The wait is finally over as the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is here. Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening game of the season at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The two finalists from last season will be hoping to get off to a winning start this year.

The IPL has gone bigger and better this time around with as many as ten teams taking part in the tournament. Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans will be making their debut in the IPL this year. The tournament is all set to be played entirely in India this year with four venues across Maharashtra to host a total of 70 matches in the league stage.

CSK had defeated KKR in the final to lift their fourth IPL trophy last year and will be meeting the same opponent in their opening game of the season. Both teams have undergone massive changes this year, including a major captaincy shuffle. While MS Dhoni has vacated the captaincy spot for Ravindra Jadeja at CSK, KKR will be led by Shreyas Iyer.

Both CSK and KKR have also had changes in the personnel as the two teams roped in a number of new players in the mega auction last month. While KKR have let go of the likes of Eoin Morgan, Rahul Tripathi, Lockie Ferguson and Prasidh Krishna among others, CSK failed to get back Faf du Plessis, Shardul Thakur and didn't go for their leading run-getter Suresh Raina.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-and-virat-kohli-share-a-heartwarming-hug-as-legends-catch-up-ahead-of-ipl-2022-opener-watch-465629">MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli share a heartwarming hug as legends catch up ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH</a>

CSK will miss the services of their most expensive signing at the auction - Deepak Chahar, while all-rounder Moeen Ali is also expected to miss the opener. KKR, on the other hand, will be without two of their overseas stars - Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch who are both playing for their national team currently.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-from-injuries-to-national-team-commitments-player-availability-for-all-teams-465401">IPL 2022: From injuries to national team commitments - Player availability for all teams</a>

CSK vs KKR, IPL 2022 opener prediction:&nbsp;Chennai Super Kings have dominated Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL over the years when it comes to the head to head record between the two sides. CSK have 17 wins to their name compared to KKR's 8 in 25 meetings between the two teams. Despite CSK missing the likes of Moeen and Chahar, the Jadeja-led side will start as favourites against KKR and are likely to triumph in the IPL 2022 opener considering their batting firepower and the experience in their line-up.

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The wait is finally over as the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is here. Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening game of the season at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The wait is finally over as the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is here. Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening game of the season at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The two finalists from last season will be hoping to get off to a winning start this year. The IPL has gone bigger and better this time around with as many as ten teams taking part in the tournament. Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans will be making their debut in the IPL this year. The tournament is all set to be played entirely in India this year with four venues across Maharashtra to host a total of 70 matches in the league stage. CSK had defeated KKR in the final to lift their fourth IPL trophy last year and will be meeting the same opponent in their opening game of the season. Both teams have undergone massive changes this year, including a major captaincy shuffle. While MS Dhoni has vacated the captaincy spot for Ravindra Jadeja at CSK, KKR will be led by Shreyas Iyer. Both CSK and KKR have also had changes in the personnel as the two teams roped in a number of new players in the mega auction last month. While KKR have let go of the likes of Eoin Morgan, Rahul Tripathi, Lockie Ferguson and Prasidh Krishna among others, CSK failed to get back Faf du Plessis, Shardul Thakur and didn't go for their leading run-getter Suresh Raina. Also Read: MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli share a heartwarming hug as legends catch up ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH CSK will miss the services of their most expensive signing at the auction - Deepak Chahar, while all-rounder Moeen Ali is also expected to miss the opener. KKR, on the other hand, will be without two of their overseas stars - Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch who are both playing for their national team currently. Also Read: IPL 2022: From injuries to national team commitments - Player availability for all teams CSK vs KKR, IPL 2022 opener prediction: Chennai Super Kings have dominated Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL over the years when it comes to the head to head record between the two sides. CSK have 17 wins to their name compared to KKR's 8 in 25 meetings between the two teams. Despite CSK missing the likes of Moeen and Chahar, the Jadeja-led side will start as favourites against KKR and are likely to triumph in the IPL 2022 opener considering their batting firepower and the experience in their line-up.

CSK vs KKR, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders match?

Liam Livingstone is a name that is synonymous with T20 leagues around the world. The England all-rounder is well known for his aggressive batting for franchises in various countries and thanks to his brilliant performances, he was picked by Punjab Kings ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.<o:p></o:p>

Livingstone commanded an impressive price of INR 11.5 crore as multiple franchises went for him and ahead of the tournament, he ended the suspense regarding his position in the batting order.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-suryakumar-yadav-can-cement-his-spot-in-team-india-says-sunil-gavaskar-465507" hreflang="en">Suryakumar Yadav can cement his spot in Team India, says Sunil Gavaskar</a>

"I know where I am going to bat anyway. I am going to bat in the middle-order so it would be stupid of me to say otherwise. I'm probably going to bat at 4 or 5. The team is always bigger than the individual and you've got to fit into a role which the team needs you and I think Punjab Kings are going to need me in the middle order role so that's where I am focused. I haven't even thought about anywhere else. The team is really important and I'm excited; hope I can finish off games while batting second or post a big total batting first," Livingstone told Sports Tak.<o:p></o:p>

Livingstone was the fourth costliest player in this year’s auction after Ishan Kishan (Mumbai Indians), Deepak Chahar (Chennai Super Kings) and Shreyas Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders). However, the England international made it clear that he will not be intimidated by the massive price tag.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-ipl-2022-rishabh-pant-needs-to-maintain-his-aggressive-edge-for-dc-says-ricky-ponting-465468" hreflang="en">Pant needs to maintain his aggressive edge for DC, says Ponting</a>

“We are picked as cricketers to come in and do our jobs, which is to score runs and take wickets and catches. So I think the monetary value is irrelevant. I've played in the last couple of years for not a lot. The IPL is the biggest tournament in the world and I’m just really excited to get going,” he said.<o:p></o:p>

Punjab Kings will begin their IPL 2022 campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 27.<o:p></o:p>

Liam Livingstone is a name that is synonymous with T20 leagues around the world. The England all-rounder is well known for his aggressive batting for franchises in various countries and thanks to his brilliant performances, he was picked by Punjab Kings ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

Liam Livingstone is a name that is synonymous with T20 leagues around the world. The England all-rounder is well known for his aggressive batting for franchises in various countries and thanks to his brilliant performances, he was picked by Punjab Kings ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Livingstone commanded an impressive price of INR 11.5 crore as multiple franchises went for him and ahead of the tournament, he ended the suspense regarding his position in the batting order. Also read | Suryakumar Yadav can cement his spot in Team India, says Sunil Gavaskar "I know where I am going to bat anyway. I am going to bat in the middle-order so it would be stupid of me to say otherwise. I'm probably going to bat at 4 or 5. The team is always bigger than the individual and you've got to fit into a role which the team needs you and I think Punjab Kings are going to need me in the middle order role so that's where I am focused. I haven't even thought about anywhere else. The team is really important and I'm excited; hope I can finish off games while batting second or post a big total batting first," Livingstone told Sports Tak. Livingstone was the fourth costliest player in this year’s auction after Ishan Kishan (Mumbai Indians), Deepak Chahar (Chennai Super Kings) and Shreyas Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders). However, the England international made it clear that he will not be intimidated by the massive price tag. Also read | Pant needs to maintain his aggressive edge for DC, says Ponting “We are picked as cricketers to come in and do our jobs, which is to score runs and take wickets and catches. So I think the monetary value is irrelevant. I've played in the last couple of years for not a lot. The IPL is the biggest tournament in the world and I’m just really excited to get going,” he said. Punjab Kings will begin their IPL 2022 campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 27.

IPL 2022: Liam Livingstone opens up about preferred position in Punjab Kings batting order

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season will get underway on March 26 but almost all the teams have some concern about the availability of their players. While a number of players have a few injury concerns, a large&nbsp;chunk of cricketers will be joining the tournament after fulfilling their commitments with their national sides.

Here’s a look at the player availability for the IPL teams - <o:p></o:p>

Royal Challengers Bangalore<o:p></o:p>

Glenn Maxwell will be missing the first two games while fellow Australia internationals Josh Hazlewood and Jason Behrendorff will be missing the first three games of the tournament as they are currently in Pakistan and will not be released before April 6.<o:p></o:p>

Mumbai Indians<o:p></o:p>

Jofra Archer, who fetched a huge price of INR 8 crores, will be unavailable for this season as he is recovering from an elbow injury. Suryakumar Yadav will not be available for their first game against Delhi Capitals as he is still undergoing rehab after suffering a hairline thumb fracture.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-sunil-gavaskar-identifies-one-team-unlikely-to-win-title-this-year-465370" hreflang="en">Sunil Gavaskar identifies one team unlikely to win title this year</a>

Kolkata Knight Riders<o:p></o:p>

Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch will both be missing the initial four or five games for last year’s finalists as they will have to quarantine after coming to India following the series against Pakistan. New Zealand bowler Tim Southee will be the perfect replacement for Pat Cummins in the playing XI but he will miss the knockout stage of the tournament due to national team commitments.<o:p></o:p>

Punjab Kings<o:p></o:p>

Kagiso Rabada and Jonny Bairstow are both playing for South Africa and England respectively at the moment and they are expected to miss the first two games for Punjab Kings.<o:p></o:p>

Gujarat Titans<o:p></o:p>

West Indies quick Alzarri Joseph, who is currently playing the third Test encounter against England, will miss the first game against Lucknow Super Giants as he will have to quarantine post arrival.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2022-reliving-the-magnanimous-highs-of-ms-dhoni-as-csk-captain-post-his-shocking-resignation-465242">Reliving MS Dhoni's tenure as CSK captain after his resignation</a>

Chennai Super Kings<o:p></o:p>

Deepak Chahar, who was the biggest buy for CSK in the auction, will miss a major part of the tournament due to a quadriceps injury. Moeen Ali and Dwaine Pretorius will be missing their first game against KKR as they both will be arriving late and will have to quarantine for few days.<o:p></o:p>

Rajasthan Royals<o:p></o:p>

Rassie van der Dussen may miss the first game but his arrival date remains uncertain at the point.<o:p></o:p>

Lucknow Super Giants<o:p></o:p>

West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers will be available after the first week of the tournament as they are part of the West Indies Test squad against England. Australia’s Marcus Stoinis will also be missing the first three matches for the team due to national team commitments. <o:p></o:p>

Sunrisers Hyderabad<o:p></o:p>

The only player who will miss a few games for SRH is Australia fast bowler Sean Abbott.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/even-last-year-csk-ceo-spills-the-beans-on-ms-dhonis-decision-to-handover-captaincy-to-ravindra-jadeja-465351" hreflang="en">CSK CEO on MS Dhoni's decision to hand over captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja</a>

Delhi Capitals<o:p></o:p>

David Warner is unavailable for the first two games while Mitchell Marsh is expected to miss the first three. Lungi Ngidi and Mustafizur Rahman will be joining the squad after missing the first game. The intrigue surrounding Anrich Nortje’s fitness continues to increase and although he has joined the squad, he may end up missing the initial few games due to hip and back issues.<o:p></o:p>

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season will get underway on March 26 but almost all the teams have some concern about the availability of their players. While a number of players have a few injury concerns, a large chunk of cricketers will be joining the tournament after fulfilling their commitments with their national sides.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season will get underway on March 26 but almost all the teams have some concern about the availability of their players. While a number of players have a few injury concerns, a large chunk of cricketers will be joining the tournament after fulfilling their commitments with their national sides. Here’s a look at the player availability for the IPL teams - Royal Challengers Bangalore Glenn Maxwell will be missing the first two games while fellow Australia internationals Josh Hazlewood and Jason Behrendorff will be missing the first three games of the tournament as they are currently in Pakistan and will not be released before April 6. Mumbai Indians Jofra Archer, who fetched a huge price of INR 8 crores, will be unavailable for this season as he is recovering from an elbow injury. Suryakumar Yadav will not be available for their first game against Delhi Capitals as he is still undergoing rehab after suffering a hairline thumb fracture. Also read | Sunil Gavaskar identifies one team unlikely to win title this year Kolkata Knight Riders Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch will both be missing the initial four or five games for last year’s finalists as they will have to quarantine after coming to India following the series against Pakistan. New Zealand bowler Tim Southee will be the perfect replacement for Pat Cummins in the playing XI but he will miss the knockout stage of the tournament due to national team commitments. Punjab Kings Kagiso Rabada and Jonny Bairstow are both playing for South Africa and England respectively at the moment and they are expected to miss the first two games for Punjab Kings. Gujarat Titans West Indies quick Alzarri Joseph, who is currently playing the third Test encounter against England, will miss the first game against Lucknow Super Giants as he will have to quarantine post arrival. Also read | Reliving MS Dhoni's tenure as CSK captain after his resignation Chennai Super Kings Deepak Chahar, who was the biggest buy for CSK in the auction, will miss a major part of the tournament due to a quadriceps injury. Moeen Ali and Dwaine Pretorius will be missing their first game against KKR as they both will be arriving late and will have to quarantine for few days. Rajasthan Royals Rassie van der Dussen may miss the first game but his arrival date remains uncertain at the point. Lucknow Super Giants West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers will be available after the first week of the tournament as they are part of the West Indies Test squad against England. Australia’s Marcus Stoinis will also be missing the first three matches for the team due to national team commitments. Sunrisers Hyderabad The only player who will miss a few games for SRH is Australia fast bowler Sean Abbott. Also read | CSK CEO on MS Dhoni's decision to hand over captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja Delhi Capitals David Warner is unavailable for the first two games while Mitchell Marsh is expected to miss the first three. Lungi Ngidi and Mustafizur Rahman will be joining the squad after missing the first game. The intrigue surrounding Anrich Nortje’s fitness continues to increase and although he has joined the squad, he may end up missing the initial few games due to hip and back issues.

