Day 1: Avesh Khan's historic bid, Ishan Kishan bags Rs 15.25 crore "I haven't seen in the Auction table, Mumbai Indian talking so much and taking a longer break than this in my history of this Auction list," he added. Earlier, Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 10.75 crore while India all-rounder Washington Sundar was picked up by SunRisers Hyderabad for Rs 8.75 crore. Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh garnered interest from quite a few franchises and in the end, he was picked by Delhi Capitals for Rs 6.5 crore. Earlier in the auction, India opening batter Shikhar Dhawan was acquired by Punjab Kings for Rs 8.25 crore. Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 5 crore. ALSO READ: Auctioneer Hugh Edmeades collapses on stage as IPL 2022 mega auction comes to sudden halt Australia Test captain Pat Cummins was taken by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for Rs 7.25 crore.Proteas pacer Kagiso Rabada was acquired by Punjab Kings for Rs 9.25 crore. Kiwi pacer Trent Boult was sold to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 8 crore. Shreyas Iyer was picked up by KKR for Rs 12.25 crore. India pacer Mohammed Shami was picked up by Gujarat Titans for Rs 6.25 crore. South Africa batter Faf du Plessis was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 7 crore. Lucknow Super Giants picked up Quinton de Kock for Rs 6.75 crore. Australia opening batter David Warner was picked up by Delhi Capitals for Rs 6.25 crore.

'He has the potential to be the future captain': Irfan Pathan named this player to be the next MI skipper

After a pretty quiet first day, Mumbai Indians (MI) sprung into action on day 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Sunday (February 13). The five-time champions had broken the bank to go all out in getting back young Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan for a whopping sum of Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million) on the first day of the mega auction.

Mumbai Indians made England pacer Jofra Archer their priority signing on the second day of the mega auction and went all guns blazing to get him despite him not being available for the IPL 2022 season due to his ongoing recovery from an elbow injury. Archer will be in action in the IPL from the 2023 season.

The acquisition of Archer became one of the major talking points on social media as Mumbai Indians fans relished the prospect of having Jasprit Bumrah and Archer bowl in tandem for the five-time champions from the 2023 season onwards. Apart from Bumrah and Archer, MI also added pacers like&nbsp;Basil Thampi, Jaydev Unadkat and Tymal Mills to further strengthen their pace attack.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/never-spoke-to-ms-dhoni-about-retention-always-knew-csk-would-get-me-back-deepak-chahar-452977">Never spoke to MS Dhoni about retention, always knew CSK would get me back: Deepak Chahar</a>

Mumbai Indians managed to get Archer for a reasonable amount of Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) while they also spent big on Singapore all-rounder Tim David, who was signed for a sum of whopping Rs 8.25 crore (INR 82.5 million). After leaving it too late, Mumba Indians eventually managed to set up a challenging squad ahead of the new season.

Here is a look at Mumbai Indians' complete squad for IPL 2022:

Retained players: Rohit Sharma (16 Cr), Jasprit Bumrah (12 Cr), Suryakumar Yadav (8 Cr), Kieron Pollard (6 Cr)

Auction signings

Batsmen &amp; Wicketkeepers: Ishan Kishan (15.25 Cr), Dewald Brevis (3 Cr)

Bowlers: Basil Thampi (0.30 Cr), Murugan Ashwin (1.60 Cr), Jaydev Unadkat (1.30 Cr), Mayank Markande (0.65 Cr), Tymal Mills (1.50 Cr), Riley Meredith (1 Cr)

Allrounders: N Tilak Varma (1.70 Cr), Sanjay Yadav (0.50 Cr), Jofra Archer (8 Cr), Daniel Sams (2.6 Cr), Tim David (8.25 Cr), Mohammed&nbsp;Arshad Khan (0.20 Cr),&nbsp;Ramandeep Singh (0.20 Cr)

&nbsp;

After a pretty quiet first day, Mumbai Indians (MI) sprung into action on day 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Sunday (February 13). The five-time champions had broken the bank to go all out in getting back young Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan for a whopping sum of Rs 15.

After a pretty quiet first day, Mumbai Indians (MI) sprung into action on day 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Sunday (February 13). The five-time champions had broken the bank to go all out in getting back young Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan for a whopping sum of Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million) on the first day of the mega auction. Mumbai Indians made England pacer Jofra Archer their priority signing on the second day of the mega auction and went all guns blazing to get him despite him not being available for the IPL 2022 season due to his ongoing recovery from an elbow injury. Archer will be in action in the IPL from the 2023 season. The acquisition of Archer became one of the major talking points on social media as Mumbai Indians fans relished the prospect of having Jasprit Bumrah and Archer bowl in tandem for the five-time champions from the 2023 season onwards. Apart from Bumrah and Archer, MI also added pacers like Basil Thampi, Jaydev Unadkat and Tymal Mills to further strengthen their pace attack. Also Read: Never spoke to MS Dhoni about retention, always knew CSK would get me back: Deepak Chahar Mumbai Indians managed to get Archer for a reasonable amount of Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) while they also spent big on Singapore all-rounder Tim David, who was signed for a sum of whopping Rs 8.25 crore (INR 82.5 million). After leaving it too late, Mumba Indians eventually managed to set up a challenging squad ahead of the new season. Here is a look at Mumbai Indians' complete squad for IPL 2022: Retained players: Rohit Sharma (16 Cr), Jasprit Bumrah (12 Cr), Suryakumar Yadav (8 Cr), Kieron Pollard (6 Cr) Auction signings Batsmen & Wicketkeepers: Ishan Kishan (15.25 Cr), Dewald Brevis (3 Cr) Bowlers: Basil Thampi (0.30 Cr), Murugan Ashwin (1.60 Cr), Jaydev Unadkat (1.30 Cr), Mayank Markande (0.65 Cr), Tymal Mills (1.50 Cr), Riley Meredith (1 Cr) Allrounders: N Tilak Varma (1.70 Cr), Sanjay Yadav (0.50 Cr), Jofra Archer (8 Cr), Daniel Sams (2.6 Cr), Tim David (8.25 Cr), Mohammed Arshad Khan (0.20 Cr), Ramandeep Singh (0.20 Cr)

Mumbai Indians complete squad for IPL 2022: Ishan Kishan, Jofra Archer top buys for Rohit Sharma & Co.

Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan turned out to be the most expensive buy on Day 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction after Mumbai Indians broke the bank to get him back. Mumbai Indians spent a whopping Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million) to once again secure the services of the youngster having released him ahead of the mega auction.

Indian pacer Deepak Chahar was the second most expensive pick on the first day of the IPL 2022 mega auction as he was roped back in by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for an insane amount of Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million). Chahar became the most expensive auction signing in CSK's history.

While Mumbai Indians and CSK went big to bring their respective stars, they had a quiet auction otherwise and made calculated moves on Day 1. The likes of Rajasthan Royals, debutant Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings made good use of their large purses in roping in some of the best talents as they enjoyed a brilliant auction on the&nbsp;opening day of the two-day event.

While the Royals have assembled a sensational bowling attack consisting of the likes of Trent Boult, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Prasidh Krishna, the Lucknow Super Giants roped in some of the best all-rounders in the form of Jason Holder, Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-ishan-kishan-to-yuvraj-singh-top-five-most-expensive-indian-buys-in-ipl-auction-452712">From Ishan Kishan to Yuvraj Singh: Top five most expensive Indian buys in IPL auction</a>

Lucknow also bought South Africa wicket-keeper batter&nbsp;Quinton de Kock, for a reasonable sum of Rs 6.75 crore (INR 67.5 million). Punjab Kings, on the other hand,&nbsp;made some shrewd signings in the form of Kagiso Rabada, Shikhar Dhawan, Rahul Chahar and Shahrukh Khan.

Here is the complete list of players sold at IPL 2022 mega auction on Day 1:

Shikhar Dhawan - Punjab Kings 8.25 crore (INR 82.5 million)

R Ashwin - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 5 crore (INR 50 million)

Pat Cummins - Kolkata Knight Riders - Rs 7.25 crore (INR 72.5 million)

Kagiso Rabada - Punjab Kings - Rs 9.25 crore (INR 92.5 million)

Trent Boult - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million)

Shreyas Iyer - Kolkata Knight Riders - Rs 12.25 crore (INR 122.5 million)

Mohammed Shami - Gujarat Titans - Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million)

Faf du Plessis - RCB - Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million)

Quinton de Kock - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million)

David Warner - Delhi Capitals - Rs 6.25 crore&nbsp;(INR 62.5 million)

Manish Pandey - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 4.60 crore&nbsp;(INR 46&nbsp;million)

Shimron Hetmyer - Rajasthan Royals &nbsp;- Rs 8.50 crore&nbsp;(INR 85&nbsp;million)

Robin Uthappa - CSK - Rs 2 crore&nbsp;(INR 20&nbsp;million)

Jason Roy - Gujarat Titans - Rs 2 crore (INR 20&nbsp;million)

Devdutt Padikkal - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 7.25 crore&nbsp;(INR 72.5&nbsp;million)

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-shreyas-iyer-to-kagiso-rabada-complete-list-of-10-marquee-players-sold-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-452688">From Shreyas Iyer to Kagiso Rabada: Complete list of 10 marquee players sold at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Dwayne Bravo - CSK - Rs 4.4 crore&nbsp;(INR 44&nbsp;million)

Nitish Rana - KKR - Rs 8 crore&nbsp;(INR 80&nbsp;million)

Jason Holder - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 8.75 crore&nbsp;(INR 87.5 million)

Harshal Patel - RCB - Rs 10.75 crore&nbsp;(INR 107.5&nbsp;million)

Deepak Hooda - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 5.75 crore&nbsp;(INR 57.5&nbsp;million)

Wanindu Hasaranga - RCB - Rs 10.75 crore (INR 107.5 million)

Washington Sundar - SRH - Rs 8.75 crore&nbsp;(INR 87.5 million)

Krunal Pandya - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 8.25 crore&nbsp;(INR 82.5 million)

Mitchell Marsh - Delhi Capitals - Rs 6.50 crore (INR 65 million)

Ambati Rayudu - CSK - Rs 6.75 crore&nbsp;(INR 67.5 million)

Ishan Kishan - Mumbai Indians - Rs 15.25 crore&nbsp;(INR 152.5 million)

Jonny Bairstow - Punjab Kings - Rs 6.75 crore&nbsp;(INR 67.5 million)

Dinesh Karthik - RCB - Rs 5.50 crore&nbsp;(INR 55 million)

T Natarajan - SRH - Rs 4 crore&nbsp;(INR 40 million)

Deepak Chahar - CSK - Rs 14 crore&nbsp;(INR 140&nbsp;million)

Prasidh Krishna - RR - Rs 10 crore&nbsp;(INR 100&nbsp;million)

Lockie Ferguson - Gujarat Titans - Rs 10 crore&nbsp;(INR 100&nbsp;million)

Josh Hazlewood - Mumbai Indians - Rs 7.75 crore&nbsp;(INR 77.5 million)

Mark Wood - Lucknow Supergiants - Rs 7.50 crore&nbsp;(INR 75 million)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar - Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rs 4.20 crore&nbsp;(INR 42&nbsp;million)

Shardul Thakur - Delhi Capitals - Rs 10.75 crore&nbsp;(INR 107.5 million)

Mustafizur Rahman - Delhi Capitals - Rs 2 crore&nbsp;(INR 20&nbsp;million)

Kuldeep Yadav - Delhi Capitals - Rs 2 crore&nbsp;(INR 20 million)

Rahul Chahar - Punjab Kings - Rs 5.25 crore&nbsp;(INR 52.5 million)

Yuzvendra Chahal - RR - Rs 6.50 crore&nbsp;(INR 65&nbsp;million)

Priyam Garg - SRH - Rs 20 lakh&nbsp;(INR 2 million)

Abhinav Sadarangani - Gujarat Titans - Rs 2.60 crore&nbsp;(INR 26&nbsp;million)

Dewald Brevis - Mumbai Indians - Rs 3 crore&nbsp;(INR 30 million)

Ashwin Hebbar - Delhi Capitals - Rs 20 lakh&nbsp;(INR&nbsp;2 million)

Rahul Tripathi - Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rs 8.50 crore&nbsp;(INR 85&nbsp;million)

Riyan Parag - RR - Rs 3.80 crore&nbsp;(INR 38 million)

Sarfaraz Khan - Delhi Capitals - Rs 20 lakh&nbsp;(INR 2&nbsp;million)

Rahul Tewatia - Gujarat Titans - Rs 9 crore&nbsp;(INR 90 million)

Shahrukh Khan - Punjab Kings - Rs 9 crore&nbsp;(INR 90 million)

Shivam Mavi - Kolkata Knight Riders - Rs 7.25 crore&nbsp;(INR 72.5 million)

Rahul Tewatia - Gujarat Titans - Rs 9 crore&nbsp;(INR 90 million)

Kamlesh Nagarkoti - Delhi Capitals - Rs 1.10 crore&nbsp;(INR 11&nbsp;million)

Harpreet Brar - Punjab Kings - Rs 3.80 crore (INR 38 million)

Shahbaz Ahmed - RCB - Rs 2.40 crore (INR 24 million)

Srikar Bharat - Delhi Capitals - Rs 2 crore&nbsp;(INR 20&nbsp;million)

Anuj Rawat - RCB - Rs 3.40 crore&nbsp;(INR 34 million)

Sheldon Jackson - KKR - Rs 60 lakh&nbsp;(INR 6&nbsp;million)

Jitesh Sharma - Punjab Kings - Rs 20 lakh&nbsp;(INR 2 million)

Basil Thampi - Mumbai Indians - Rs 30 lakh&nbsp;(INR 3&nbsp;million)

Prabhsimran Singh - Punjab Kings - Rs 60 lakh&nbsp;(INR 6&nbsp;million)

Kartik Tyagi - Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rs 4 crore&nbsp;(INR 40 million)

Akash Deep - RCB - Rs 20 lakh&nbsp;(INR 2 million)

KM Asif - CSK - Rs 20 lakh&nbsp;(INR 2 million)

Avesh Khan - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 10 crore&nbsp;(INR 100 million)

Ishan Porel - Punjab Kings - Rs 20 lakh&nbsp;(INR 2 million)

Tushar Deshpande - Chennai Super Kings - Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million)

Ankit Rajpoot - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 50 lakh&nbsp;(INR 5 million)

Noor Ahmad - Gujarat Titans - Rs 30 lakh&nbsp;(INR 3 million)

Murugan Ashwin - Mumbai Indians - Rs 1.6 crore&nbsp;(INR 16&nbsp;million)

KC Cariappa - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 30 lakh&nbsp;(INR 3 million)

Shreyas Gopal - Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rs 75 lakh&nbsp;(INR 7.5 million)

Jagdeesha Suchith - Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rs 20 lakh&nbsp;(INR 2 million)

R Sai Kishore - Gujarat Titans - Rs 3 crore&nbsp;(INR 30&nbsp;million)

Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan turned out to be the most expensive buy on Day 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction after Mumbai Indians broke the bank to get him back.

Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan turned out to be the most expensive buy on Day 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction after Mumbai Indians broke the bank to get him back. Mumbai Indians spent a whopping Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million) to once again secure the services of the youngster having released him ahead of the mega auction. Indian pacer Deepak Chahar was the second most expensive pick on the first day of the IPL 2022 mega auction as he was roped back in by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for an insane amount of Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million). Chahar became the most expensive auction signing in CSK's history. While Mumbai Indians and CSK went big to bring their respective stars, they had a quiet auction otherwise and made calculated moves on Day 1. The likes of Rajasthan Royals, debutant Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings made good use of their large purses in roping in some of the best talents as they enjoyed a brilliant auction on the opening day of the two-day event. While the Royals have assembled a sensational bowling attack consisting of the likes of Trent Boult, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Prasidh Krishna, the Lucknow Super Giants roped in some of the best all-rounders in the form of Jason Holder, Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya. Also Read: From Ishan Kishan to Yuvraj Singh: Top five most expensive Indian buys in IPL auction Lucknow also bought South Africa wicket-keeper batter Quinton de Kock, for a reasonable sum of Rs 6.75 crore (INR 67.5 million). Punjab Kings, on the other hand, made some shrewd signings in the form of Kagiso Rabada, Shikhar Dhawan, Rahul Chahar and Shahrukh Khan. Here is the complete list of players sold at IPL 2022 mega auction on Day 1: Shikhar Dhawan - Punjab Kings 8.25 crore (INR 82.5 million) R Ashwin - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 5 crore (INR 50 million) Pat Cummins - Kolkata Knight Riders - Rs 7.25 crore (INR 72.5 million) Kagiso Rabada - Punjab Kings - Rs 9.25 crore (INR 92.5 million) Trent Boult - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) Shreyas Iyer - Kolkata Knight Riders - Rs 12.25 crore (INR 122.5 million) Mohammed Shami - Gujarat Titans - Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million) Faf du Plessis - RCB - Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) Quinton de Kock - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million) David Warner - Delhi Capitals - Rs 6.25 crore (INR 62.5 million) Manish Pandey - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 4.60 crore (INR 46 million) Shimron Hetmyer - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 8.50 crore (INR 85 million) Robin Uthappa - CSK - Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) Jason Roy - Gujarat Titans - Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) Devdutt Padikkal - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 7.25 crore (INR 72.5 million) Also Read: From Shreyas Iyer to Kagiso Rabada: Complete list of 10 marquee players sold at IPL 2022 mega auction Dwayne Bravo - CSK - Rs 4.4 crore (INR 44 million) Nitish Rana - KKR - Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) Jason Holder - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 8.75 crore (INR 87.5 million) Harshal Patel - RCB - Rs 10.75 crore (INR 107.5 million) Deepak Hooda - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 5.75 crore (INR 57.5 million) Wanindu Hasaranga - RCB - Rs 10.75 crore (INR 107.5 million) Washington Sundar - SRH - Rs 8.75 crore (INR 87.5 million) Krunal Pandya - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 8.25 crore (INR 82.5 million) Mitchell Marsh - Delhi Capitals - Rs 6.50 crore (INR 65 million) Ambati Rayudu - CSK - Rs 6.75 crore (INR 67.5 million) Ishan Kishan - Mumbai Indians - Rs 15.25 crore (INR 152.5 million) Jonny Bairstow - Punjab Kings - Rs 6.75 crore (INR 67.5 million) Dinesh Karthik - RCB - Rs 5.50 crore (INR 55 million) T Natarajan - SRH - Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) Deepak Chahar - CSK - Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million) Prasidh Krishna - RR - Rs 10 crore (INR 100 million) Lockie Ferguson - Gujarat Titans - Rs 10 crore (INR 100 million) Josh Hazlewood - Mumbai Indians - Rs 7.75 crore (INR 77.5 million) Mark Wood - Lucknow Supergiants - Rs 7.50 crore (INR 75 million) Bhuvneshwar Kumar - Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rs 4.20 crore (INR 42 million) Shardul Thakur - Delhi Capitals - Rs 10.75 crore (INR 107.5 million) Mustafizur Rahman - Delhi Capitals - Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) Kuldeep Yadav - Delhi Capitals - Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) Rahul Chahar - Punjab Kings - Rs 5.25 crore (INR 52.5 million) Yuzvendra Chahal - RR - Rs 6.50 crore (INR 65 million) Priyam Garg - SRH - Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) Abhinav Sadarangani - Gujarat Titans - Rs 2.60 crore (INR 26 million) Dewald Brevis - Mumbai Indians - Rs 3 crore (INR 30 million) Ashwin Hebbar - Delhi Capitals - Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) Rahul Tripathi - Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rs 8.50 crore (INR 85 million) Riyan Parag - RR - Rs 3.80 crore (INR 38 million) Sarfaraz Khan - Delhi Capitals - Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) Rahul Tewatia - Gujarat Titans - Rs 9 crore (INR 90 million) Shahrukh Khan - Punjab Kings - Rs 9 crore (INR 90 million) Shivam Mavi - Kolkata Knight Riders - Rs 7.25 crore (INR 72.5 million) Rahul Tewatia - Gujarat Titans - Rs 9 crore (INR 90 million) Kamlesh Nagarkoti - Delhi Capitals - Rs 1.10 crore (INR 11 million) Harpreet Brar - Punjab Kings - Rs 3.80 crore (INR 38 million) Shahbaz Ahmed - RCB - Rs 2.40 crore (INR 24 million) Srikar Bharat - Delhi Capitals - Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) Anuj Rawat - RCB - Rs 3.40 crore (INR 34 million) Sheldon Jackson - KKR - Rs 60 lakh (INR 6 million) Jitesh Sharma - Punjab Kings - Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) Basil Thampi - Mumbai Indians - Rs 30 lakh (INR 3 million) Prabhsimran Singh - Punjab Kings - Rs 60 lakh (INR 6 million) Kartik Tyagi - Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rs 4 crore (INR 40 million) Akash Deep - RCB - Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) KM Asif - CSK - Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) Avesh Khan - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 10 crore (INR 100 million) Ishan Porel - Punjab Kings - Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) Tushar Deshpande - Chennai Super Kings - Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) Ankit Rajpoot - Lucknow Super Giants - Rs 50 lakh (INR 5 million) Noor Ahmad - Gujarat Titans - Rs 30 lakh (INR 3 million) Murugan Ashwin - Mumbai Indians - Rs 1.6 crore (INR 16 million) KC Cariappa - Rajasthan Royals - Rs 30 lakh (INR 3 million) Shreyas Gopal - Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rs 75 lakh (INR 7.5 million) Jagdeesha Suchith - Sunrisers Hyderabad - Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) R Sai Kishore - Gujarat Titans - Rs 3 crore (INR 30 million)