IPL 2022: From injuries to national team commitments - Player availability for all teams

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season kicks off on Saturday with last year’s finalists Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders facing each other. This year, the competition in the tournament has gone up a notch as two new teams joined the fray and a number of franchises have done quite well in the auctions.

However, former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar has identified one franchise who he thinks will find it difficult to win the tournament this year.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2022-reliving-the-magnanimous-highs-of-ms-dhoni-as-csk-captain-post-his-shocking-resignation-465242">Reliving MS Dhoni's tenure as CSK captain after his resignation</a>

"Punjab Kings is one of those teams that have not managed to win the IPL. This time, I don't think they have an impact player in their squad but this can benefit the team as well. When there are very low expectations, there is very less pressure and when the pressure is less, the players are freer in their approach," Gavaskar told Sports Tak.<o:p></o:p>

"In that aspect, I think Punjab Kings can surprise a few. Will they win the trophy? I doubt that. See, this is a T20 format and you have to be in that consistent cycle of winning," he added.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/a-chapter-fans-will-never-forget-virat-kohli-praises-ms-dhonis-legendary-captaincy-tenure-at-csk-465261" hreflang="en">Kohli lauds Dhoni's 'legendary' captaincy tenure at CSK</a>

Punjab Kings have never won the title but they came very close in 2014. Wriddhiman Saha scored a brilliant century in the final but they were ultimately defeated by the Kolkata Knight Riders.<o:p></o:p>

This season, they will be led by Mayank Agarwal and the auction provided some star additions for them in the form Jonny Bairstow, Kagiso Rabada, Liam Livingstone and Shahrukh Khan and Shikhar Dhawan to name a few.<o:p></o:p>

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season kicks off on Saturday with last year’s finalists Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders facing each other. This year, the competition in the tournament has gone up a notch as two new teams joined the fray and a number of franchises have done quite well in the auctions.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season kicks off on Saturday with last year’s finalists Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders facing each other. This year, the competition in the tournament has gone up a notch as two new teams joined the fray and a number of franchises have done quite well in the auctions. However, former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar has identified one franchise who he thinks will find it difficult to win the tournament this year. Also read | Reliving MS Dhoni's tenure as CSK captain after his resignation "Punjab Kings is one of those teams that have not managed to win the IPL. This time, I don't think they have an impact player in their squad but this can benefit the team as well. When there are very low expectations, there is very less pressure and when the pressure is less, the players are freer in their approach," Gavaskar told Sports Tak. "In that aspect, I think Punjab Kings can surprise a few. Will they win the trophy? I doubt that. See, this is a T20 format and you have to be in that consistent cycle of winning," he added. Also read | Kohli lauds Dhoni's 'legendary' captaincy tenure at CSK Punjab Kings have never won the title but they came very close in 2014. Wriddhiman Saha scored a brilliant century in the final but they were ultimately defeated by the Kolkata Knight Riders. This season, they will be led by Mayank Agarwal and the auction provided some star additions for them in the form Jonny Bairstow, Kagiso Rabada, Liam Livingstone and Shahrukh Khan and Shikhar Dhawan to name a few.

IPL 2022: Sunil Gavaskar identifies one team unlikely to win title this year

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 will kick off on March 26 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on Kolkata Knight Riders and ahead of the encounter, former India opener Aakash Chopra has predicted the playing XI for CSK. <o:p></o:p>

With MS Dhoni stepping down as the skipper, CSK will have a new leader in Ravindra Jadeja but they will be missing the services of England all-rounder Moeen Ali after his arrival was delayed due to visa issues.<o:p></o:p>

Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked Ruturaj Gaikwad and Kevin Conway as the two CSK openers.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-hands-over-csk-captaincy-to-ravindra-jadeja-ahead-of-ipl-2022-465123">MS Dhoni hands over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022</a>

“There are a few complications. If Moeen Ali is not available, who will be the four overseas for the first match? I am saying open with Devon Conway alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad. You will get a left-handed opener,”<o:p></o:p>

“At No. 3, if you don’t have Moeen Ali, then Robin Uthappa. Once Moeen Ali comes, you will have to once again think about your overseas contingent, which way you want to go. After that, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja and then Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni at No. 7,” Chopra said in the video. <o:p></o:p>

In the middle order, Chopra went with Shivam Dube who was bought for big money by CSK in the auction and also included surprise pick Rajvardhan Hangargekar in his playing XI for the opener.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-a-look-at-the-veterans-captaincy-record-for-chennai-super-kings-465141" hreflang="en">MS Dhoni: A look at the veteran's captaincy record for Chennai Super Kings</a>

“Shivam Dube has been a very good purchase. In my opinion, this is a make-or-break season for him. If he doesn’t flower even under MS Dhoni, because the two Royals have not done good for him – whether it is Royal Challengers Bangalore or Rajasthan Royals. If he seals his place here, the story can become good.”<o:p></o:p>

“After that, Dwayne Bravo. I have kept Hangargekar, Chris Jordan and Adam Milne in my team. So my four overseas players are Dwayne Bravo, Adam Milne, Chris Jordan and Devon Conway to begin with. Once Chahar becomes available, one out of Jordan or Bravo will play,” Chopra concluded.<o:p></o:p>

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 will kick off on March 26 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on Kolkata Knight Riders and ahead of the encounter, former India opener Aakash Chopra has predicted the playing XI for CSK.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 will kick off on March 26 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on Kolkata Knight Riders and ahead of the encounter, former India opener Aakash Chopra has predicted the playing XI for CSK. With MS Dhoni stepping down as the skipper, CSK will have a new leader in Ravindra Jadeja but they will be missing the services of England all-rounder Moeen Ali after his arrival was delayed due to visa issues. Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked Ruturaj Gaikwad and Kevin Conway as the two CSK openers. Also read | MS Dhoni hands over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022 “There are a few complications. If Moeen Ali is not available, who will be the four overseas for the first match? I am saying open with Devon Conway alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad. You will get a left-handed opener,” “At No. 3, if you don’t have Moeen Ali, then Robin Uthappa. Once Moeen Ali comes, you will have to once again think about your overseas contingent, which way you want to go. After that, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja and then Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni at No. 7,” Chopra said in the video. In the middle order, Chopra went with Shivam Dube who was bought for big money by CSK in the auction and also included surprise pick Rajvardhan Hangargekar in his playing XI for the opener. Also read | MS Dhoni: A look at the veteran's captaincy record for Chennai Super Kings “Shivam Dube has been a very good purchase. In my opinion, this is a make-or-break season for him. If he doesn’t flower even under MS Dhoni, because the two Royals have not done good for him – whether it is Royal Challengers Bangalore or Rajasthan Royals. If he seals his place here, the story can become good.” “After that, Dwayne Bravo. I have kept Hangargekar, Chris Jordan and Adam Milne in my team. So my four overseas players are Dwayne Bravo, Adam Milne, Chris Jordan and Devon Conway to begin with. Once Chahar becomes available, one out of Jordan or Bravo will play,” Chopra concluded.

IPL 2022: Aakash Chopra picks CSK's playing XI for season-opener vs KKR

Kolkata Knight Riders have made a smart buy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction 2022 in the form of Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi. The veteran, who captains Afghanistan in T20 internationals, is no stranger to the tournament and he will be looking to reach a huge personal milestone when KKR faces defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the opener on March 26.<o:p></o:p>

Nabi is currently just four runs away from completing 5000 runs in T20s. If he can do it, he will become just the fifth cricketer in history to score 5000 runs and take 300 wickets in the shortest format of the game. He already has 302 wickets to his name for country and other franchises.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-hands-over-csk-captaincy-to-ravindra-jadeja-ahead-of-ipl-2022-465123">MS Dhoni hands over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022</a>

A look at the all-rounders who have taken 300+ wickets and 5000+ runs -<o:p></o:p>

Kieron Pollard (West Indies) – 11,427 runs; 304 wickets<o:p></o:p>

Dwayne Bravo (West Indies) – 6747 runs; 571 wickets<o:p></o:p>

Andre Russell (West Indies) – 6574 runs; 354 wickets<o:p></o:p>

Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 5872 runs; 416 wickets <o:p></o:p>

Nabi, who represented Sunrisers Hyderabad till the same season, has taken 13 wickets and has scored 180 runs in the IPL till now. He also has an impressive strike rate of 151.26.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-a-look-at-the-veterans-captaincy-record-for-chennai-super-kings-465141" hreflang="en">MS Dhoni: A look at the veteran's captaincy record for Chennai Super Kings</a>

KKR produced a brilliant run of form in the latter half of IPL 2021 but it was not enough to win the title as they were comprehensively defeated by CSK in the final.

With new talent like Aaron Finch, Sam Billings and Ajinkya Rahane joining the ranks, the two-time champions will look to start the new season positively and Nabi can be a key figure in the side as a back-up for Sunil Narine and Andre Russell.<o:p></o:p>

Kolkata Knight Riders have made a smart buy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction 2022 in the form of Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi. The veteran, who captains Afghanistan in T20 internationals, is no stranger to the tournament and he will be looking to reach a huge personal milestone when KKR faces defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the opener on March 26.

Kolkata Knight Riders have made a smart buy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction 2022 in the form of Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi. The veteran, who captains Afghanistan in T20 internationals, is no stranger to the tournament and he will be looking to reach a huge personal milestone when KKR faces defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the opener on March 26. Nabi is currently just four runs away from completing 5000 runs in T20s. If he can do it, he will become just the fifth cricketer in history to score 5000 runs and take 300 wickets in the shortest format of the game. He already has 302 wickets to his name for country and other franchises. Also read | MS Dhoni hands over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022 A look at the all-rounders who have taken 300+ wickets and 5000+ runs - Kieron Pollard (West Indies) – 11,427 runs; 304 wickets Dwayne Bravo (West Indies) – 6747 runs; 571 wickets Andre Russell (West Indies) – 6574 runs; 354 wickets Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 5872 runs; 416 wickets Nabi, who represented Sunrisers Hyderabad till the same season, has taken 13 wickets and has scored 180 runs in the IPL till now. He also has an impressive strike rate of 151.26. Also read | MS Dhoni: A look at the veteran's captaincy record for Chennai Super Kings KKR produced a brilliant run of form in the latter half of IPL 2021 but it was not enough to win the title as they were comprehensively defeated by CSK in the final. With new talent like Aaron Finch, Sam Billings and Ajinkya Rahane joining the ranks, the two-time champions will look to start the new season positively and Nabi can be a key figure in the side as a back-up for Sunil Narine and Andre Russell.

IPL 2022: KKR's Mohammad Nabi just four runs away from impressive feat

In what comes as a huge blow for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) the Shreyas Iyer-led side is all set to miss the services of two of their overseas stars Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins for the start of the season. The duo Aussie duo are confirmed to miss at least the first five of KKR's matches in the upcoming IPL 2022.

Both Cummins and Finch are currently part of the Australia squad for their ongoing tour of Pakistan. KKR mentor David Huddey confirmed that the Aussie duo will miss the franchise's first five games this season due to international duty. KKR are set to open their IPL 2022 campaign against defending champions Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 26.

"Well, it is a concern, you want your best players available, but international cricket should be the para-limit. Every cricketer should want to play international cricket for their countries so they have commitments that way. I think Cummins and Finch will miss the first five games but they will be cricket fit and cricket ready," Hussey said in a virtual presser.

"So, once they hit the ground running, both quality people and they will fit into the dressing room perfectly well," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/moeen-ali-likely-to-miss-ipl-2022-opener-3-csk-players-who-can-replace-england-all-rounder-against-kkr-464849">Moeen Ali likely to miss IPL 2022 opener: 3 CSK players who can replace England all-rounder against KKR</a>

Cummins's absence in particular is a big blow for KKR as the Australian Test skipper was set to spearhead their pace attack in the upcoming season. In his absence, KKR will rely heavily on the likes of Shivam Mavi, Umesh Yadav and Andre Russell to lead their pace attack. Meanwhile, Finch was roped in as a replacement for Alex Hales, who pulled out of the tournament.

Australia's ongoing tour of Pakitan is set to end on April 05 but both Cummins and Finch will have to serve mandatory three-day isolation in which case they are likely to miss KKR's fifth game of the season which is scheduled to take place on April 10. In the duo's absence, it remains to be seen what combination will KKR opt for at the start of the season.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gautam-gambhir-issues-warning-to-kl-rahul-no-guarantee-that-ipl-will-help-you-become-india-captain-464781">Gautam Gambhir issues warning to KL Rahul: No guarantee that IPL will help you become India captain</a>

While all-rounders Andre Russell and Sunil Narine are likely to be their two first-choice overseas players, there will be a battle betweem Sam Billings, Mohammad Nabi and Chamika Karunaratne for the remaining two slots.

 
&nbsp;

In what comes as a huge blow for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) the Shreyas Iyer-led side is all set to miss the services of two of their overseas stars Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins for the start of the season.

In what comes as a huge blow for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) the Shreyas Iyer-led side is all set to miss the services of two of their overseas stars Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins for the start of the season. The duo Aussie duo are confirmed to miss at least the first five of KKR's matches in the upcoming IPL 2022. Both Cummins and Finch are currently part of the Australia squad for their ongoing tour of Pakistan. KKR mentor David Huddey confirmed that the Aussie duo will miss the franchise's first five games this season due to international duty. KKR are set to open their IPL 2022 campaign against defending champions Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 26. "Well, it is a concern, you want your best players available, but international cricket should be the para-limit. Every cricketer should want to play international cricket for their countries so they have commitments that way. I think Cummins and Finch will miss the first five games but they will be cricket fit and cricket ready," Hussey said in a virtual presser. "So, once they hit the ground running, both quality people and they will fit into the dressing room perfectly well," he added. Also Read: Moeen Ali likely to miss IPL 2022 opener: 3 CSK players who can replace England all-rounder against KKR Cummins's absence in particular is a big blow for KKR as the Australian Test skipper was set to spearhead their pace attack in the upcoming season. In his absence, KKR will rely heavily on the likes of Shivam Mavi, Umesh Yadav and Andre Russell to lead their pace attack. Meanwhile, Finch was roped in as a replacement for Alex Hales, who pulled out of the tournament. Australia's ongoing tour of Pakitan is set to end on April 05 but both Cummins and Finch will have to serve mandatory three-day isolation in which case they are likely to miss KKR's fifth game of the season which is scheduled to take place on April 10. In the duo's absence, it remains to be seen what combination will KKR opt for at the start of the season. Also Read: Gautam Gambhir issues warning to KL Rahul: No guarantee that IPL will help you become India captain While all-rounders Andre Russell and Sunil Narine are likely to be their two first-choice overseas players, there will be a battle betweem Sam Billings, Mohammad Nabi and Chamika Karunaratne for the remaining two slots.

Huge blow for KKR as Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch to miss first 5 games for Shreyas Iyer & Co. in IPL 2022

Shubman Gill was the focal point of a lot of discussions when Kolkata Knight Riders decided to release the opener ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 auctions. However, he was picked up by Gujarat Lions even before going under the hammer and with the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year, this will be a brilliant chance for Gill to make it case in front of the national selectors.<o:p></o:p>

According to PTI, Gill spoke about the various opening partners he has had during his IPL stint till now and also opened about his recent conversations with India skipper Rohit Sharma.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pat-cummins-opens-up-about-sharing-dressing-room-with-shreyas-iyer-ahead-of-ipl-2022-464329" hreflang="en">Pat Cummins opens up about sharing dressing room with Shreyas Iyer</a><o:p></o:p>

"When I started opening in IPL, my first opening partner was Chris Lynn and we had some good partnerships. I really enjoyed batting with him. For some matches, Sunil Narine opened with me. There is no specific name as such, but the right-left combination works the best."<o:p></o:p>

The young opening batsman also spoke about learning from Rohit Sharma in the recent past.<o:p></o:p>

"Pull shot is one shot that I have always liked. I recently talked to Rohit Sharma, it was about something tactically. I asked him when he hits the ball, what goes in his mind and how does he read the bowlers' mind? There was something particular that I wanted to talk to Rohit Sharma about. It was not about opening the batting," said Shubman during a media interaction as quoted by PTI.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kumar-sangakkara-calls-indian-cricketer-one-of-the-best-t20-players-ahead-of-ipl-2022-464317" hreflang="en">Sangakkara calls Indian cricketer 'one of the best T20 players' ahead of IPL</a><o:p></o:p>

When asked about missing a few matches for India due to injury, Shubman said: "When you miss a tour, it is always disappointing but the injury is something you do not have control over. I am young and I will have opportunities going ahead. But when you miss series against England and South Africa, it is a big thing as you always want to perform as a youngster in overseas Tests."<o:p></o:p>

Shubman Gill was the focal point of a lot of discussions when Kolkata Knight Riders decided to release the opener ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 auctions.

Shubman Gill was the focal point of a lot of discussions when Kolkata Knight Riders decided to release the opener ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 auctions. However, he was picked up by Gujarat Lions even before going under the hammer and with the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year, this will be a brilliant chance for Gill to make it case in front of the national selectors. According to PTI, Gill spoke about the various opening partners he has had during his IPL stint till now and also opened about his recent conversations with India skipper Rohit Sharma. Also read | Pat Cummins opens up about sharing dressing room with Shreyas Iyer "When I started opening in IPL, my first opening partner was Chris Lynn and we had some good partnerships. I really enjoyed batting with him. For some matches, Sunil Narine opened with me. There is no specific name as such, but the right-left combination works the best." The young opening batsman also spoke about learning from Rohit Sharma in the recent past. "Pull shot is one shot that I have always liked. I recently talked to Rohit Sharma, it was about something tactically. I asked him when he hits the ball, what goes in his mind and how does he read the bowlers' mind? There was something particular that I wanted to talk to Rohit Sharma about. It was not about opening the batting," said Shubman during a media interaction as quoted by PTI. Also read | Sangakkara calls Indian cricketer 'one of the best T20 players' ahead of IPL When asked about missing a few matches for India due to injury, Shubman said: "When you miss a tour, it is always disappointing but the injury is something you do not have control over. I am young and I will have opportunities going ahead. But when you miss series against England and South Africa, it is a big thing as you always want to perform as a youngster in overseas Tests."

Shubman Gill picks favourite opening partner ahead of IPL 2022

Kolkata Knight Riders made a huge investment in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions when they picked up Shreyas Iyer and gave him the captaincy for this season. Iyer was a top performer for India in the series against Sri Lanka and he will be looking to continue his great run. <o:p></o:p>

KKR also got back Australia Test captain Pat Cummins after releasing him ahead of the auction. Cummins joined the side in 2020. In the buildup&nbsp;to final Test against Pakistan, the fast bowler opened up about his experience of sharing the dressing room with Shreyas during IPL 2017.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kumar-sangakkara-calls-indian-cricketer-one-of-the-best-t20-players-ahead-of-ipl-2022-464317" hreflang="en">Sangakkara calls Indian cricketer 'one of the best T20 players' ahead of IPL</a>

"Shreyas, I played with (him) at Delhi (Daredevils), we got on really well. He seems like a very calm guy and seems in form at the moment. I'm so excited to go over there, I have some close friends I will be playing alongside, can't wait," Cummins said during a pre-match press conference in Lahore.<o:p></o:p>

Cummins also weighed in on the performance of KKR in the auctions this year and said that the team made the right choice by retaining the core group players and coaching support staff.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-kohli-or-rohit-shreyas-iyer-picks-kl-rahul-as-his-favourite-captain-explains-why-464258" hreflang="en">Not Kohli or Rohit! Shreyas Iyer picks KL Rahul as his 'favourite' captain</a><o:p></o:p>

"Really excited. It's been great that most of the squad has been able to kept together. So, most of the players and staff know really well," he added during the press interaction.<o:p></o:p>

Cummins will not be available for KKR towards the start of the season due to the ongoing series against Pakistan. KKR will play their first game against CSK in the tournament opener on March 26.<o:p></o:p>

Kolkata Knight Riders made a huge investment in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions when they picked up Shreyas Iyer and gave him the captaincy for this season.

Kolkata Knight Riders made a huge investment in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions when they picked up Shreyas Iyer and gave him the captaincy for this season. Iyer was a top performer for India in the series against Sri Lanka and he will be looking to continue his great run. KKR also got back Australia Test captain Pat Cummins after releasing him ahead of the auction. Cummins joined the side in 2020. In the buildup to final Test against Pakistan, the fast bowler opened up about his experience of sharing the dressing room with Shreyas during IPL 2017. Also read | Sangakkara calls Indian cricketer 'one of the best T20 players' ahead of IPL "Shreyas, I played with (him) at Delhi (Daredevils), we got on really well. He seems like a very calm guy and seems in form at the moment. I'm so excited to go over there, I have some close friends I will be playing alongside, can't wait," Cummins said during a pre-match press conference in Lahore. Cummins also weighed in on the performance of KKR in the auctions this year and said that the team made the right choice by retaining the core group players and coaching support staff. Also read | Not Kohli or Rohit! Shreyas Iyer picks KL Rahul as his 'favourite' captain "Really excited. It's been great that most of the squad has been able to kept together. So, most of the players and staff know really well," he added during the press interaction. Cummins will not be available for KKR towards the start of the season due to the ongoing series against Pakistan. KKR will play their first game against CSK in the tournament opener on March 26.

Pat Cummins opens up about sharing dressing room with Shreyas Iyer ahead of IPL 2022

Just ahead of the much-awaited IPL 2022 edition's season-opener, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got a big blow as Englishman Alex Hales has withdrawn from the ten-team tournament citing bio-bubble fatigue. Earlier, Gujarat Titans' (GT) Jason Roy had also pulled out of the upcoming season of the cash-rich league, due to bubble fatigue.&nbsp;

With Hales not participating in the IPL 15 season, he was been replaced by Australia's white-ball captain Aaron Finch. It is to be noted that Finch had gone unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction, which was held in mid-February, after he wasn't part of the previous edition. Prior to the last year's season, he had also failed to draw a single bid in the IPL 2021 auction. By joining KKR, Finch is all set to play for his 9th IPL franchise. He is joining the two-time winners for INR 15 million (INR 1.5 crore); the same price for which Hales was roped in during the mega auction.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/kolkata-knight-riders-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-shreyas-iyer-joins-galaxy-of-knights-cummins-returns-453041">Kolkata Knight Riders complete squad for IPL 2022: Shreyas Iyer joins Galaxy of Knights, Cummins returns</a>

Finch's IPL career has been a rollercoaster ride. He has so far represented&nbsp;Punjab Kings (PBKS), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Gujarat Lions (GL), Delhi Capitals (then known as Delhi Daredevils), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Pune Warriors, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI). In T20s, he has over 10,000 runs with an average of over 30 and a strike rate close to 140.

The Shreyas Iyer-led KKR unit will play the opening game of the season, versus four-time champions and defenders MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-set-to-earn-a-whopping-rs-8-billion-from-ipl-2022-sponsorship-and-other-deals-report-461341">BCCI set to earn a whopping Rs 8 billion from IPL 2022 sponsorship and other deals - Report</a>

Complete squad of KKR for IPL 2022:&nbsp;

Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Baba Indrajith, Abhijit Tomar,&nbsp;Sam Billings, Aaron Finch, Rasikh Dar, Ashok Sharma, Tim Southee,&nbsp;Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana,&nbsp;Shivam Mavi, Anukul Roy, Chamika Karunaratne, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Md Nabi

Just ahead of the much-awaited IPL 2022 edition's season-opener, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got a big blow as Englishman Alex Hales has withdrawn from the ten-team tournament citing bio-bubble fatigue.