Complete list of players sold on Day 1 of IPL 2022 mega auction: Kishan, Chahar emerge as costliest buys

The first day of the IPL 2022 mega auction has hogged the limelight. The opening day of the auction proceedings have made quite a few players end up with a big fat cheque as the likes of Ishan Kishan, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer made heads turn by fetching mammoth deals.&nbsp;The trio have become one of the most expensive Indian buys in the IPL auction history.

Here's the list of some of the most expensive Indian players in IPL auction history:&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-no-1-t20i-bowler-wanindu-hasaranga-bought-by-kohli-starrer-rcb-for-rs-1075-crore-452650">IPL 2022 mega auction: No. 1 T20I bowler Wanindu Hasaranga bought by Kohli-starrer RCB for Rs 10.75 crore</a>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Name of Player</td>
			<td>Team</td>
			<td>Price (INR)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Yuvraj Singh</td>
			<td>Delhi Daredevils (2015)</td>
			<td>16 crore (160 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ishan Kishan</td>
			<td>Mumbai Indians (2022)</td>
			<td>15.25 crore (152.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Deepak Chahar</td>
			<td>Chennai Super Kings (2022)</td>
			<td>14 crore (140 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Yuvraj Singh</td>
			<td>Royal Challengers Bangalore (2014)</td>
			<td>14 crore (140 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dinesh Karthik</td>
			<td>Delhi Daredevils (2014)</td>
			<td>12.5 crore (125 million)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shreyas Iyer</td>
			<td>Kolkata Knight Riders (2022)</td>
			<td>12.25 crore (122.5 million)</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

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Yuvraj Singh, India's former all-rounder, features twice in the list. In IPL 2015 auction, he went to the Delhi Daredevils (DD) camp -- now known as the Delhi Capitals (DC) -- whereas he was bought by the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million) in the 2014 auction. Deepak Chahar, after being bought back by the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise -- is now also&nbsp;their most expensive IPL signing of all time.&nbsp;

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Dinesh Karthik also features in the list whereas Iyer comes at the sixth place; being roped in by the KKR unit for INR 12.25 crore (INR 122.5 million).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-mumbai-indians-go-all-out-to-buy-back-ishan-kishan-for-rs-1525-crore-452668">IPL 2022 mega auction: Mumbai Indians go all out to buy back Ishan Kishan for Rs 15.25 crore</a>

Apart from Iyer, Chahar and Ishan, the likes of Shardul Thakur (Rs 10.7 crore), Shikhar Dhawan (Rs 8.25 crore), Ambati Rayudu (Rs 6.75 crore) have also made the headlines with their staggering price tags.

The first day of the IPL 2022 mega auction has hogged the limelight. The opening day of the auction proceedings have made quite a few players end up with a big fat cheque as the likes of Ishan Kishan, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer made heads turn by fetching mammoth deals.

The first day of the IPL 2022 mega auction has hogged the limelight. The opening day of the auction proceedings have made quite a few players end up with a big fat cheque as the likes of Ishan Kishan, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer made heads turn by fetching mammoth deals. The trio have become one of the most expensive Indian buys in the IPL auction history. Here's the list of some of the most expensive Indian players in IPL auction history: ALSO READ | IPL 2022 mega auction: No. 1 T20I bowler Wanindu Hasaranga bought by Kohli-starrer RCB for Rs 10.75 crore Name of Player Team Price (INR) Yuvraj Singh Delhi Daredevils (2015) 16 crore (160 million) Ishan Kishan Mumbai Indians (2022) 15.25 crore (152.5 million) Deepak Chahar Chennai Super Kings (2022) 14 crore (140 million) Yuvraj Singh Royal Challengers Bangalore (2014) 14 crore (140 million) Dinesh Karthik Delhi Daredevils (2014) 12.5 crore (125 million) Shreyas Iyer Kolkata Knight Riders (2022) 12.25 crore (122.5 million) I’m coming home @mipaltan 💙 pic.twitter.com/PBDAxPfZD7 — Ishan Kishan (@ishankishan51) February 12, 2022 × Yuvraj Singh, India's former all-rounder, features twice in the list. In IPL 2015 auction, he went to the Delhi Daredevils (DD) camp -- now known as the Delhi Capitals (DC) -- whereas he was bought by the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million) in the 2014 auction. Deepak Chahar, after being bought back by the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise -- is now also their most expensive IPL signing of all time. Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Dinesh Karthik also features in the list whereas Iyer comes at the sixth place; being roped in by the KKR unit for INR 12.25 crore (INR 122.5 million). ALSO READ | IPL 2022 mega auction: Mumbai Indians go all out to buy back Ishan Kishan for Rs 15.25 crore Apart from Iyer, Chahar and Ishan, the likes of Shardul Thakur (Rs 10.7 crore), Shikhar Dhawan (Rs 8.25 crore), Ambati Rayudu (Rs 6.75 crore) have also made the headlines with their staggering price tags.

From Ishan Kishan to Yuvraj Singh: Top five most expensive Indian buys in IPL auction

Ishan Kishan has created a huge storm. The 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batter was expected to make heads turn in the IPL 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12). As expected, he&nbsp;attracted quite a lot of bids as soon as broadcaster Charu Sharma announced his name in the middle.&nbsp;

Mumbai Indians (MI), Gujarat Titans (GT), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Punjab Kings (PBKS) were involved in an intense bidding war for the youngster before the five-time champions Rohit Sharma-led MI camp regained Ishan's services for INR 152.5 million (INR 15.25 crore).&nbsp;The swashbuckling keeper-batter has a strike-rate of&nbsp;136.34 and has been groomed in the MI setup. In IPL 2020, he returned with 516 runs at 145.76 and played a key role in the Men in Blue's title win.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/new-kkr-captain-shreyas-iyer-roped-in-by-two-time-champions-for-whopping-inr-1225-million-452572">New KKR captain? Shreyas Iyer roped in by two-time champions for whopping INR 122.5 million</a>

Ishan has now become the costliest buy on Day 1 of the two-day mega auction in Bengaluru. He has also shattered record by being the most expensive player bought by the Mumbai-based franchise in the auction proceedings.&nbsp;

So far, Ishan has amassed&nbsp;1,452 runs in 61 IPL games at a strike-rate of 136.34 with a high score of 99. He has been hailed by many former cricketers and experts of the game for his wide range of shots and also being a gun fielder if not given the keeper's gloves. Deemed to be the next-big-thing, Ishan has surely made heads turn by going at a whopping price in the two-day mega auction.

Ishan Kishan has created a huge storm. The 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batter was expected to make heads turn in the IPL 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12).

Ishan Kishan has created a huge storm. The 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batter was expected to make heads turn in the IPL 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12). As expected, he attracted quite a lot of bids as soon as broadcaster Charu Sharma announced his name in the middle. Mumbai Indians (MI), Gujarat Titans (GT), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Punjab Kings (PBKS) were involved in an intense bidding war for the youngster before the five-time champions Rohit Sharma-led MI camp regained Ishan's services for INR 152.5 million (INR 15.25 crore). The swashbuckling keeper-batter has a strike-rate of 136.34 and has been groomed in the MI setup. In IPL 2020, he returned with 516 runs at 145.76 and played a key role in the Men in Blue's title win. ALSO READ | New KKR captain? Shreyas Iyer roped in by two-time champions for whopping INR 122.5 million Ishan has now become the costliest buy on Day 1 of the two-day mega auction in Bengaluru. He has also shattered record by being the most expensive player bought by the Mumbai-based franchise in the auction proceedings. So far, Ishan has amassed 1,452 runs in 61 IPL games at a strike-rate of 136.34 with a high score of 99. He has been hailed by many former cricketers and experts of the game for his wide range of shots and also being a gun fielder if not given the keeper's gloves. Deemed to be the next-big-thing, Ishan has surely made heads turn by going at a whopping price in the two-day mega auction.