Just ahead of the much-awaited IPL 2022 edition's season-opener, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got a big blow as Englishman Alex Hales has withdrawn from the ten-team tournament citing bio-bubble fatigue. Earlier, Gujarat Titans' (GT) Jason Roy had also pulled out of the upcoming season of the cash-rich league, due to bubble fatigue. With Hales not participating in the IPL 15 season, he was been replaced by Australia's white-ball captain Aaron Finch. It is to be noted that Finch had gone unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction, which was held in mid-February, after he wasn't part of the previous edition. Prior to the last year's season, he had also failed to draw a single bid in the IPL 2021 auction. By joining KKR, Finch is all set to play for his 9th IPL franchise. He is joining the two-time winners for INR 15 million (INR 1.5 crore); the same price for which Hales was roped in during the mega auction. ALSO READ | Kolkata Knight Riders complete squad for IPL 2022: Shreyas Iyer joins Galaxy of Knights, Cummins returns Finch's IPL career has been a rollercoaster ride. He has so far represented Punjab Kings (PBKS), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Gujarat Lions (GL), Delhi Capitals (then known as Delhi Daredevils), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Pune Warriors, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI). In T20s, he has over 10,000 runs with an average of over 30 and a strike rate close to 140. The Shreyas Iyer-led KKR unit will play the opening game of the season, versus four-time champions and defenders MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. ALSO READ | BCCI set to earn a whopping Rs 8 billion from IPL 2022 sponsorship and other deals - Report Complete squad of KKR for IPL 2022: Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Baba Indrajith, Abhijit Tomar, Sam Billings, Aaron Finch, Rasikh Dar, Ashok Sharma, Tim Southee, Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana, Shivam Mavi, Anukul Roy, Chamika Karunaratne, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Md Nabi

IPL 2022: Aaron Finch replaces Alex Hales in Shreyas Iyer-led KKR squad after Englishman's withdrawal

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the complete schedule of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season. IPL 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) locking horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

This time around the Indian Premier League is all set to have ten instead of eight teams but each team will play 14 league games like before. The ten teams have been divided into two groups of five each with Mumbai Indians and CSK headlining Group A and B respectively.

Here is a look at the two groups for IPL 2022:

Group A&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Group B 
Mumbai Indians&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Chennai Super Kings 
Kolkata Knight Riders&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sunrisers Hyderabad&nbsp; 
Rajasthan Royals&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Royal Challengers Bangalore 
Delhi Capitals&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Punjab Kings 
Lucknow Super Giants&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Gujarat Titans

As per the new format of the IPL, each team will play twice against the other four teams in their respective groups and against the team who are placed in the same row in the other group. For an example, CSK will play twice against Mumbai Indians and the remaining four teams in Group B, while KKR will play twice against Sunrisers Hyderabad and the remaining four teams in Group A.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-new-format-explained-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-headline-two-groups-456529">&nbsp;IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups</a>

Check out the complete schedule of IPL 2022:

<img alt="IPL schedule" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9d0f999d-36c7-478a-b1de-38e2f2cce7c5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IPL%20schedule%201.png" />

<img alt="IPL schedule" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="becffb85-f81e-462b-bf1b-0f32c1a1f6c2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IPL%20schedule%202.jpg" />

Debutants Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants will play their respective first game of the season when they lock horns against each other at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 28.

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will take on Rishabh Pant's Delhi Capitals in the second game of the season on March 27, which will see the first double-header of the season with Punjab Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore on the same day.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/deepak-chahar-to-liam-livingstone-5-players-who-earned-biggest-pay-rise-at-ipl-mega-auction-453828">Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction</a>

There will be a total of 12 double headers in IPL 2022 with six on Saturdays and six on Sundays. The BCCI is so far announced the schedule for only the league stage of the competition featuring 70 matches in total. The venue and dates for the playoffs are yet to be announced while the final is confirmed to be played on May 29.

The final league game of the season will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings on May 22. The playoffs are expected to get underway from May 24 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The entire legaue stage will be hosted by four venues in Maharashtra.

The Wankhede Stadium and DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai will host 20 matches each during the league stage while the Brabourne Stadium and the MCA Stadium in Pune will host 15 matches apiece.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the complete schedule of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season. IPL 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) locking horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the complete schedule of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season. IPL 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) locking horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This time around the Indian Premier League is all set to have ten instead of eight teams but each team will play 14 league games like before. The ten teams have been divided into two groups of five each with Mumbai Indians and CSK headlining Group A and B respectively. Here is a look at the two groups for IPL 2022: Group A Group B Mumbai Indians Chennai Super Kings Kolkata Knight Riders Sunrisers Hyderabad Rajasthan Royals Royal Challengers Bangalore Delhi Capitals Punjab Kings Lucknow Super Giants Gujarat Titans As per the new format of the IPL, each team will play twice against the other four teams in their respective groups and against the team who are placed in the same row in the other group. For an example, CSK will play twice against Mumbai Indians and the remaining four teams in Group B, while KKR will play twice against Sunrisers Hyderabad and the remaining four teams in Group A. Also Read: IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups Check out the complete schedule of IPL 2022: Debutants Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants will play their respective first game of the season when they lock horns against each other at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 28. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will take on Rishabh Pant's Delhi Capitals in the second game of the season on March 27, which will see the first double-header of the season with Punjab Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore on the same day. Also Read: Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction There will be a total of 12 double headers in IPL 2022 with six on Saturdays and six on Sundays. The BCCI is so far announced the schedule for only the league stage of the competition featuring 70 matches in total. The venue and dates for the playoffs are yet to be announced while the final is confirmed to be played on May 29. The final league game of the season will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings on May 22. The playoffs are expected to get underway from May 24 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The entire legaue stage will be hosted by four venues in Maharashtra. The Wankhede Stadium and DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai will host 20 matches each during the league stage while the Brabourne Stadium and the MCA Stadium in Pune will host 15 matches apiece.

IPL 2022 complete schedule announced: MS Dhoni's CSK to take on KKR in season-opener

Hardik Pandya has been out of action since the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. Since then, the 28-year-old all-rounder is out of contention and is striving hard to regain full fitness to reclaim the all-rounder's slot in Team India setup across formats.

Hardik will next be seen in action during the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition, where he will represent the Gujarat Titans (GT). The swashbuckling all-rounder will represent his home franchise as the captain. Along with showcasing his skills as captain, Hardik will be eager to don the all-rounder's role and perform with aplomb for a comeback into the national side. For now, he was been replaced by Venkatesh Iyer in the white-ball formats. Iyer has also grown as a T20I player over the past month and is doing the right things so far to make it to the 2022 T20 WC squad.

Nonetheless, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra feels Hardik still has the upper hand and will pip Venky Iyer for the fast-bowling all-rounder's slot, for the T20 WC, once he starts bowling and regains full fitness.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/big-blow-to-ms-dhonis-csk-as-deepak-chahar-set-to-miss-majority-of-ipl-2022-edition-reports-458194">Big blow to MS Dhoni's CSK as Deepak Chahar set to miss majority of IPL 2022 edition - Reports</a>

“It may look like Venkatesh Iyer is ahead in the race, but I won't be surprised if Hardik Pandya wins it. Ravindra Jadeja will be the spin all-rounder and Pandya will be the fast-bowling all-rounder,” Aakash said on his official YouTube channel.

“Iyer is present for now but the day Hardik starts bowling, he will pip Venkatesh Iyer for the role. It is also worth remembering that it is not a bilateral series where you can take 18-20 players at once according to your convenience. This is an ICC event where you can select only a 15-member squad," the ex-cricketer pointed out.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-t20i-rankings-shreyas-iyer-achieves-huge-jump-after-sl-series-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-out-of-top-10-458106">ICC T20I Rankings: Shreyas Iyer achieves huge jump after SL series; Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma out of top 10</a>

The former India batter further stated that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener Venky Iyer will only have an outside chance if Hardik doesn't regain full fitness.

“So, when you only have 15 places, you cannot take everything with you. So, you will only have two options for the all-rounder position and for me, they would be Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya. Venkatesh Iyer may have a chance if Pandya isn't fit -- that can also happen but hopefully it doesn't,” said Aakash.

Hardik Pandya has been out of action since the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. Since then, the 28-year-old all-rounder is out of contention and is striving hard to regain full fitness to reclaim the all-rounder's slot in Team India setup across formats.

Hardik Pandya has been out of action since the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. Since then, the 28-year-old all-rounder is out of contention and is striving hard to regain full fitness to reclaim the all-rounder's slot in Team India setup across formats. Hardik will next be seen in action during the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition, where he will represent the Gujarat Titans (GT). The swashbuckling all-rounder will represent his home franchise as the captain. Along with showcasing his skills as captain, Hardik will be eager to don the all-rounder's role and perform with aplomb for a comeback into the national side. For now, he was been replaced by Venkatesh Iyer in the white-ball formats. Iyer has also grown as a T20I player over the past month and is doing the right things so far to make it to the 2022 T20 WC squad. Nonetheless, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra feels Hardik still has the upper hand and will pip Venky Iyer for the fast-bowling all-rounder's slot, for the T20 WC, once he starts bowling and regains full fitness. ALSO READ | Big blow to MS Dhoni's CSK as Deepak Chahar set to miss majority of IPL 2022 edition - Reports “It may look like Venkatesh Iyer is ahead in the race, but I won't be surprised if Hardik Pandya wins it. Ravindra Jadeja will be the spin all-rounder and Pandya will be the fast-bowling all-rounder,” Aakash said on his official YouTube channel. “Iyer is present for now but the day Hardik starts bowling, he will pip Venkatesh Iyer for the role. It is also worth remembering that it is not a bilateral series where you can take 18-20 players at once according to your convenience. This is an ICC event where you can select only a 15-member squad," the ex-cricketer pointed out. ALSO READ | ICC T20I Rankings: Shreyas Iyer achieves huge jump after SL series; Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma out of top 10 The former India batter further stated that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener Venky Iyer will only have an outside chance if Hardik doesn't regain full fitness. “So, when you only have 15 places, you cannot take everything with you. So, you will only have two options for the all-rounder position and for me, they would be Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya. Venkatesh Iyer may have a chance if Pandya isn't fit -- that can also happen but hopefully it doesn't,” said Aakash.

The day Hardik starts bowling, he'll pip Iyer for the all-rounder's slot for T20 World Cup: Aakash Chopra

Shreyas Iyer made heads turn in the just-concluded India-Sri Lanka T20Is at home. In the three games, Iyer got an opportunity to bat at No. 3 in Virat Kohli's absence and made the most of his chances to remain unbeaten throughout the series. He returned with scores of&nbsp;57* (28), 74* (44) and 73* (45) as Rohit Sharma's India completed a whitewash over the hapless Islanders.

While Iyer shifts his focus on the two-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka, which gets underway on March 04 in Mohali, he reflected back on his journey with the Delhi Capitals (DC), having made his IPL debut for the franchise in 2015. After a shoulder injury in early 2021, the right-hander couldn't take part in the first leg of IPL 2021 and eventually lost the captaincy to Rishabh Pant for the whole season. With DC willing to continue with Pant as the captain, Iyer wasn't retained and has now been bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of IPL 2022 edition.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-joins-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-kl-rahul-in-elite-list-after-dream-run-in-sri-lanka-t20is-457333">Shreyas Iyer joins Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul in elite list after dream run in Sri Lanka T20Is</a>

“Injury,” Iyer said in a recent interaction -- with Times of India -- on being asked what was the bigger blow between injury and losing DC captaincy. “That was a bigger low. If that didn't happen, they wouldn't have stepped me down as a captain. At Delhi Capitals, you saw the reflection of the environment at the start of 2021, which we created in 2019 &amp; 20. The atmosphere was amazing. The players knew each other inside out, their strengths and weaknesses. I don't want to get deeper into it," stated Iyer.

Under Iyer, DC had reached their first-ever playoffs after nine years in IPL 2019. In addition, the franchise played their maiden&nbsp;final during&nbsp;IPL 2020 season -- during Iyer's captaincy --&nbsp;held in the UAE.

He further asserted on his injury, "Sometimes things just happen for the better. It's just that we come to know about it later. I was on a roll right in New Zealand (in early 2020) and began feeling really confident of myself and my batting. As captain, I had an amazing season going in the IPL and I scored some 500 runs (in 2020 edition). I was in a good frame of mind and then that injury began playing on my mind. Forced breaks are never easy because you have to start all over again."

<section>
"Injuries and rehabs are painful. But I must say, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The injury had made me feel I was 50% of the player I otherwise am. Having fully recovered, I've come back fresh and feel good. So, whatever happens, happens for good," Iyer added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/best-number-for-me-is-shreyas-iyer-reveals-his-preferred-batting-slot-after-sri-lanka-t20is-457541">'Best number for me is....' - Shreyas Iyer reveals his preferred batting slot after Sri Lanka T20Is</a>

For the unversed, KKR acquired Iyer's services in the IPL 2022 mega auction for a whopping INR 122.5 million (INR 12.25 crore). Thus, he has joined an elite list of captains for the Kolkata-based franchise, including Sourav Ganguly, Brendon McCullum, Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik and Eoin Morgan. He will be eager to take the two-time winners one step ahead this time around, in the forthcoming season, after they ended as runners-up in IPL 2021.
</section>

Shreyas Iyer made heads turn in the just-concluded India-Sri Lanka T20Is at home. In the three games, Iyer got an opportunity to bat at No. 3 in Virat Kohli's absence and made the most of his chances to remain unbeaten throughout the series.

Shreyas Iyer made heads turn in the just-concluded India-Sri Lanka T20Is at home. In the three games, Iyer got an opportunity to bat at No. 3 in Virat Kohli's absence and made the most of his chances to remain unbeaten throughout the series. He returned with scores of 57* (28), 74* (44) and 73* (45) as Rohit Sharma's India completed a whitewash over the hapless Islanders. While Iyer shifts his focus on the two-match Test series between India and Sri Lanka, which gets underway on March 04 in Mohali, he reflected back on his journey with the Delhi Capitals (DC), having made his IPL debut for the franchise in 2015. After a shoulder injury in early 2021, the right-hander couldn't take part in the first leg of IPL 2021 and eventually lost the captaincy to Rishabh Pant for the whole season. With DC willing to continue with Pant as the captain, Iyer wasn't retained and has now been bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of IPL 2022 edition. ALSO READ | Shreyas Iyer joins Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul in elite list after dream run in Sri Lanka T20Is “Injury,” Iyer said in a recent interaction -- with Times of India -- on being asked what was the bigger blow between injury and losing DC captaincy. “That was a bigger low. If that didn't happen, they wouldn't have stepped me down as a captain. At Delhi Capitals, you saw the reflection of the environment at the start of 2021, which we created in 2019 & 20. The atmosphere was amazing. The players knew each other inside out, their strengths and weaknesses. I don't want to get deeper into it," stated Iyer. Under Iyer, DC had reached their first-ever playoffs after nine years in IPL 2019. In addition, the franchise played their maiden final during IPL 2020 season -- during Iyer's captaincy -- held in the UAE. He further asserted on his injury, "Sometimes things just happen for the better. It's just that we come to know about it later. I was on a roll right in New Zealand (in early 2020) and began feeling really confident of myself and my batting. As captain, I had an amazing season going in the IPL and I scored some 500 runs (in 2020 edition). I was in a good frame of mind and then that injury began playing on my mind. Forced breaks are never easy because you have to start all over again." "Injuries and rehabs are painful. But I must say, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The injury had made me feel I was 50% of the player I otherwise am. Having fully recovered, I've come back fresh and feel good. So, whatever happens, happens for good," Iyer added. ALSO READ | 'Best number for me is....' - Shreyas Iyer reveals his preferred batting slot after Sri Lanka T20Is For the unversed, KKR acquired Iyer's services in the IPL 2022 mega auction for a whopping INR 122.5 million (INR 12.25 crore). Thus, he has joined an elite list of captains for the Kolkata-based franchise, including Sourav Ganguly, Brendon McCullum, Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik and Eoin Morgan. He will be eager to take the two-time winners one step ahead this time around, in the forthcoming season, after they ended as runners-up in IPL 2021.

'They wouldn't have...': Shreyas Iyer recalls being replaced as Delhi Capitals' skipper

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 and the league stage of the tournament will be played across four venues in Mumbai and Pune. This will be the 15th edition of the tournament, which has become one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world over the years. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has already announced the start date and the venues of the tournament but is yet to confirm the official schedule of IPL 2022.

As per a report in the Indian Express, defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to take on last year's finalists Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening game of the season. CSK had defeated KKR by 27 runs in the final of IPL 2021 last year to clinch their fourth title.

This time around, IPL is all set to have a new format with ten teams having been divided into two groups of five each. While CSK are placed in Group B, KKR are in Group B. The two teams will play against each other only once this season as they are part of different groups.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-new-format-explained-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-headline-two-groups-456529">IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups</a>

Dedicated separate lane for IPL teams

The report further adds that the Maharashtra Government is ready to provide full support to the BCCI in making IPL 2022 a successful event. The state government has reportedly promised a separate lane for easy movement of the IPL teams during the course of the tournament.

The separate lane will help the teams in beating the busy traffic in Mumbai and Pune while travelling to the stadiums and training venues. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA)'s ground in Bandra-Kurla Complex and Dadoji Kondadev Stadium in Thane are reportedly set to be used as training facilities for the IPL teams during the tournament.

The Wankhede Stadium and the DY Patil Stadium,&nbsp;Brabourne Stadium and the MCA Stadium in Pune are all set to host the 70 league matches during IPL 2022. The dates and venues for the playoffs are yet to be confirmed by the BCCI.

&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 and the league stage of the tournament will be played across four venues in Mumbai and Pune.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 and the league stage of the tournament will be played across four venues in Mumbai and Pune. This will be the 15th edition of the tournament, which has become one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world over the years. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has already announced the start date and the venues of the tournament but is yet to confirm the official schedule of IPL 2022. As per a report in the Indian Express, defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to take on last year's finalists Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening game of the season. CSK had defeated KKR by 27 runs in the final of IPL 2021 last year to clinch their fourth title. This time around, IPL is all set to have a new format with ten teams having been divided into two groups of five each. While CSK are placed in Group B, KKR are in Group B. The two teams will play against each other only once this season as they are part of different groups. Also Read: IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups Dedicated separate lane for IPL teams The report further adds that the Maharashtra Government is ready to provide full support to the BCCI in making IPL 2022 a successful event. The state government has reportedly promised a separate lane for easy movement of the IPL teams during the course of the tournament. The separate lane will help the teams in beating the busy traffic in Mumbai and Pune while travelling to the stadiums and training venues. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA)'s ground in Bandra-Kurla Complex and Dadoji Kondadev Stadium in Thane are reportedly set to be used as training facilities for the IPL teams during the tournament. The Wankhede Stadium and the DY Patil Stadium, Brabourne Stadium and the MCA Stadium in Pune are all set to host the 70 league matches during IPL 2022. The dates and venues for the playoffs are yet to be confirmed by the BCCI.

MS Dhoni's CSK to take on Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2022 opener: Report

IPL 2022: All teams and their squad list

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced the appointment of Shreyas Iyer as their new captain ahead of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR had headed into the recently-concluded IPL 2022 mega auction looking for a potential captaincy candidate after letting go of Eoin Morgan, who led the side last year.

Kolkata Knight Riders roped in star Indian batter Iyer for a whopping Rs 12.25 crore (INR 122.5 million), making him their most expensive signing at the IPL 2022 mega auction. Iyer, who led Delhi Capitals to their first-ever final in IPL 2020, will be leading KKR in IPL 2022.

Iyer was appointed as the captain of the Delhi Capitals midway through the IPL 2018 season. He led the team to their first playoffs after seven years in 2019 before guiding them to the final in IPL 2020. Iyer was replaced by Rishabh Pant as the captain of the side after missing the first phase of IPL 2021 due to an injury.

While many expected he would take over from Pant and continue in his role as DC's skipper after returning from injury, the franchise decided to replace him with Pant permanently. Iyer hence parted ways with DC in search of a leadership role and was picked up by KKR at the IPL 2022 mega auction.

One of the regulars for India in white-ball cricket, Iyer has proven his leadership credentials in IPL already and will be keen on helping KKR end their title drought since 2014. The two-time champions had made it to the final last year but lost to MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings to miss out on their third title.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, say hello to the NEW SKIPPER of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GalaxyOfKnights?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GalaxyOfKnights</a> 
 
অধিনায়ক <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShreyasIyer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShreyasIyer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ShreyasIyer15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShreyasIyer15</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmiKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmiKKR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/veMfzRoPp2">pic.twitter.com/veMfzRoPp2</a>
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders/status/1493894709479362562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/quinton-de-kock-to-david-warner-top-5-steals-of-ipl-2022-mega-auction-453576">Quinton de Kock to David Warner: Top 5 steals of IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Kolkata Knight Riders had retained four players ahead of the mega auction - Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer and Varun Chakaravarthy, and added some quality players to their squad at the mega auction. KKR have roped in the likes of Pat Cummins, Alex Hales, Sam Billings and Nitish Rana to further strengthen their squad ahead of the new season.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced the appointment of Shreyas Iyer as their new captain ahead of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR had headed into the recently-concluded IPL 2022 mega auction looking for a potential captaincy candidate after letting go of Eoin Morgan, who led the side last year.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced the appointment of Shreyas Iyer as their new captain ahead of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR had headed into the recently-concluded IPL 2022 mega auction looking for a potential captaincy candidate after letting go of Eoin Morgan, who led the side last year. Kolkata Knight Riders roped in star Indian batter Iyer for a whopping Rs 12.25 crore (INR 122.5 million), making him their most expensive signing at the IPL 2022 mega auction. Iyer, who led Delhi Capitals to their first-ever final in IPL 2020, will be leading KKR in IPL 2022. Iyer was appointed as the captain of the Delhi Capitals midway through the IPL 2018 season. He led the team to their first playoffs after seven years in 2019 before guiding them to the final in IPL 2020. Iyer was replaced by Rishabh Pant as the captain of the side after missing the first phase of IPL 2021 due to an injury. While many expected he would take over from Pant and continue in his role as DC's skipper after returning from injury, the franchise decided to replace him with Pant permanently. Iyer hence parted ways with DC in search of a leadership role and was picked up by KKR at the IPL 2022 mega auction. One of the regulars for India in white-ball cricket, Iyer has proven his leadership credentials in IPL already and will be keen on helping KKR end their title drought since 2014. The two-time champions had made it to the final last year but lost to MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings to miss out on their third title. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, say hello to the NEW SKIPPER of the #GalaxyOfKnights অধিনায়ক #ShreyasIyer @ShreyasIyer15 #IPL2022 #KKR #AmiKKR #Cricket pic.twitter.com/veMfzRoPp2 — KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) February 16, 2022 × Also Read: Quinton de Kock to David Warner: Top 5 steals of IPL 2022 mega auction Kolkata Knight Riders had retained four players ahead of the mega auction - Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer and Varun Chakaravarthy, and added some quality players to their squad at the mega auction. KKR have roped in the likes of Pat Cummins, Alex Hales, Sam Billings and Nitish Rana to further strengthen their squad ahead of the new season.

Kolkata Knight Riders confirm Shreyas Iyer's appointment as their new captain ahead of IPL 2022

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a star-studded two-day affair, which took place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. The ten IPL franchises took part in the auction proceedings with an aim to build their respective squads. The two new IPL teams -- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) -- had a tougher task in&nbsp;developing a formidable unit from scratch.

Talking about the KL Rahul-led LSG franchise, they impressed one and all with their smart buying skills. Heading into the mega auction with INR 590 million -- after acquiring the services of Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi -- the Sanjiv Goenka-owned team roped in some big names as well as plenty of youngsters in the mega auction.

Lucknow roped in the likes of Quinton de Kock, Jason Holder, Mark Wood, Evin Lewis, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Hooda, Manish Pandey, etc. to form a strong line-up before the upcoming season, set to be held in March-May. Thus, the new franchise impressed many, including former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra.

Lucknow's shopping at the mega auction was rated highly by many, with some terming it better than veteran franchises Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Mumbai Indians (MI), etc., as they were left with not a single penny in their purse. Thus, Chopra has lauded the new IPL team.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lucknow-super-giants-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-de-kock-holder-and-avesh-among-best-buys-for-debutants-453060">Lucknow Super Giants complete squad for IPL 2022: De Kock, Holder and Avesh among best buys for debutants</a>

Chopra said on his Youtube channel, "I have given the Lucknow Super Giants the second-most numbers. I have given them 9/10. First, they spent all the money they had; even one rupee was not left. They are phenomenal; how can someone do it with so much precision. They bought 21 players, and there are some outstanding buys.