IPL 2022 mega auction: Mumbai Indians go all out to buy back Ishan Kishan for Rs 15.25 crore

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh believes Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will definitely target Team India's star wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. An explosive batter who can open the innings and bat in the middle-order as well, Kishan has seen his stakes rise in the last couple of years, owing to his exploits in the IPL and international cricket.

Kishan was released by Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL mega auction this year and is among the top Indian players to watch out for at the two-day event in Bengaluru on Saturday and Sunday. Kishan had played an instrumental role in Mumbai India's title triumph in IPL 2020 where he notched up 516 runs in 14 games. He can provide much-needed versatility in RCB's batting line-up with his ability to strike the ball from the word go.

Ahead of the IPL mega auction, Harbhajan has predicted a bidding war for the young keeper-batter, who has listed his base price at Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million). Harbhajan believes RCB, who are also looking for a new captain after Virat Kohli's decision to quit captaincy, can rope in Kishan and groom him in a leadership role in the long term.

"Ishan Kishan is someone I am a fan of. On his own capability, on any given day, he can smash 70-80 runs off 30 balls and win the match for his team. He will become a very big player in the time to come. If a player like him goes to any team, he should be given the responsibility of leadership," Harbhajan said in a video on his YouTube channel.

"The way he gets older, with responsibilities, he will become even bigger. He already captains Jharkhand. RCB would definitely target Ishan Kishan in the auction. It will be tough because many teams would go after him at the auction," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-dates-timings-and-venue-all-you-need-to-know-451440">IPL 2022 mega auction dates, timings and venue: All you need to know</a>

Mumbai Indians had to let go of Kishan as they decided to retain captain Rohit Sharma, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard and Suryakumar Yadav. However, it won't come as a surprise if Mumbai Indians try to get Kishan back at the IPL mega auction this week.

The young wicket-keeper batter has so far played 61 IPL matches and has 1452 runs to his name at an average of over 28 and a strike rate of over 136.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh believes Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will definitely target Team India's star wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh believes Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will definitely target Team India's star wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. An explosive batter who can open the innings and bat in the middle-order as well, Kishan has seen his stakes rise in the last couple of years, owing to his exploits in the IPL and international cricket. Kishan was released by Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL mega auction this year and is among the top Indian players to watch out for at the two-day event in Bengaluru on Saturday and Sunday. Kishan had played an instrumental role in Mumbai India's title triumph in IPL 2020 where he notched up 516 runs in 14 games. He can provide much-needed versatility in RCB's batting line-up with his ability to strike the ball from the word go. Ahead of the IPL mega auction, Harbhajan has predicted a bidding war for the young keeper-batter, who has listed his base price at Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million). Harbhajan believes RCB, who are also looking for a new captain after Virat Kohli's decision to quit captaincy, can rope in Kishan and groom him in a leadership role in the long term. "Ishan Kishan is someone I am a fan of. On his own capability, on any given day, he can smash 70-80 runs off 30 balls and win the match for his team. He will become a very big player in the time to come. If a player like him goes to any team, he should be given the responsibility of leadership," Harbhajan said in a video on his YouTube channel. "The way he gets older, with responsibilities, he will become even bigger. He already captains Jharkhand. RCB would definitely target Ishan Kishan in the auction. It will be tough because many teams would go after him at the auction," he added. Also Read: IPL 2022 mega auction dates, timings and venue: All you need to know Mumbai Indians had to let go of Kishan as they decided to retain captain Rohit Sharma, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard and Suryakumar Yadav. However, it won't come as a surprise if Mumbai Indians try to get Kishan back at the IPL mega auction this week. The young wicket-keeper batter has so far played 61 IPL matches and has 1452 runs to his name at an average of over 28 and a strike rate of over 136.

RCB would definitely target Ishan Kishan at IPL mega auction, he will become a big player: Harbhajan Singh

Virat Kohli resigned as the Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) captain following the end of the three-time runners-up's campaign in the IPL 2021 edition. Kohli had announced the news at the start of the second and final leg of IPL 14, in the UAE, on September 19.

Back then, the RCB Twitter handle quoted Kohli as saying, "This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me."

He added, "It has been a great and an inspiring journey, captaining a talented bunch of players in the RCB squad. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the RCB management, coaches, support staff, players, and the entire RCB family, who have been instrumental in the growth of the franchise over the years."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/that-will-be-the-easiest-solution-ajit-agarkar-urges-virat-kohli-to-reconsider-captaining-rcb-in-ipl-2022-451328">That will be the easiest solution: Ajit Agarkar urges Virat Kohli to reconsider captaining RCB in IPL 2022</a>

Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, set to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh feels Kohli still remains the best man to lead RCB. "Despite having many big names, RCB is a team who is yet to lift the title. AB de Villiers won't play this season and Kohli has stepped down from captaincy... so they need to find a captain now. Among Indians, Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan are the two names who can efficiently lead the team," Harbhajan said while speaking on his YouTube channel.

"Shreyas has already shown his captaincy prowess while leading the Delhi franchise. But I think Kohli will have to don the captaincy hat again. RCB won't get a better leader than him," opined Harbhajan.

"RCB is making a new team and they will search for a good leader. But does Kohli want to take up the role? It will be a big challenge but I won't be surprised if he agrees to be the captain for the next 1-2 years," he added.

Recently, former Indian fast-bowling all-rounder Ajit Agarkar had also advised Kohli to reconsider taking up RCB captaincy.&nbsp;

"If Virat Kohli can take over the captaincy and if he is happy to do it and if he has the energy to do it, I think that will be the easiest solution for them," Agarkar told Star Sports show Game Plan ahead of the auction.

"At the end of the day, we have seen RCB over the years they haven't invested enough money in making a proper team of 12, 13 or 14 players with enough depth.&nbsp;It's always been dependent on the top three, not enough middle order players and if you don't have the money, you can't do that again. So, if you break the bank for one player, doesn't matter how good he is - will win you games but will never win you competitions," he further added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-when-hardik-pandya-didnt-draw-a-single-bid-and-went-unsold-at-ipl-2014-auction-451724">Throwback: When Hardik Pandya didn't draw a single bid and went UNSOLD at IPL 2014 auction</a>

Under Kohli, RCB won 64&nbsp;games and lost 69. He led the franchise in 140 games, taking them to the IPL 2016 final where they lost to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).&nbsp;

For now, RCB have retained Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Md Siraj ahead of the mega auction. They will have to include some famed and marquee players and then choose their next captain, unless Kohli has a change of mind (which seems highly unlikely at this point of time). He has already given up Team India captaincy altogether (resigning from two formats and being sacked as the ODI captain).

Virat Kohli resigned as the Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) captain following the end of the three-time runners-up's campaign in the IPL 2021 edition. Kohli had announced the news at the start of the second and final leg of IPL 14, in the UAE, on September 19.

Virat Kohli resigned as the Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) captain following the end of the three-time runners-up's campaign in the IPL 2021 edition. Kohli had announced the news at the start of the second and final leg of IPL 14, in the UAE, on September 19. Back then, the RCB Twitter handle quoted Kohli as saying, "This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me." He added, "It has been a great and an inspiring journey, captaining a talented bunch of players in the RCB squad. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the RCB management, coaches, support staff, players, and the entire RCB family, who have been instrumental in the growth of the franchise over the years." ALSO READ | That will be the easiest solution: Ajit Agarkar urges Virat Kohli to reconsider captaining RCB in IPL 2022 Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, set to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh feels Kohli still remains the best man to lead RCB. "Despite having many big names, RCB is a team who is yet to lift the title. AB de Villiers won't play this season and Kohli has stepped down from captaincy... so they need to find a captain now. Among Indians, Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan are the two names who can efficiently lead the team," Harbhajan said while speaking on his YouTube channel. "Shreyas has already shown his captaincy prowess while leading the Delhi franchise. But I think Kohli will have to don the captaincy hat again. RCB won't get a better leader than him," opined Harbhajan. "RCB is making a new team and they will search for a good leader. But does Kohli want to take up the role? It will be a big challenge but I won't be surprised if he agrees to be the captain for the next 1-2 years," he added. Recently, former Indian fast-bowling all-rounder Ajit Agarkar had also advised Kohli to reconsider taking up RCB captaincy. "If Virat Kohli can take over the captaincy and if he is happy to do it and if he has the energy to do it, I think that will be the easiest solution for them," Agarkar told Star Sports show Game Plan ahead of the auction. "At the end of the day, we have seen RCB over the years they haven't invested enough money in making a proper team of 12, 13 or 14 players with enough depth. It's always been dependent on the top three, not enough middle order players and if you don't have the money, you can't do that again. So, if you break the bank for one player, doesn't matter how good he is - will win you games but will never win you competitions," he further added. ALSO READ | Throwback: When Hardik Pandya didn't draw a single bid and went UNSOLD at IPL 2014 auction Under Kohli, RCB won 64 games and lost 69. He led the franchise in 140 games, taking them to the IPL 2016 final where they lost to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). For now, RCB have retained Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Md Siraj ahead of the mega auction. They will have to include some famed and marquee players and then choose their next captain, unless Kohli has a change of mind (which seems highly unlikely at this point of time). He has already given up Team India captaincy altogether (resigning from two formats and being sacked as the ODI captain).

Virat Kohli should don captaincy hat again: Harbhajan Singh urges Indian star to lead RCB in IPL 2022

Rohit Sharma-led Team India dropped Ishan Kishan for the second and penultimate ODI versus West Indies, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Wednesday (February 8). Ishan, who played the series opener and made 28, made way for KL Rahul as the vice-captain returned to the squad after missing the first ODI.

With Ishan missing out, India promoted Rishabh Pant up the order -- in a bid to maintain the left-right-hand combination and also retain Rahul at No. 5. With Pant opening the innings along with skipper Rohit, veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has heaped praise on Ishan. Despite the competition being intense for the opening slot, with another contender in Pant coming into the scheme of things, Karthik feels Ishan can still make a mark due to his 'tremendous skills'.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/this-is-an-experiment-make-no-mistake-sunil-gavaskar-reacts-as-rishabh-pant-opens-in-2nd-odi-451676">This is an experiment, make no mistake: Sunil Gavaskar reacts as Rishabh Pant opens in 2nd ODI</a>

"Ishan by now would know that among all the available spots, the one that has the most competition is the opening. There are way too many openers and just two spots. He's going to be aware of that... but the good thing for Ishan is that he's not just a keeper. He's a good fielder as well. You double up as an option on the field. They are going to look at him as a pure opener like they did in the first game against West Indies," said Karthik in the pre-match show on Cricbuzz.

"He's got tremendous skills... he can attack from ball one. That's a skill every player doesn't possess. In the new age, players try and attack a lot from ball one. Teams that have succeeded in doing that consistently have done very well in multi-nation tournaments. So Ishan definitely has a good chance to come into the scheme of things," he further said.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-hardik-pandyas-ahmedabad-franchise-named-gujarat-titans-reveals-team-owner-451636">IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya's Ahmedabad franchise named Gujarat Titans, reveals team owner</a>

India also went ahead with Pant as Shikhar Dhawan remains unavailable for selection despite recovering from Covid-19 virus. It is expected that Dhawan will return to the line-up in the series decider, on February 11, and also reclaim his opening slot along with Rohit.

Rohit Sharma-led Team India dropped Ishan Kishan for the second and penultimate ODI versus West Indies, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Wednesday (February 8).

Rohit Sharma-led Team India dropped Ishan Kishan for the second and penultimate ODI versus West Indies, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Wednesday (February 8). Ishan, who played the series opener and made 28, made way for KL Rahul as the vice-captain returned to the squad after missing the first ODI. With Ishan missing out, India promoted Rishabh Pant up the order -- in a bid to maintain the left-right-hand combination and also retain Rahul at No. 5. With Pant opening the innings along with skipper Rohit, veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has heaped praise on Ishan. Despite the competition being intense for the opening slot, with another contender in Pant coming into the scheme of things, Karthik feels Ishan can still make a mark due to his 'tremendous skills'. ALSO READ | This is an experiment, make no mistake: Sunil Gavaskar reacts as Rishabh Pant opens in 2nd ODI "Ishan by now would know that among all the available spots, the one that has the most competition is the opening. There are way too many openers and just two spots. He's going to be aware of that... but the good thing for Ishan is that he's not just a keeper. He's a good fielder as well. You double up as an option on the field. They are going to look at him as a pure opener like they did in the first game against West Indies," said Karthik in the pre-match show on Cricbuzz. "He's got tremendous skills... he can attack from ball one. That's a skill every player doesn't possess. In the new age, players try and attack a lot from ball one. Teams that have succeeded in doing that consistently have done very well in multi-nation tournaments. So Ishan definitely has a good chance to come into the scheme of things," he further said. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya's Ahmedabad franchise named Gujarat Titans, reveals team owner India also went ahead with Pant as Shikhar Dhawan remains unavailable for selection despite recovering from Covid-19 virus. It is expected that Dhawan will return to the line-up in the series decider, on February 11, and also reclaim his opening slot along with Rohit.

India vs WI, 2nd ODI: Dinesh Karthik lauds Indian star, says 'he has got tremendous skills'

India got off to a winning start in the ongoing three-match ODI series against West Indies with a comfortable six-wicket win in the first ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The hosts will be locking horns with Kieron Pollard &amp; Co. in the second ODI of the series on Wednesday and will be hoping to continue their winning run against the visitors.

Spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar were brilliant for India in the series-opener as the duo rattled the West Indies batting line up to pick up seven wickets between them. West Indies were bundled out for a paltry 176 runs in 43.5 overs before India chased down the target with as many as 22 overs to spare.

Captain Rohit Sharma, who was leading the Men in Blue in his first ODI as the full-time skipper of the Indian team, slammed a brilliant 51-ball 60 to get the hosts off to a good start before Suryakumr Yadav (34) and debutant Deepak Hooda (26) wrapped up the run-chase while remaining unbeaten.

It was a comfortable victory for India in the first ODI, however, a change is likely in the playing XI for the second ODI as KL Rahul is available for selection after missing the first game. The vice-captain had missed the series-opener due to personal reasons but is likely to return to the XI in the second game.

Rahul is likely to replace left-hand batter Ishan Kishan at the top as India would like to give Hooda more chances in the middle-order after his good show on debut. Kishan, who also looked in fine touch for his 28 off 36 balls, might have to make way for Rahul, who is unlikely to be slotted in the middle-order and will play as an opener.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-wi-virat-kohli-to-join-sachin-tendulkar-ms-dhoni-yuvraj-singh-in-elite-list-during-2nd-odi-451477">&nbsp;Virat Kohli to join Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh in elite list during 2nd ODI</a>

Apart from Rahul replacing Kishan, India are unlikely to make any other change and will once again reply on the spin pair of Chahal and Sundar to continue their terrific run in the second game. Sundar is unlikely to be replaced by any other spinner as he offers a lot with the bat as well lower down the order.

India's predicted XI for 2nd ODI against West Indies:

Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal,&nbsp;Prasidh Krishna

&nbsp;

India got off to a winning start in the ongoing three-match ODI series against West Indies with a comfortable six-wicket win in the first ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

India got off to a winning start in the ongoing three-match ODI series against West Indies with a comfortable six-wicket win in the first ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The hosts will be locking horns with Kieron Pollard & Co. in the second ODI of the series on Wednesday and will be hoping to continue their winning run against the visitors. Spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar were brilliant for India in the series-opener as the duo rattled the West Indies batting line up to pick up seven wickets between them. West Indies were bundled out for a paltry 176 runs in 43.5 overs before India chased down the target with as many as 22 overs to spare. Captain Rohit Sharma, who was leading the Men in Blue in his first ODI as the full-time skipper of the Indian team, slammed a brilliant 51-ball 60 to get the hosts off to a good start before Suryakumr Yadav (34) and debutant Deepak Hooda (26) wrapped up the run-chase while remaining unbeaten. It was a comfortable victory for India in the first ODI, however, a change is likely in the playing XI for the second ODI as KL Rahul is available for selection after missing the first game. The vice-captain had missed the series-opener due to personal reasons but is likely to return to the XI in the second game. Rahul is likely to replace left-hand batter Ishan Kishan at the top as India would like to give Hooda more chances in the middle-order after his good show on debut. Kishan, who also looked in fine touch for his 28 off 36 balls, might have to make way for Rahul, who is unlikely to be slotted in the middle-order and will play as an opener. Also Read: Virat Kohli to join Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh in elite list during 2nd ODI Apart from Rahul replacing Kishan, India are unlikely to make any other change and will once again reply on the spin pair of Chahal and Sundar to continue their terrific run in the second game. Sundar is unlikely to be replaced by any other spinner as he offers a lot with the bat as well lower down the order. India's predicted XI for 2nd ODI against West Indies: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna

Ishan Kishan to make way for KL Rahul? India's predicted playing XI for 2nd ODI against West Indies

&nbsp;Opener Ishan Kishan and hard-hitting Tamil Nadu batter Shahrukh Khan were on Saturday added to the Indian squad for the first ODI against West Indies to be played here on Sunday.

The All-India Senior Selection Committee has added Ishan Kishan and Shahrukh Khan to India's squad for the first ODI against the West Indies to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday,? BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media release.

Earlier in the day, skipper Rohit Sharma had already confirmed that Kishan would open the batting with him when the hosts take field on Sunday at the Motera'.

"Ishan Kishan is the only option we have and he will open with me," Rohit said on the eve of the series-opener.

"Mayank (Agarwal) was added to the squad and he is still in isolation. He came (joined) late and we have some rules in place. If someone is travelling, we have to put them in (mandatory 3-day) quarantine. He has still not finished his quarantine, so Ishan will open the innings,? elaborated Rohit.

The 23-year-old Kishan has played two ODIs, from which he has scored 60 runs with 59 as his best score. The southpaw has also featured in five T20Is from which he has scored 113 runs.

Kishan was also a prominent member for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. The 26-year-old Chennai-born Shahrukh, known for his abilities to finish games, is a right-handed batter. He has played 33 List A' games from which he has scored 737 runs.

Indian Squad for the 1st ODI: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, Shahrukh Khan.&nbsp;

Opener Ishan Kishan and hard-hitting Tamil Nadu batter Shahrukh Khan were on Saturday added to the Indian squad for the first ODI against West Indies to be played here on Sunday.

Opener Ishan Kishan and hard-hitting Tamil Nadu batter Shahrukh Khan were on Saturday added to the Indian squad for the first ODI against West Indies to be played here on Sunday. The All-India Senior Selection Committee has added Ishan Kishan and Shahrukh Khan to India's squad for the first ODI against the West Indies to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday,? BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media release. Earlier in the day, skipper Rohit Sharma had already confirmed that Kishan would open the batting with him when the hosts take field on Sunday at the Motera'. "Ishan Kishan is the only option we have and he will open with me," Rohit said on the eve of the series-opener. "Mayank (Agarwal) was added to the squad and he is still in isolation. He came (joined) late and we have some rules in place. If someone is travelling, we have to put them in (mandatory 3-day) quarantine. He has still not finished his quarantine, so Ishan will open the innings,? elaborated Rohit. The 23-year-old Kishan has played two ODIs, from which he has scored 60 runs with 59 as his best score. The southpaw has also featured in five T20Is from which he has scored 113 runs. Kishan was also a prominent member for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. The 26-year-old Chennai-born Shahrukh, known for his abilities to finish games, is a right-handed batter. He has played 33 List A' games from which he has scored 737 runs. Indian Squad for the 1st ODI: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, Shahrukh Khan.

Ishan Kishan, Shahrukh Khan added to India's ODI squad for first game against West Indies

India's limited-overs skipper Rohit Sharma is gearing up to lead the team in his first ODI series as full-time captain of the Indian team. India will lock horns with West Indies in the series-opener of the three-match ODI series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (February 06). Rohit had to miss India's tour of South Africa due to a hamstring injury but has now returned to the squad after recovering fully.