“They had Rahul, Stoinis and Bishnoi. If you have Stoinis, you think if you can get Jason Holder. Generally, teams think if they can get Stoinis or Mitchell Marsh or Jason Holder. You don't get all three together, they have got two already,” he explained further.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-who-is-pbkss-benny-howell-first-french-born-cricketer-to-feature-in-indias-cash-rich-league-453247">IPL 2022: Who is PBKS's Benny Howell? First French-born cricketer to feature in India's cash-rich league</a>

"In Quinton de Kock, you have got a player who is 29 years old, and plays just white-ball cricket. You got him for 6.75 crores; he will open and hit, and he is left-handed. Phenomenal buy. You see Manish Pandey and Deepak Hooda, and then you think Rahul Tewatia, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi - they were all expensive; Manish Pandey and Deepak Hooda seem to be a steal. After that, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya and Jason Holder. They also have Krishnappa Gowtham. No team has so many all-rounders. I mean go to this team if you want to make a list of multi-faceted cricketers," Chopra added.

Complete squad of Lucknow SG:

KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, Ravi Bishnoi, Quinton de Kock, Manish Pandey, Manan Vohra,&nbsp;Evin Lewis, Jason Holder, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, K Gowtham, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Karan Sharma, Mark Wood, Avesh Khan, Ankit Rajpoot, Dushmantha Chameera, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a star-studded two-day affair, which took place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. The ten IPL franchises took part in the auction proceedings with an aim to build their respective squads.

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a star-studded two-day affair, which took place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. The ten IPL franchises took part in the auction proceedings with an aim to build their respective squads. The two new IPL teams -- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) -- had a tougher task in developing a formidable unit from scratch. Talking about the KL Rahul-led LSG franchise, they impressed one and all with their smart buying skills. Heading into the mega auction with INR 590 million -- after acquiring the services of Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi -- the Sanjiv Goenka-owned team roped in some big names as well as plenty of youngsters in the mega auction. Lucknow roped in the likes of Quinton de Kock, Jason Holder, Mark Wood, Evin Lewis, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Hooda, Manish Pandey, etc. to form a strong line-up before the upcoming season, set to be held in March-May. Thus, the new franchise impressed many, including former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra. Lucknow's shopping at the mega auction was rated highly by many, with some terming it better than veteran franchises Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Mumbai Indians (MI), etc., as they were left with not a single penny in their purse. Thus, Chopra has lauded the new IPL team. ALSO READ | Lucknow Super Giants complete squad for IPL 2022: De Kock, Holder and Avesh among best buys for debutants Chopra said on his Youtube channel, "I have given the Lucknow Super Giants the second-most numbers. I have given them 9/10. First, they spent all the money they had; even one rupee was not left. They are phenomenal; how can someone do it with so much precision. They bought 21 players, and there are some outstanding buys. “They had Rahul, Stoinis and Bishnoi. If you have Stoinis, you think if you can get Jason Holder. Generally, teams think if they can get Stoinis or Mitchell Marsh or Jason Holder. You don't get all three together, they have got two already,” he explained further. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Who is PBKS's Benny Howell? First French-born cricketer to feature in India's cash-rich league "In Quinton de Kock, you have got a player who is 29 years old, and plays just white-ball cricket. You got him for 6.75 crores; he will open and hit, and he is left-handed. Phenomenal buy. You see Manish Pandey and Deepak Hooda, and then you think Rahul Tewatia, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi - they were all expensive; Manish Pandey and Deepak Hooda seem to be a steal. After that, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya and Jason Holder. They also have Krishnappa Gowtham. No team has so many all-rounders. I mean go to this team if you want to make a list of multi-faceted cricketers," Chopra added. Complete squad of Lucknow SG: KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, Ravi Bishnoi, Quinton de Kock, Manish Pandey, Manan Vohra, Evin Lewis, Jason Holder, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, K Gowtham, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Karan Sharma, Mark Wood, Avesh Khan, Ankit Rajpoot, Dushmantha Chameera, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav

Not CSK or MI! Aakash Chopra impressed with new franchise for superb show at IPL 2022 mega auction

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

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

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

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

Kuldeep Yadav wasn't retained by the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before the IPL 2022 mega auction. On Day 1 of the mega auction, being held in Bengaluru, the 27-year-old was sold to the Delhi Capitals (DC) for INR 20 million (INR 2 crore).&nbsp;

Kuldeep debuted in the IPL in 2016, representing the then Gautam Gambhir-led KKR unit. Under KKR, Kuldeep remained a mainstay till the 12th edition in 2018, however, his stocks went down since the IPL 2019 season. He played only 9 games in&nbsp;IPL 2019&nbsp;whereas featured in only five encounters for the Kolkata-based franchise in the last two seasons. In the 2021 edition, he was ruled out due to injury.

Thus, the Rishabh Pant-led DC camp acquired his services for the IPL 2022 edition during the opening day of the mega auction in Bengaluru on Saturday (February 12). After getting Kuldeep for INR 20 million, with his base price being INR 10 million, DC co-owner Parth Jindal took a dig at the KKR team management for not valuing Kuldeep's talent in the last few seasons.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/put-on-some-clothes-and-run-charu-sharma-shares-chat-with-ipl-chairman-after-replacing-hugh-edmeades-452912">‘Put on some clothes and run' - Charu Sharma shares chat with IPL chairman after replacing Hugh Edmeades</a>

“When we looked at the value names, one of the names that stuck with us was Kuldeep Yadav. Yesterday, when Kuldeep played for India against WI (talking about the third ODI), I was holding myself I hope Kuldeep doesn't do a wonderful job, because then his price will go crazy,” Jindal said on&nbsp;Auction Alert with Boria.

“I don't think he has been handled well in IPL in last few seasons. He is a player who rides on confidence. In the environment we have created at DC, with Ricky and Rishabh, this is really what we want to give him. He has a lot to prove and the fire in the belly is there. We are very keen to see what he does come March end," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/livingstone-surpasses-hasarangas-price-tag-to-become-costliest-overseas-buy-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-452873">Livingstone surpasses Hasaranga's price tag to become costliest overseas buy at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Kuldeep will now look to contribute in the DC jersey and take them to their maiden IPL title. Since IPL 2019 edition, Delhi have been one of the most improved teams in the tournament; making it to the playoffs on every occasion and playing their maiden final in IPL 2020.&nbsp;

Kuldeep has 43 wickets in 45 IPL matches.

Kuldeep Yadav wasn't retained by the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before the IPL 2022 mega auction. On Day 1 of the mega auction, being held in Bengaluru, the 27-year-old was sold to the Delhi Capitals (DC) for INR 20 million (INR 2 crore).

Kuldeep Yadav wasn't retained by the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before the IPL 2022 mega auction. On Day 1 of the mega auction, being held in Bengaluru, the 27-year-old was sold to the Delhi Capitals (DC) for INR 20 million (INR 2 crore). Kuldeep debuted in the IPL in 2016, representing the then Gautam Gambhir-led KKR unit. Under KKR, Kuldeep remained a mainstay till the 12th edition in 2018, however, his stocks went down since the IPL 2019 season. He played only 9 games in IPL 2019 whereas featured in only five encounters for the Kolkata-based franchise in the last two seasons. In the 2021 edition, he was ruled out due to injury. Thus, the Rishabh Pant-led DC camp acquired his services for the IPL 2022 edition during the opening day of the mega auction in Bengaluru on Saturday (February 12). After getting Kuldeep for INR 20 million, with his base price being INR 10 million, DC co-owner Parth Jindal took a dig at the KKR team management for not valuing Kuldeep's talent in the last few seasons. ALSO READ | ‘Put on some clothes and run' - Charu Sharma shares chat with IPL chairman after replacing Hugh Edmeades “When we looked at the value names, one of the names that stuck with us was Kuldeep Yadav. Yesterday, when Kuldeep played for India against WI (talking about the third ODI), I was holding myself I hope Kuldeep doesn't do a wonderful job, because then his price will go crazy,” Jindal said on Auction Alert with Boria. “I don't think he has been handled well in IPL in last few seasons. He is a player who rides on confidence. In the environment we have created at DC, with Ricky and Rishabh, this is really what we want to give him. He has a lot to prove and the fire in the belly is there. We are very keen to see what he does come March end," he added. ALSO READ | Livingstone surpasses Hasaranga's price tag to become costliest overseas buy at IPL 2022 mega auction Kuldeep will now look to contribute in the DC jersey and take them to their maiden IPL title. Since IPL 2019 edition, Delhi have been one of the most improved teams in the tournament; making it to the playoffs on every occasion and playing their maiden final in IPL 2020. Kuldeep has 43 wickets in 45 IPL matches.

He wasn't handled well: DC co-owner's dig at KKR management as Kuldeep joins Pant & Co.

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

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

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

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

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore on Saturday said that his franchise has two solid captaincy options in the form of Pat Cummins and Shreyas Iyer.

KKR picked up Cummins for Rs 7.25 crore and Iyer for Rs 12.25 crore in the ongoing IPL mega auction here in Bengaluru."First of all, delighted with how the first session went for us.

To get back Pat Cummins at that price, actually, we thought he would go at a higher price so we are delighted with that. Obviously, Shreyas is a quality Indian batter, so that's fantastic and we are very excited," said Mysore while replying to an ANI query during a virtual press conference.

ALSO READ:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-stalwart-suresh-raina-goes-unsold-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-452593">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-stalwart-suresh-raina-goes-unsold-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-452593">CSK stalwart Suresh Raina goes UNSOLD at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Replying to ANI about whether Shreyas will possibly be the captain of KKR, Mysore said: "That is the decision the coach and think-tank will take. We need to digest the activities of the auction. Between Cummins and Shreyas, you have two solid options for captaincy."

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. 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.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-david-warner-goes-back-to-dc-trent-boult-and-r-ashwin-shift-base-to-rr-452584">IPL 2022 mega auction: David Warner goes back to DC, Trent Boult and R Ashwin shift base to RR</a>

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 DaA total of 600 cricketers will go under the hammer in the auction that will be held on Saturday and Sunday.

INR 2 crore is the highest reserve price and as many as 48 players chose to place themselves in this bracket. There are 20 players on the auction list with a reserve price of INR 1.5 crore while 34 players are on the list of cricketers with a reserve price of INR 1 crore.

A total of 377 Indian players and 223 overseas players are up for grabs in what promises to be an action-packed IPL 2022 Player Auction in Bengaluru.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore on Saturday said that his franchise has two solid captaincy options in the form of Pat Cummins and Shreyas Iyer. KKR picked up Cummins for Rs 7.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore on Saturday said that his franchise has two solid captaincy options in the form of Pat Cummins and Shreyas Iyer. KKR picked up Cummins for Rs 7.25 crore and Iyer for Rs 12.25 crore in the ongoing IPL mega auction here in Bengaluru."First of all, delighted with how the first session went for us. To get back Pat Cummins at that price, actually, we thought he would go at a higher price so we are delighted with that. Obviously, Shreyas is a quality Indian batter, so that's fantastic and we are very excited," said Mysore while replying to an ANI query during a virtual press conference. ALSO READ: CSK stalwart Suresh Raina goes UNSOLD at IPL 2022 mega auction Replying to ANI about whether Shreyas will possibly be the captain of KKR, Mysore said: "That is the decision the coach and think-tank will take. We need to digest the activities of the auction. Between Cummins and Shreyas, you have two solid options for captaincy." 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. 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. ALSO READ: IPL 2022 mega auction: David Warner goes back to DC, Trent Boult and R Ashwin shift base to RR 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 DaA total of 600 cricketers will go under the hammer in the auction that will be held on Saturday and Sunday. INR 2 crore is the highest reserve price and as many as 48 players chose to place themselves in this bracket. There are 20 players on the auction list with a reserve price of INR 1.5 crore while 34 players are on the list of cricketers with a reserve price of INR 1 crore. A total of 377 Indian players and 223 overseas players are up for grabs in what promises to be an action-packed IPL 2022 Player Auction in Bengaluru.

Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer 'solid options' for captaincy: Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore

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

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

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

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

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Brendon McCullum said he was disappointed to see the franchise lose star India batter Shubman Gill ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. Like the other franchises, KKR too had a tough time in finalising their four retentions ahead of the mega auction.

The two-time champions decided to keep West Indies all-rounders Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy and young Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer while letting go of Gill. Gill was once touted as one of the future leaders of KKR but had to be released by the franchise.