Ahead of the start of the three-match ODI series against Kieron Pollard &amp; Co., the Indian captain answered reporters' questions during a virtual pre-match press conference on Saturday. Rohit spoke on a range of topics from the COVID-19 situation in the Indian team to the team's vision in limited-overs cricket going forward.

Rohit was also asked about the lack of opportunities in the Indian team for the young openers Ruturak Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan. While Kishan was initially not part of the ODI squad and had been picked only in the T20I side, he was selected in the ODI squad after Shikhar Dhawan, Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.

Rohit came up with a cheeky response to the question and asked the reporter if he wanted him to bench himself and senior opener Dhawan to give chances to the likes of Kishan and Gaikwad. "You are saying I and Shikhar should sit on the bench and give Ruturaj and Ishan chances at the top?"- Rohit responded.

"The top 3 batters in Indian ODI team have done very well. Young batters will get opportunities. Ishan is getting one. There are a lot of matches. The ones who do well will get opportunities. Dhawan did well in SA but is now affected by Covid. Ishan is getting the opportunity now," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-was-unhappy-with-anil-kumble-for-not-standing-up-for-players-claims-former-bcci-official-450649">Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official</a>

Apart from Gaikwad, Dhawan and Iyer, pacer Navdeep Saini has also tested positive for the virus and is currently in isolation. All four players are likely to not feature in the ODI series against West Indies. Vice-captain KL Rahul, who also plays as an opener, will miss the first ODI due to personal reasons which will see Kishan get an opportunity at the top.

However, Rahul will be available for selection from the second ODI. Mayank Agarwal has also been added to India's ODI squad after COVID-19 cases in the team but the batter is currently in quarantine and will not feature in the first ODI of the series.

India's limited-overs skipper Rohit Sharma is gearing up to lead the team in his first ODI series as full-time captain of the Indian team. India will lock horns with West Indies in the series-opener of the three-match ODI series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (February 06).

India's limited-overs skipper Rohit Sharma is gearing up to lead the team in his first ODI series as full-time captain of the Indian team. India will lock horns with West Indies in the series-opener of the three-match ODI series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (February 06). Rohit had to miss India's tour of South Africa due to a hamstring injury but has now returned to the squad after recovering fully. Ahead of the start of the three-match ODI series against Kieron Pollard & Co., the Indian captain answered reporters' questions during a virtual pre-match press conference on Saturday. Rohit spoke on a range of topics from the COVID-19 situation in the Indian team to the team's vision in limited-overs cricket going forward. Rohit was also asked about the lack of opportunities in the Indian team for the young openers Ruturak Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan. While Kishan was initially not part of the ODI squad and had been picked only in the T20I side, he was selected in the ODI squad after Shikhar Dhawan, Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week. Rohit came up with a cheeky response to the question and asked the reporter if he wanted him to bench himself and senior opener Dhawan to give chances to the likes of Kishan and Gaikwad. "You are saying I and Shikhar should sit on the bench and give Ruturaj and Ishan chances at the top?"- Rohit responded. "The top 3 batters in Indian ODI team have done very well. Young batters will get opportunities. Ishan is getting one. There are a lot of matches. The ones who do well will get opportunities. Dhawan did well in SA but is now affected by Covid. Ishan is getting the opportunity now," he added. Also Read: Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official Apart from Gaikwad, Dhawan and Iyer, pacer Navdeep Saini has also tested positive for the virus and is currently in isolation. All four players are likely to not feature in the ODI series against West Indies. Vice-captain KL Rahul, who also plays as an opener, will miss the first ODI due to personal reasons which will see Kishan get an opportunity at the top. However, Rahul will be available for selection from the second ODI. Mayank Agarwal has also been added to India's ODI squad after COVID-19 cases in the team but the batter is currently in quarantine and will not feature in the first ODI of the series.

'You want me & Shikhar Dhawan on bench?': Rohit Sharma stumps reporter after question on Kishan, Gaikwad

The Indian team was dealt with a huge blow ahead of the start of the upcoming ODI series against West Indies as three players tested positive for COVID-19. Openers Ruturaj&nbsp;Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer have tested positive for the virus and are unlikely to feature in the three-match ODI rubber that gets underway on Sunday (February 06).

With Dhawan and Gaikwad down with COVID-19 and KL Rahul unavailable for selection in the first ODI due to personal reasons, the Indian team had to rope in Ishan Kishan and Mayank Agarwal as reserve openers ahead of the start of the series.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma on Saturday confirmed his opening partner for the first ODI against the Kieron Pollard-led side. Rohit said Kishan will open the batting with him in the series-opener as Mayank is still in quarantine after joining the rest of the Indian squad in Ahmedabad.

"Ishan will open with me. Mayank is still in isolation although he has come into the squad. So, Ishan will open," Rohit told the reporters during the pre-match virtual press conference on Saturday.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-was-unhappy-with-anil-kumble-for-not-standing-up-for-players-claims-former-bcci-official-450649">Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official</a>

Rohit himself will be returning to the field for the Men in Blue after a gap of nearly two months as he had missed India's tour of South Africa due to a hamstring injury. The Hitman has fully recovered and is raring to go in what will be his first ODI series as India's full-time captain.

The first ODI between the two sides will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. While Kishan will open the batting, Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda are likely to feature in the middle-order along with Rishabh Pant.

All-rounder Washington Sundar is also likely to be included in the playing XI given the absence of some of the top batters in the team.

&nbsp;

The Indian team was dealt with a huge blow ahead of the start of the upcoming ODI series against West Indies as three players tested positive for COVID-19. Openers Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer have tested positive for the virus and are unlikely to feature in the three-match ODI rubber that gets underway on Sunday (February 06).

The Indian team was dealt with a huge blow ahead of the start of the upcoming ODI series against West Indies as three players tested positive for COVID-19. Openers Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer have tested positive for the virus and are unlikely to feature in the three-match ODI rubber that gets underway on Sunday (February 06). With Dhawan and Gaikwad down with COVID-19 and KL Rahul unavailable for selection in the first ODI due to personal reasons, the Indian team had to rope in Ishan Kishan and Mayank Agarwal as reserve openers ahead of the start of the series. Indian captain Rohit Sharma on Saturday confirmed his opening partner for the first ODI against the Kieron Pollard-led side. Rohit said Kishan will open the batting with him in the series-opener as Mayank is still in quarantine after joining the rest of the Indian squad in Ahmedabad. "Ishan will open with me. Mayank is still in isolation although he has come into the squad. So, Ishan will open," Rohit told the reporters during the pre-match virtual press conference on Saturday. Also Read: Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official Rohit himself will be returning to the field for the Men in Blue after a gap of nearly two months as he had missed India's tour of South Africa due to a hamstring injury. The Hitman has fully recovered and is raring to go in what will be his first ODI series as India's full-time captain. The first ODI between the two sides will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. While Kishan will open the batting, Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda are likely to feature in the middle-order along with Rishabh Pant. All-rounder Washington Sundar is also likely to be included in the playing XI given the absence of some of the top batters in the team.

Rohit Sharma confirms his opening partner for first ODI against West Indies in absence of Dhawan, Rahul

The Indian cricket team has been dealt with a huge setback ahead of the start of the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies. The Men in Blue will lock horns with Kieron Pollard-led visitors in the first ODI of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (February 06).

Ahead of the series opener, three Indian players have tested positive for COVID-19 and are unlikely to feature in the three ODIs. Opening batters Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer have all tested positive for coronavirus. Team India is facing a crunch in terms of the opening slot after Dhawan and Gaikwad's positive reports.

Vice-captain KL Rahul could have opened the batting with captain Rohit Sharma in the duo's absence. However, he is set to miss the first ODI due to personal reasons. As per a report in PTI, young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan has been added to India's ODI squad ahead of the start of the series.

Kishan, who also plays as an opener, has reportedly joined the Indian team in Ahmedabad and is likely to be the reserve opener in the squad. There are chances that the left-hander might open the batting with Rohit in the first ODI against West Indies on Sunday.

Apart from Kishan, Mayank Agarwal has also reportedly joined the Indian team in Ahmedabad amid COVID-19 infection to three players. While Kishan was only part of the T20I series against West Indies, Mayank was not a part of either of the two squads for the limited-overs series against West Indies.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/an-achievement-entire-nation-should-be-proud-of-sachin-tendulkar-on-indias-1000th-odi-milestone-450549">An achievement entire nation should be proud of: Sachin Tendulkar on India's 1000th ODI milestone</a>

On Friday, the Indian team had their first training session in Ahmedabad where head coach Rahul Dravid introduced young spinner Ravi Bishnoi to the other members of the Indian team. Captain Rohit took charge of the session and was seen gearing up for his first major ODI assignment as India's captain.

The Indian cricket team has been dealt with a huge setback ahead of the start of the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies. The Men in Blue will lock horns with Kieron Pollard-led visitors in the first ODI of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (February 06).

The Indian cricket team has been dealt with a huge setback ahead of the start of the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies. The Men in Blue will lock horns with Kieron Pollard-led visitors in the first ODI of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (February 06). Ahead of the series opener, three Indian players have tested positive for COVID-19 and are unlikely to feature in the three ODIs. Opening batters Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer have all tested positive for coronavirus. Team India is facing a crunch in terms of the opening slot after Dhawan and Gaikwad's positive reports. Vice-captain KL Rahul could have opened the batting with captain Rohit Sharma in the duo's absence. However, he is set to miss the first ODI due to personal reasons. As per a report in PTI, young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan has been added to India's ODI squad ahead of the start of the series. Kishan, who also plays as an opener, has reportedly joined the Indian team in Ahmedabad and is likely to be the reserve opener in the squad. There are chances that the left-hander might open the batting with Rohit in the first ODI against West Indies on Sunday. Apart from Kishan, Mayank Agarwal has also reportedly joined the Indian team in Ahmedabad amid COVID-19 infection to three players. While Kishan was only part of the T20I series against West Indies, Mayank was not a part of either of the two squads for the limited-overs series against West Indies. Also Read: An achievement entire nation should be proud of: Sachin Tendulkar on India's 1000th ODI milestone On Friday, the Indian team had their first training session in Ahmedabad where head coach Rahul Dravid introduced young spinner Ravi Bishnoi to the other members of the Indian team. Captain Rohit took charge of the session and was seen gearing up for his first major ODI assignment as India's captain.