Gill was picked up by the Ahmedabad IPL franchise as one of their three picks from the players draft ahead of the auction. The young Indian batter has joined the Ahmedabad franchise for a whopping sum of Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million). McCullum said it was disappointing to lose Gill but they have their plans heading into the mega auction.

"You need to plan as you're going to lose a lot of players. It was disappointing to lose Shubman Gill. But that's the way life is sometimes and we will be well prepared for the upcoming auction," said the KKR head coach in a live session on the franchise's social media handles.

McCullum also talked about the four players retained by the franchise and explained why KKR decided to keep them while letting go of the others.&nbsp;

"Sunil Narine and Andre Russell have been proven campaigners for a decade. We have all seen what Varun Chakravarthy is capable of in the last two seasons. Venkatesh Iyer was probably the story of the second half of IPL 2021," said the KKR head coach.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-set-to-host-ipl-2022-in-maharashtra-and-gujarat-25-percent-crowd-likely-report-448905">BCCI set to host IPL 2022 in Maharashtra and Gujarat; 25 percent crowd likely - Report</a>

KKR now have Rs 48 crore (INR 480 million) remaining in their purse heading into the mega auction next month and their focus will be on finding replacements for the likes of Russell and Narine in case of injuries to the star all-rounders. KKR will also be looking to build a strong squad that can take them over the finishing line after losing in the final lats year.

"Certainly not easy to find a backup for someone like Andre Russell and that's why he is such an important re-signing. When he is at his best, he is effectively two world-class players in one. It's really challenging to find a backup for these players. That will be the topic of our conversation. If Dre Russ is out due to injury, you could need two players, a batter and a bowler, and try to balance things out accordingly," McCullum added.

&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Brendon McCullum said he was disappointed to see the franchise lose star India batter Shubman Gill ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Brendon McCullum said he was disappointed to see the franchise lose star India batter Shubman Gill ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. Like the other franchises, KKR too had a tough time in finalising their four retentions ahead of the mega auction. The two-time champions decided to keep West Indies all-rounders Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy and young Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer while letting go of Gill. Gill was once touted as one of the future leaders of KKR but had to be released by the franchise. Gill was picked up by the Ahmedabad IPL franchise as one of their three picks from the players draft ahead of the auction. The young Indian batter has joined the Ahmedabad franchise for a whopping sum of Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million). McCullum said it was disappointing to lose Gill but they have their plans heading into the mega auction. "You need to plan as you're going to lose a lot of players. It was disappointing to lose Shubman Gill. But that's the way life is sometimes and we will be well prepared for the upcoming auction," said the KKR head coach in a live session on the franchise's social media handles. McCullum also talked about the four players retained by the franchise and explained why KKR decided to keep them while letting go of the others. "Sunil Narine and Andre Russell have been proven campaigners for a decade. We have all seen what Varun Chakravarthy is capable of in the last two seasons. Venkatesh Iyer was probably the story of the second half of IPL 2021," said the KKR head coach. Also Read: BCCI set to host IPL 2022 in Maharashtra and Gujarat; 25 percent crowd likely - Report KKR now have Rs 48 crore (INR 480 million) remaining in their purse heading into the mega auction next month and their focus will be on finding replacements for the likes of Russell and Narine in case of injuries to the star all-rounders. KKR will also be looking to build a strong squad that can take them over the finishing line after losing in the final lats year. "Certainly not easy to find a backup for someone like Andre Russell and that's why he is such an important re-signing. When he is at his best, he is effectively two world-class players in one. It's really challenging to find a backup for these players. That will be the topic of our conversation. If Dre Russ is out due to injury, you could need two players, a batter and a bowler, and try to balance things out accordingly," McCullum added.

'It was disappointing to lose Shubman Gill': Coach Brendon McCullum explains why KKR released star batter

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

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

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

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

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

James Anderson and Stuart Broad managed to hold their nerve as they helped England pulls off a thrilling draw in the fourth Ashes 2021-22 Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Sunday. Australia were just one wicket away from their fourth successive win in the five-match series, however, they were denied victory by the last standing paid of Anderson and Broad.

Anderson, who faced the final over of the day from Steve Smith, was seen surrounded by fielders on the final day of the Test match as Australia gave their all in a bid to win the game. Not just the last two batters but Australia had a similar fielding setup for England's no.9 Jack Leach towards the end of the day's play.

Indian Premier League (IPL) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) recalled a similar setup by former skipper Gautam Gambhir for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni in an IPL game. KKR shared a picture from the game where Dhoni can be seen surrounded by several KKR fielders as he bats in the middle.

Drawing a comparison with Australia's fielding setup against England on the final day of the 4th Test on Sunday, KKR shared a picture of Gambhir's move against Dhoni calling it a 'masterstroke'. The IPL franchise ended up getting brutally trolled by CSK and India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

Jadeja reacted to KKR's post on Twitter and called it a 'show off' not a 'master stroke'. His response immediately went viral on the micro-blogging site with CSK fans also ripping KKR apart for their dig at former India captain Dhoni.

Check out Ravindra Jadeja's tweet:

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Its not a master stroke!Just a show off
— Ravindrasinh jadeja (@imjadeja) <a href="https://twitter.com/imjadeja/status/1480142226307047425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hilarious-marnus-labuschagne-appeals-for-caught-behind-despite-ball-missing-jos-buttlers-bat-watch-443397">&nbsp;Hilarious! Marnus Labuschagne appeals for caught behind despite ball missing Jos Buttler's bat - WATCH</a>

The incident took place in a game between KKR and the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in IPL 2016 when Dhoni was leading the Pune-based franchise after CSK were handed a two-year ban from the IPL. Dhoni returned to CSK in 2018 after playing two seasons for RPSG and has since led the Men in Yellow to two titles in four seasons.

Dhoni's CSK won the IPL 2021 title last year after beating KKR in the final of the competition in Dubai to lift their fourth trophy.

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

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

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

MS Dhoni is a name synonymous with Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s success in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The CSK skipper has played an instrumental role in the Men in Yellow's success in the competition over the years and is one of the greatest captains to have led in the IPL. Dhoni has led CSK to a staggering nine finals and four IPL titles in just twelve seasons in the IPL.

While he is one of the most successful captains in IPL history, Dhoni is also arguably one of the most loved cricketers across the globe. He remains the only captain in international cricket to have won all three major ICC trophies - ICC T20 World Cup (2007), ICC ODI World Cup (2011) and ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. He is one of the greatest ever to have played for the country and took India to greater hieghts under his leadership.

Every IPL team owner dreams of a captain like Dhoni for his franchise, however, the CSK skipper was available in the player auction only once. It was in 2008, ahead of the start of the inaugural season that Dhoni had gone under the hammer and was roped in by CSK for $1.5 million - the highest amount for any player at the time. Dhoni has since never entered the IPL auction.&nbsp;

He played for now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant for two seasons in 2016 and 2017 when CSK were suspended for two years from the league. One of the best captains of all time, Dhoni's value to CSK can be adjudged by the fact that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan had once offered to even sell off his pants to buy him at the IPL player auction.

It was ahead of the IPL auction in 2018 when Dhoni was set to return to CSK after playing for Pune for two seasons when Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said he is keen to have Dhoni play for KKR in the IPL even if it meant he had to sell his pyjamas to get him.

"Yaar main toh usko apna pajama bech ke bhi kharid lun, wo aaye toh auction mein. (Brother, I can even sell my pants to buy Dhoni. He has to come for the auction for that)," SRK was quoted as saying by Sportswallah back then.

As it turned out, Dhoni returned to CSK in 2018 and led them to a memorable IPL triumph the same year. He was fabulous as a captain and even better with the bat as the CSK skipper scored 455 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of over 150 to inspire the team to their third title.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/how-ms-dhonis-chennai-super-kings-scripted-a-fairytale-comeback-in-ipl-2021-440193">How MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings scripted a fairytale comeback in IPL 2021</a>

CSK once again made it to the final next year and lost the summit clash by jut 1 run against Mumbai Indians to miss out on their 4th title. The Men in Yellow failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2020 with many writing them off ahead of the 2021 season. However, Dhoni once again proved why he is one of the best captains of all time as he led CSK to their fourth IPL crown this year.

Dhoni has once again been retained by CSK ahead of the new IPL season in 2022 and will be leading the Men in Yellow for another season. He had retired from international cricket in 2020 but continues to ply his trade in the IPL for CSK.

MS Dhoni is a name synonymous with Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s success in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The CSK skipper has played an instrumental role in the Men in Yellow's success in the competition over the years and is one of the greatest captains to have led in the IPL.

MS Dhoni is a name synonymous with Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s success in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The CSK skipper has played an instrumental role in the Men in Yellow's success in the competition over the years and is one of the greatest captains to have led in the IPL. Dhoni has led CSK to a staggering nine finals and four IPL titles in just twelve seasons in the IPL. While he is one of the most successful captains in IPL history, Dhoni is also arguably one of the most loved cricketers across the globe. He remains the only captain in international cricket to have won all three major ICC trophies - ICC T20 World Cup (2007), ICC ODI World Cup (2011) and ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. He is one of the greatest ever to have played for the country and took India to greater hieghts under his leadership. Every IPL team owner dreams of a captain like Dhoni for his franchise, however, the CSK skipper was available in the player auction only once. It was in 2008, ahead of the start of the inaugural season that Dhoni had gone under the hammer and was roped in by CSK for $1.5 million - the highest amount for any player at the time. Dhoni has since never entered the IPL auction. He played for now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant for two seasons in 2016 and 2017 when CSK were suspended for two years from the league. One of the best captains of all time, Dhoni's value to CSK can be adjudged by the fact that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan had once offered to even sell off his pants to buy him at the IPL player auction. It was ahead of the IPL auction in 2018 when Dhoni was set to return to CSK after playing for Pune for two seasons when Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said he is keen to have Dhoni play for KKR in the IPL even if it meant he had to sell his pyjamas to get him. "Yaar main toh usko apna pajama bech ke bhi kharid lun, wo aaye toh auction mein. (Brother, I can even sell my pants to buy Dhoni. He has to come for the auction for that)," SRK was quoted as saying by Sportswallah back then. As it turned out, Dhoni returned to CSK in 2018 and led them to a memorable IPL triumph the same year. He was fabulous as a captain and even better with the bat as the CSK skipper scored 455 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of over 150 to inspire the team to their third title. Also Read: How MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings scripted a fairytale comeback in IPL 2021 CSK once again made it to the final next year and lost the summit clash by jut 1 run against Mumbai Indians to miss out on their 4th title. The Men in Yellow failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2020 with many writing them off ahead of the 2021 season. However, Dhoni once again proved why he is one of the best captains of all time as he led CSK to their fourth IPL crown this year. Dhoni has once again been retained by CSK ahead of the new IPL season in 2022 and will be leading the Men in Yellow for another season. He had retired from international cricket in 2020 but continues to ply his trade in the IPL for CSK.

When Shah Rukh Khan said he would sell his pants to have MS Dhoni play for KKR in IPL

Hardik Pandya hasn't been firing on all cylinders ever since cricket resumed in the post-pandemic era. The 27-year-old lost his place in the Test line-up for not being able to bowl -- due to back issues -- and has managed to contribute with only a handful of overs for the Men in Blue and Mumbai Indians (MI) with the white ball in hand.

Hence, his place in the limited-overs side is also very much up for grabs. On the other hand, Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) wonder boy Venkatesh Iyer's stocks have seen a sharp rise following his breakthrough season in IPL 2021. While he was included in India's T20I line-up for the NZ series at home, the swashbuckling left-hander is delivering at the domestic level as well.

Iyer, who is representing Madhya Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, has been in stellar form and has amassed 348 runs in four outings, including scores of 112, 71 and 151. Thus, he is the second-highest run-getter -- only behind Maharastra's Ruturaj Gaikwad -- and is being considered as a replacement for Hardik in the limited-overs setup for the South Africa tour.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wont-reveal-babar-azam-responds-to-reporters-question-about-chat-with-virat-kohli-during-t20-world-cup-436542">'Won't reveal': Babar Azam responds to reporter's question about chat with Virat Kohli during T20 World Cup</a>

In this regard, former Indian keeper-batsman and selector Saba Karim has named the KKR opener as Hardik's like-for-like replacement in India's ODI and T20I setup. He has also called for Ruturaj's inclusion in ODIs and Tests. "I believe that Venkatesh Iyer and Ruturaj Gaikwad have almost entered the first-team squad, and I'm talking about white-ball cricket. If we have to start the preparation for the 2023 World Cup, these two players should be part of the squad as soon as possible.