Ishan Kishan added to India's ODI squad as Dhawan, Gaikwad test positive for COVID-19 - Report

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

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

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

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

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (February 01) announced the final list of 590 players who are set to go under the hammer at the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. The IPL mega auction will be conducted in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13 where&nbsp;some of the best players from across the globe will be&nbsp;up for grabs for the ten franchises.

The final list of 590 players consists of 370 Indians and 220 overseas stars. There are 228 capped players, 355 uncapped players and 7 players from associate nations who will be going under the hammer at the IPL mega auction this month. The players have been divided across seven different categories as per their base price.

The players who have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) are in the top bracket followed by those in the brackets of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million), Rs 1 crore (INR 10 million), Rs 75 lakh (INR 7.5 million), Rs 50 lakh (INR 5 million), Rs 40 lakh (INR 4 million) and Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million).

While the uncapped players, who are yet to make their international debut, can opt for a maximum base price of Rs 40 lakh (INR 4 million), a capped player is free to put his name under any of the seven brackets. Some of the top players from around the world, including the ten marquee stars, have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore.

The likes of former Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer, former Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner, senior India spinner R Ashwin, South Africa's premier pacer Kagiso Rabada among others are part of the marquee set of ten players and are all under the base price of Rs 2 crore. India's explosive young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan is not among marquee names but is one of the players to watch out for in the Rs 2 crore category.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/370-indians-220-overseas-stars-up-for-grabs-complete-list-of-590-players-for-ipl-2022-mega-auction-449547">370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Here is the complete list of 48 players with base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) at IPL mega auction:

Indians - Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Shami, Devdutt Padikkal, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, Krunal Pandya, Harshal Patel, Ishan Kishan, Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dinesh Karthik

Overseas - &nbsp;Trent Boult, Pat Cummins, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Kagiso Rabada, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shakib Al Hasan, Dwayne Bravo, Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Matthew Wade, Lockie Ferguson, Josh Hazlewood, Mustafizur Rahman, Mark Wood, Imran Tahir, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Adam Zampa, Evin Lewis, Jofra Archer, James Vince, Marchant De Lange, Saqib Mahmood, Ashton Agar, Craig Overton, David Willey, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Marsh

 
&nbsp;

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (February 01) announced the final list of 590 players who are set to go under the hammer at the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (February 01) announced the final list of 590 players who are set to go under the hammer at the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. The IPL mega auction will be conducted in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13 where some of the best players from across the globe will be up for grabs for the ten franchises. The final list of 590 players consists of 370 Indians and 220 overseas stars. There are 228 capped players, 355 uncapped players and 7 players from associate nations who will be going under the hammer at the IPL mega auction this month. The players have been divided across seven different categories as per their base price. The players who have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) are in the top bracket followed by those in the brackets of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million), Rs 1 crore (INR 10 million), Rs 75 lakh (INR 7.5 million), Rs 50 lakh (INR 5 million), Rs 40 lakh (INR 4 million) and Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million). While the uncapped players, who are yet to make their international debut, can opt for a maximum base price of Rs 40 lakh (INR 4 million), a capped player is free to put his name under any of the seven brackets. Some of the top players from around the world, including the ten marquee stars, have opted for the highest base price of Rs 2 crore. The likes of former Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer, former Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner, senior India spinner R Ashwin, South Africa's premier pacer Kagiso Rabada among others are part of the marquee set of ten players and are all under the base price of Rs 2 crore. India's explosive young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan is not among marquee names but is one of the players to watch out for in the Rs 2 crore category. Also Read: 370 Indians, 220 overseas stars up for grabs: Complete list of 590 players for IPL 2022 mega auction Here is the complete list of 48 players with base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million) at IPL mega auction: Indians - Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Shami, Devdutt Padikkal, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, Krunal Pandya, Harshal Patel, Ishan Kishan, Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dinesh Karthik Overseas - Trent Boult, Pat Cummins, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Kagiso Rabada, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shakib Al Hasan, Dwayne Bravo, Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Matthew Wade, Lockie Ferguson, Josh Hazlewood, Mustafizur Rahman, Mark Wood, Imran Tahir, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Adam Zampa, Evin Lewis, Jofra Archer, James Vince, Marchant De Lange, Saqib Mahmood, Ashton Agar, Craig Overton, David Willey, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Marsh

Ishan Kishan to Pat Cummins: Final list of players with highest base price of Rs 2 crore for IPL mega auction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The year gone by was far from a fruitful one for the Indian team as the Men in Blue once again failed to bring an end to their long-standing ICC trophy drought. India lost the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship against New Zealand before failing to qualify for the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup 2021.

While it was a disappointing year for the Indian cricket team in terms of results, 2021 saw the rise of a number of promising youngsters, who can become the future stars of Indian cricket. While Mohammed Siraj and Rishabh Pant cemented their spots in the Indian team with their heroics in Australia, Ishan Kishan realised his dream of making his India debut.

Ruturaj Gaikwad continued his purple patch in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 and finished as the highest run-getter of the season, beating seasoned campaigners like KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan and Faf du Plessis to the Orange Cap before enjoying a sensational run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy where he went on to notch up 603 runs in just five games averaging over 150.

Venkatesh Iyer was also among one of the finds for Indian cricket in the year 2021 after his all-round heroics for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League. There is plenty to look forward to in terms of talent in Indian cricket in 2022 as a number of these youngsters will be raring to make it count and make the world take notice of their performances this year.

Here is a look at some Indian youngsters to look forward to in 2022:

Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad could easily be the next big thing in Indian cricket if nurtured in a proper manner and given adequate opportunities. In the last couple of years, Gaikwad has showcased his skills and talent against the best of bowlers in the Indian Premier League and has impressed one and all with his impeccable technique and tenacity.

Gaikwad is a technically gifted batter, who can make run-scoring look easy. He was the top scorer in IPL 2022 with 635 runs in 16 matches at an impressive average of&nbsp;45.35 and a strike rate of over 136. He then finished as the highest run-getter in the Vijay Hazare Trophy where he notched up 603 runs in just five games to earn an ODI call-up in the Indian squad.

He is one of the promising batters to look forward to in the year 2022 as Gaikwad looks set to make it big in Indian cricket in the future.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lot-of-people-wouldnt-have-been-able-to-digest-virat-kohli-reaching-50-60-wins-as-test-captain-ravi-shastri-446945">Lot of people wouldn't have been able to digest Virat Kohli reaching 50-60 wins as Test captain: Ravi Shastri</a>

Venkatesh Iyer&nbsp;

Venkatesh Iyer enjoyed one of his best cricketing seasons in the year 2021 as he rose to prominence after his all-round heroics for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). An explosive opener and a handy bowler, Iyer has risen through the ranks quickly and has already made his ODI and T20I debut for the Indian team. He had played an instrumental role in helping KKR reach the final of IPL 2021 with some brilliant performances with the bat.

Iyer, an attacking left-hander, notched up 370 runs in just ten matches striking close to 130 for KKR in the second phase of IPL 2021 in the UAE. He then continued his impressive run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy before being called up to the Indian ODI team. 2022 can be a crucial year for the batting all-rounder, who has got the skills and talent to become a future star of Indian cricket.

Avesh Khan&nbsp;

Avesh Khan has risen through humble beginnings to come a long way in his cricketing career as he continues to knock on the selectors' doors for what seems to be an inevitable India debut. Avesh had a brilliant IPL 2021 for Delhi Capitals as he finished as the second-highest wicket-taker of the season with 24 wickets in 16 matches helping Delhi reach the playoffs.

Avesh was also called up as one of the standby fast bowlers for the Indian team on their tour of England last year. The 25-year-old has pace, and the ability to bowl the right line and lengths consistently which makes him a great asset for his team. He can be one of the pacers to burst onto the scene for India in 2022 and make his dream international debut.

Ishan Kishan&nbsp;

Ishan Kishan enjoyed a dream run in IPL 2022 and was one of the standout performers for Mumbai Indians in their title-winning campaign. He was deservingly handed his India debut last year and went on to impress as an opener. Ishan's explosive and swashbuckling style of batting can take the game away from the opposition in the matter of a few overs.

He has played only 5 T20Is and 2 ODIs for India so far but is currently part of the ODI squad in the ongoing series against South Africa and is expected to be in the fray going forward. Ishan can have a breakthrough year in 2022 if he is given consistent opportunities for Team India.

Prasidh Krishna&nbsp;

One of the most promising fast bowlers in the country at present, Prasidh&nbsp;Krishna has been a part of the Indian Premier League for a while now but hasn't quite been able to set the stage on fire with his performances. Nonetheless, he remains an exciting prospect for the Indian team and can be utilised across all three formats.

A tall and lanky fast bowler, who can clock good pacer consistently, Krishna made his India debut in an ODI against England at home last year and is currently a part of the squad in the ongoing ODI series against South Africa. He is expected to be eased into the other formats as well and might become a potent fast bowler for India in the future.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-dravid-has-a-big-task-ahead-has-to-prove-he-is-not-an-overrated-coach-shoaib-akhtar-446926">Rahul Dravid has a big task ahead, has to prove he is not an overrated coach: Shoaib Akhtar</a>

Ravi Bishnoi&nbsp;

Ravi Bishnoi rose to prominence after his brilliant performances for the India U-19 team during the U-19 World Cup in 2020. He was roped in by Punjab Kings at the IPL player auction in the same year and hasn't looked back since. Bishnoi is currently one of the hottest young spin prospects in the country and has a bright future lying ahead of him.

In his debut IPL season, he picked up 12 wickets in 14 games for Punjab before taking 12 wickets once again in just nine games last season. He has 24 wickets so far in 23 IPL matches and has been picked by the Lucknow IPL team as one of their three drafts picks ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Bishnoi can breakthrough into the Indian team this year if he can deliver consistently in the upcoming IPL season.

&nbsp;

The year gone by was far from a fruitful one for the Indian team as the Men in Blue once again failed to bring an end to their long-standing ICC trophy drought. India lost the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship against New Zealand before failing to qualify for the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup 2021.

The year gone by was far from a fruitful one for the Indian team as the Men in Blue once again failed to bring an end to their long-standing ICC trophy drought. India lost the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship against New Zealand before failing to qualify for the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup 2021. While it was a disappointing year for the Indian cricket team in terms of results, 2021 saw the rise of a number of promising youngsters, who can become the future stars of Indian cricket. While Mohammed Siraj and Rishabh Pant cemented their spots in the Indian team with their heroics in Australia, Ishan Kishan realised his dream of making his India debut. Ruturaj Gaikwad continued his purple patch in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 and finished as the highest run-getter of the season, beating seasoned campaigners like KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan and Faf du Plessis to the Orange Cap before enjoying a sensational run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy where he went on to notch up 603 runs in just five games averaging over 150. Venkatesh Iyer was also among one of the finds for Indian cricket in the year 2021 after his all-round heroics for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League. There is plenty to look forward to in terms of talent in Indian cricket in 2022 as a number of these youngsters will be raring to make it count and make the world take notice of their performances this year. Here is a look at some Indian youngsters to look forward to in 2022: Ruturaj Gaikwad Ruturaj Gaikwad could easily be the next big thing in Indian cricket if nurtured in a proper manner and given adequate opportunities. In the last couple of years, Gaikwad has showcased his skills and talent against the best of bowlers in the Indian Premier League and has impressed one and all with his impeccable technique and tenacity. Gaikwad is a technically gifted batter, who can make run-scoring look easy. He was the top scorer in IPL 2022 with 635 runs in 16 matches at an impressive average of 45.35 and a strike rate of over 136. He then finished as the highest run-getter in the Vijay Hazare Trophy where he notched up 603 runs in just five games to earn an ODI call-up in the Indian squad. He is one of the promising batters to look forward to in the year 2022 as Gaikwad looks set to make it big in Indian cricket in the future. Also Read: Lot of people wouldn't have been able to digest Virat Kohli reaching 50-60 wins as Test captain: Ravi Shastri Venkatesh Iyer Venkatesh Iyer enjoyed one of his best cricketing seasons in the year 2021 as he rose to prominence after his all-round heroics for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). An explosive opener and a handy bowler, Iyer has risen through the ranks quickly and has already made his ODI and T20I debut for the Indian team. He had played an instrumental role in helping KKR reach the final of IPL 2021 with some brilliant performances with the bat. Iyer, an attacking left-hander, notched up 370 runs in just ten matches striking close to 130 for KKR in the second phase of IPL 2021 in the UAE. He then continued his impressive run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy before being called up to the Indian ODI team. 2022 can be a crucial year for the batting all-rounder, who has got the skills and talent to become a future star of Indian cricket. Avesh Khan Avesh Khan has risen through humble beginnings to come a long way in his cricketing career as he continues to knock on the selectors' doors for what seems to be an inevitable India debut. Avesh had a brilliant IPL 2021 for Delhi Capitals as he finished as the second-highest wicket-taker of the season with 24 wickets in 16 matches helping Delhi reach the playoffs. Avesh was also called up as one of the standby fast bowlers for the Indian team on their tour of England last year. The 25-year-old has pace, and the ability to bowl the right line and lengths consistently which makes him a great asset for his team. He can be one of the pacers to burst onto the scene for India in 2022 and make his dream international debut. Ishan Kishan Ishan Kishan enjoyed a dream run in IPL 2022 and was one of the standout performers for Mumbai Indians in their title-winning campaign. He was deservingly handed his India debut last year and went on to impress as an opener. Ishan's explosive and swashbuckling style of batting can take the game away from the opposition in the matter of a few overs. He has played only 5 T20Is and 2 ODIs for India so far but is currently part of the ODI squad in the ongoing series against South Africa and is expected to be in the fray going forward. Ishan can have a breakthrough year in 2022 if he is given consistent opportunities for Team India. Prasidh Krishna One of the most promising fast bowlers in the country at present, Prasidh Krishna has been a part of the Indian Premier League for a while now but hasn't quite been able to set the stage on fire with his performances. Nonetheless, he remains an exciting prospect for the Indian team and can be utilised across all three formats. A tall and lanky fast bowler, who can clock good pacer consistently, Krishna made his India debut in an ODI against England at home last year and is currently a part of the squad in the ongoing ODI series against South Africa. He is expected to be eased into the other formats as well and might become a potent fast bowler for India in the future. Also Read: Rahul Dravid has a big task ahead, has to prove he is not an overrated coach: Shoaib Akhtar Ravi Bishnoi Ravi Bishnoi rose to prominence after his brilliant performances for the India U-19 team during the U-19 World Cup in 2020. He was roped in by Punjab Kings at the IPL player auction in the same year and hasn't looked back since. Bishnoi is currently one of the hottest young spin prospects in the country and has a bright future lying ahead of him. In his debut IPL season, he picked up 12 wickets in 14 games for Punjab before taking 12 wickets once again in just nine games last season. He has 24 wickets so far in 23 IPL matches and has been picked by the Lucknow IPL team as one of their three drafts picks ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Bishnoi can breakthrough into the Indian team this year if he can deliver consistently in the upcoming IPL season.

Ruturaj Gaikwad to Avesh Khan: Indian youngsters to look forward to in 2022

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

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

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 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

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

All the eight existing IPL franchises revealed their list of retained players on Tuesday evening (November 30). While some big names were retained, many popular names got released. Though many are set to enter the auction pool, some big players are expected to be picked by the two new IPL franchises -- Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- as the two new additions have a license to pick three players each prior to IPL 2022 mega auction.

For the unversed, the big players such as KL Rahul, David Warner, Hardik Pandya, Quinton de Kock, Ben Stokes, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, etc. have been released. Hence, the two new IPL teams have quite a few options to pick from.

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>

Before the mega auction, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra named six players who are most likely to be picked by Lucknow and Ahmedabad. Speaking on his Youtube channel, "My first pick is KL Rahul. I feel he will not be able to reach the auction. Punjab Kings wanted to retain him but he didn’t want to. I think he is going to Lucknow and will become the captain of the new team. Rashid Khan is second in the pecking order. I don’t think his name will reach the auction table. He did not want to stay at SunRisers Hyderabad as he has been already approached by a new franchise with a better salary.

My third pick is Shreyas Iyer. He is likely to become captain of the Ahmedabad franchise. He is an important player and will be drafted to a new team. I won’t be surprised to see him lead Ahmedabad as he has already captained Delhi Capitals. Yuzvendra Chahal is another player who might go to Ahmedabad. Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya might not be a part of the auction, but Ishan Kishan’s stocks are a bit high at the moment," he opined.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-rahul-iyer-or-warner-aakash-chopra-suggests-virat-kohlis-successor-at-rcb-ahead-of-ipl-2022-433845">Not Rahul, Iyer or Warner! Aakash Chopra suggests Virat Kohli's successor at RCB ahead of IPL 2022</a>

“David Warner will not make it to the auction either. He is a proven match-winner. He has a lot of experience, has won a lot of games, and has scored 600 odds runs in so many seasons. You won’t find a more consistent player than him,” Chopra added.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is likely to be held in early 2022. On the other hand, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had confirmed that the next edition will be held in India.

All the eight existing IPL franchises revealed their list of retained players on Tuesday evening (November 30). While some big names were retained, many popular names got released.

All the eight existing IPL franchises revealed their list of retained players on Tuesday evening (November 30). While some big names were retained, many popular names got released. Though many are set to enter the auction pool, some big players are expected to be picked by the two new IPL franchises -- Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- as the two new additions have a license to pick three players each prior to IPL 2022 mega auction. For the unversed, the big players such as KL Rahul, David Warner, Hardik Pandya, Quinton de Kock, Ben Stokes, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, etc. have been released. Hence, the two new IPL teams have quite a few options to pick from. ALSO READ | Rashid Khan to Ben Stokes: Top 5 overseas players released by their teams ahead of IPL mega auction Before the mega auction, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra named six players who are most likely to be picked by Lucknow and Ahmedabad. Speaking on his Youtube channel, "My first pick is KL Rahul. I feel he will not be able to reach the auction. Punjab Kings wanted to retain him but he didn’t want to. I think he is going to Lucknow and will become the captain of the new team. Rashid Khan is second in the pecking order. I don’t think his name will reach the auction table. He did not want to stay at SunRisers Hyderabad as he has been already approached by a new franchise with a better salary. My third pick is Shreyas Iyer. He is likely to become captain of the Ahmedabad franchise. He is an important player and will be drafted to a new team. I won’t be surprised to see him lead Ahmedabad as he has already captained Delhi Capitals. Yuzvendra Chahal is another player who might go to Ahmedabad. Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya might not be a part of the auction, but Ishan Kishan’s stocks are a bit high at the moment," he opined. ALSO READ | Not Rahul, Iyer or Warner! Aakash Chopra suggests Virat Kohli's successor at RCB ahead of IPL 2022 “David Warner will not make it to the auction either. He is a proven match-winner. He has a lot of experience, has won a lot of games, and has scored 600 odds runs in so many seasons. You won’t find a more consistent player than him,” Chopra added. The IPL 2022 mega auction is likely to be held in early 2022. On the other hand, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had confirmed that the next edition will be held in India.

Aakash Chopra predicts 6 players who will be picked by Lucknow and Ahmedabad before IPL 2022 auction

From KL Rahul to Suresh Raina: Iconic Indian players who weren't retained before IPL 2022 mega auction

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