"They should be given as much exposure as possible. Both these players provide a different spectrum for the team. Gaikwad can be the backup opener with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul going strong. On the other hand, Iyer has performed really well while batting at No. 5 or No. 6 in the Vijay Hazare trophy. If we are looking at the replacement for Hardik Pandya, we have already found the player," Karim said on the Khelneeti podcast.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-vs-west-indies-t20is-full-schedule-squads-telecast-and-live-streaming-details-436530">Pakistan vs West Indies, T20Is: Full schedule, squads, telecast and live streaming details!</a>

Karim also opined that Indian head coach Rahul Dravid needs to start creating a core set of players in the white-ball formats, with plenty of ICC events lined-up every year.

"Rahul Dravid has seen these players for quite a while now. The way Dravid used to prepare as a player, he must be prepared in the same way as a coach. He must have thought about a core of 23-25 players in the white-ball cricket circuit. He must have started the preparation for the World Cups Venkatesh Iyer should definitely be part of the South Africa tour. He must then be tracked be in the Ranji Trophy as well because I believe he is an all-format player. It is also the time that Gaikwad is in contention for the Test squad," Karim further added.

At present, India is preparing for their departure to South Africa, where they are scheduled to play three Tests and equal number of ODIs. The tour opener will commence in Centurion on December 26 with the Test series followed by the ODIs.

Rohit Sharma will lead the limited-overs side whereas Virat Kohli will continue as the Test captain.

Hardik Pandya hasn't been firing on all cylinders ever since cricket resumed in the post-pandemic era. The 27-year-old lost his place in the Test line-up for not being able to bowl -- due to back issues -- and has managed to contribute with only a handful of overs for the Men in Blue and Mumbai Indians (MI) with the white ball in hand.

Hardik Pandya hasn't been firing on all cylinders ever since cricket resumed in the post-pandemic era. The 27-year-old lost his place in the Test line-up for not being able to bowl -- due to back issues -- and has managed to contribute with only a handful of overs for the Men in Blue and Mumbai Indians (MI) with the white ball in hand. Hence, his place in the limited-overs side is also very much up for grabs. On the other hand, Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) wonder boy Venkatesh Iyer's stocks have seen a sharp rise following his breakthrough season in IPL 2021. While he was included in India's T20I line-up for the NZ series at home, the swashbuckling left-hander is delivering at the domestic level as well. Iyer, who is representing Madhya Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, has been in stellar form and has amassed 348 runs in four outings, including scores of 112, 71 and 151. Thus, he is the second-highest run-getter -- only behind Maharastra's Ruturaj Gaikwad -- and is being considered as a replacement for Hardik in the limited-overs setup for the South Africa tour. ALSO READ | 'Won't reveal': Babar Azam responds to reporter's question about chat with Virat Kohli during T20 World Cup In this regard, former Indian keeper-batsman and selector Saba Karim has named the KKR opener as Hardik's like-for-like replacement in India's ODI and T20I setup. He has also called for Ruturaj's inclusion in ODIs and Tests. "I believe that Venkatesh Iyer and Ruturaj Gaikwad have almost entered the first-team squad, and I'm talking about white-ball cricket. If we have to start the preparation for the 2023 World Cup, these two players should be part of the squad as soon as possible. "They should be given as much exposure as possible. Both these players provide a different spectrum for the team. Gaikwad can be the backup opener with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul going strong. On the other hand, Iyer has performed really well while batting at No. 5 or No. 6 in the Vijay Hazare trophy. If we are looking at the replacement for Hardik Pandya, we have already found the player," Karim said on the Khelneeti podcast. ALSO READ | Pakistan vs West Indies, T20Is: Full schedule, squads, telecast and live streaming details! Karim also opined that Indian head coach Rahul Dravid needs to start creating a core set of players in the white-ball formats, with plenty of ICC events lined-up every year. "Rahul Dravid has seen these players for quite a while now. The way Dravid used to prepare as a player, he must be prepared in the same way as a coach. He must have thought about a core of 23-25 players in the white-ball cricket circuit. He must have started the preparation for the World Cups Venkatesh Iyer should definitely be part of the South Africa tour. He must then be tracked be in the Ranji Trophy as well because I believe he is an all-format player. It is also the time that Gaikwad is in contention for the Test squad," Karim further added. At present, India is preparing for their departure to South Africa, where they are scheduled to play three Tests and equal number of ODIs. The tour opener will commence in Centurion on December 26 with the Test series followed by the ODIs. Rohit Sharma will lead the limited-overs side whereas Virat Kohli will continue as the Test captain.

We have already found the player: Saba Karim names Hardik Pandya's replacement before South Africa ODIs

Jamaican sprinter Usain&nbsp;Bolt remains a big name in world of sports. While he has won accolades for his achievements in field and track events, the 35-year-old runner remains one of the few sportspersons who continuously wants to better himself in all aspects of life.&nbsp;

Bolt, eight-time Olympic gold medallist, remains a renowned athlete but athletics wasn't his first love. It was cricket. Hence, the Jamaican star is now eyeing a cricket career and is keen to play in the cash-rich league Indian Premier League (IPL). For the unversed, IPL's popularity is well-known worldwide. Many Jamaican superstars such as Chris Gayle and Andre Russell are big names in IPL. Thus, Bolt is well aware of the tournament and wants to try his hand in the league.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2022-which-side-be-the-richest-revealing-purse-of-8-existing-teams-before-mega-auction-433317">IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction</a>

During a recent interaction with Hindustan Times, Bolt revealed that he wants to get back to shape and feature in the IPL. When asked if he would like to feature in the forthcoming IPL 2022, starting next year, Bolt said, "Definitely. I will get my training on. I’ll get fit and get ready. The two main sports in Jamaica at the time was actually was football and cricket. I was a massive fan of cricket because my dad was a fan of it. He watched it every day, every chance you get, you would watch all the teams play so I grew up watching cricket."

Bolt, who retired from track and field in 2017, and his love for cricket

“When I was really small I loved Pakistan cricket team. Waqar (Younis) was one of the greatest Pakistan bowlers ever, and I was a bowler, so I really enjoyed watching him. I was a big Pakistan fan until I got older when I noticed that I should actually support my home team,” added Bolt.

It will be very interesting to see if Bolt can walk the talk and feature in the IPL. For the unversed, he had also tried his hand at football when he turned up for Australia's professional soccer club,&nbsp;Central Coast Mariners for a brief period.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-retention-ms-dhoni-virat-kohli-win-hearts-as-superstar-duo-take-paycuts-ahead-of-mega-auction-433185">IPL retention: MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli win hearts as superstar duo take paycuts ahead of mega auction</a>

Talking about the IPL, all eight existing franchises revealed their list of retained players recently before the IPL 2022 mega auction, slated to be held early next year. IPL 15 will see two more teams -- such as Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- as the cash-rich league aims to move from strength to strength.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt remains a big name in world of sports. While he has won accolades for his achievements in field and track events, the 35-year-old runner remains one of the few sportspersons who continuously wants to better himself in all aspects of life.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt remains a big name in world of sports. While he has won accolades for his achievements in field and track events, the 35-year-old runner remains one of the few sportspersons who continuously wants to better himself in all aspects of life. Bolt, eight-time Olympic gold medallist, remains a renowned athlete but athletics wasn't his first love. It was cricket. Hence, the Jamaican star is now eyeing a cricket career and is keen to play in the cash-rich league Indian Premier League (IPL). For the unversed, IPL's popularity is well-known worldwide. Many Jamaican superstars such as Chris Gayle and Andre Russell are big names in IPL. Thus, Bolt is well aware of the tournament and wants to try his hand in the league. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Which side be the richest? Revealing purse of 8 existing teams before mega auction During a recent interaction with Hindustan Times, Bolt revealed that he wants to get back to shape and feature in the IPL. When asked if he would like to feature in the forthcoming IPL 2022, starting next year, Bolt said, "Definitely. I will get my training on. I’ll get fit and get ready. The two main sports in Jamaica at the time was actually was football and cricket. I was a massive fan of cricket because my dad was a fan of it. He watched it every day, every chance you get, you would watch all the teams play so I grew up watching cricket." Bolt, who retired from track and field in 2017, and his love for cricket “When I was really small I loved Pakistan cricket team. Waqar (Younis) was one of the greatest Pakistan bowlers ever, and I was a bowler, so I really enjoyed watching him. I was a big Pakistan fan until I got older when I noticed that I should actually support my home team,” added Bolt. It will be very interesting to see if Bolt can walk the talk and feature in the IPL. For the unversed, he had also tried his hand at football when he turned up for Australia's professional soccer club, Central Coast Mariners for a brief period. ALSO READ | IPL retention: MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli win hearts as superstar duo take paycuts ahead of mega auction Talking about the IPL, all eight existing franchises revealed their list of retained players recently before the IPL 2022 mega auction, slated to be held early next year. IPL 15 will see two more teams -- such as Lucknow and Ahmedabad -- as the cash-rich league aims to move from strength to strength.

CSK, RCB & Co. are you listening? Jamacian sprinter Usain Bolt eyeing cricket career, keen to play in IPL

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

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced the list of retained players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. KKR have retained all-rounders Andre Russel, Sunil Narine, young Indian sensation Venkatesh Iyer and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy.

KKR had reached the final of the Indian Premier League 2021 season but lost against eventual champions Chennai Super Kings at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai to miss out on their second league title. Not many had expected KKR to make it to the playoffs after a disappointing show in the first leg of the tournament.

However, the Eoin Morgan-led side, which managed only two wins in their first seven games, bounced back with five wins in their next seven matches to make it to the top four and reach the final. However, KKR have released Morgan, who led them to their first final since IPL 2014.

KKR complete list of retained players:

Andre Russell - Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million)

Varun Chakaravarthy - Rs 12 crore (INR 120 million)

Venkatesh Iyer - Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million)

Sunil Narine - Rs 6 crore (INR 60 million)

Russell has been retained by KKR as the first-choice player and will be drawing a salary of Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million) for the next three seasons. Chakaravarthy, who picked up an impressive 18 wickets in the IPL 2021 has been kept by the two-time champions.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-complete-retention-list-csk-retain-ms-dhoni-ravindra-jadeja-and-two-others-433058">Chennai Super Kings complete retention list: CSK retain MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and two others</a>

Iyer has had a remarkable rise and has been retained by KKR as their third-choice player for a whopping Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million). Iyer had a sensational debut campaign for KKR last season as he took the second leg of IPL 2021 by a storm with his all-round performances.

Iyer scored 370 runs and picked up three wickets in ten matches for KKR last season and was expected to trigger a bidding war had he gone to the auction pool. However, he has been kept by KKR, who have let go of promising young talent Shubman Gill to retain the all-rounder.

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced the list of retained players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. KKR have retained all-rounders Andre Russel, Sunil Narine, young Indian sensation Venkatesh Iyer and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced the list of retained players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. KKR have retained all-rounders Andre Russel, Sunil Narine, young Indian sensation Venkatesh Iyer and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy. KKR had reached the final of the Indian Premier League 2021 season but lost against eventual champions Chennai Super Kings at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai to miss out on their second league title. Not many had expected KKR to make it to the playoffs after a disappointing show in the first leg of the tournament. However, the Eoin Morgan-led side, which managed only two wins in their first seven games, bounced back with five wins in their next seven matches to make it to the top four and reach the final. However, KKR have released Morgan, who led them to their first final since IPL 2014. KKR complete list of retained players: Andre Russell - Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million) Varun Chakaravarthy - Rs 12 crore (INR 120 million) Venkatesh Iyer - Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) Sunil Narine - Rs 6 crore (INR 60 million) Russell has been retained by KKR as the first-choice player and will be drawing a salary of Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million) for the next three seasons. Chakaravarthy, who picked up an impressive 18 wickets in the IPL 2021 has been kept by the two-time champions. Also Read: Chennai Super Kings complete retention list: CSK retain MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and two others Iyer has had a remarkable rise and has been retained by KKR as their third-choice player for a whopping Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million). Iyer had a sensational debut campaign for KKR last season as he took the second leg of IPL 2021 by a storm with his all-round performances. Iyer scored 370 runs and picked up three wickets in ten matches for KKR last season and was expected to trigger a bidding war had he gone to the auction pool. However, he has been kept by KKR, who have let go of promising young talent Shubman Gill to retain the all-rounder.

Kolkata Knight Riders complete retention list: KKR retain Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer and two others

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