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The mega auction is just around the corner, and this year, it’s taking the action to the glitzy shores of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25. This one’s set to be a high-stakes event with 577 players ready to battle it out for a place in the world’s most exciting T20 league.
It’s the second time in a row the auction goes international, after Dubai hosted the mini-auction last year. With only 204 slots open across ten franchises, and a range of strategies at play, fans are in for a wild ride. Here’s an in-depth auction preview of each team.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
CSK’s loyalty to MS Dhoni continues, with the franchise retaining him as an ‘uncapped player.’ They’ve also kept their mainstays – Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, and Matheesha Pathirana – and have one RTM slot in hand. With ₹55 crore to play with, they might target some fresh blood and even look to bring Rishabh Pant into the fold. The ‘Yellow Army’ will definitely be going big on some bold moves this time.
Mumbai Indians (MI)
The five-time champions MI have a purse of ₹45 crore and one RTM slot for an uncapped player. With Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma staying put, they’re still in search of a solid spinner and keeper. They’ve let Ishan Kishan go but might attempt to pull him back into the team. Yuzvendra Chahal, who was recently let go by Rajasthan Royals, might also be a top target as they look to up their spin game.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
KKR is rolling into this auction with a purse of ₹51 crore but no RTM cards left. They kept their core with Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh but let go of captain Shreyas Iyer. To stay competitive, they’ll need to fill the gap left by their released wicketkeepers, Phil Salt and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. They’ll also have their eyes peeled for an all-rounder to back up Russell, especially given his recent injury woes.
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Rajasthan has a lean purse of ₹41 crore and no RTM slots left. With skipper Sanju Samson and core players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer and Sandeep Sharma staying put, RR is in a tricky spot. They’ll be hunting for versatile all-rounders like Rachin Ravindra, Sam Curran, or Marco Jansen but may find it tough to reclaim big names like Jos Buttler or Chahal with their limited funds.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Sunrisers Hyderabad has held onto their core with the likes of Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Nitish Kumar Reddy. With ₹45 crore left and an RTM slot for an uncapped player, Abdul Samad might be their top pick. They may also target their former captain Aiden Markram at a lower price, or perhaps bolster their bowling department.
Gujarat Titans (GT)
Gujarat Titans are coming in strong with ₹69 crore in the kitty. Retaining Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill was a no-brainer. They also retained Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan. With one RTM slot for a capped player, they might use it on someone reliable like Mohammed Shami, who’s back from an injury hiatus. A wicketkeeper is also on their list, with Josh Inglis and Rahmanullah Gurbaz as possible picks.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
RCB has a whopping ₹83 crore at their disposal, the second-highest purse after Punjab Kings. They’ve kept the faith with Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal and might use one of their three RTM slots on Mohammed Siraj, who’s made it to the marquee list. KL Rahul’s release by LSG has fuelled rumours of his potential return to RCB, where he might take up the captain’s role.
Delhi Capitals (DC)
After parting ways with Rishabh Pant, DC is now on the lookout for a fresh leader. With ₹73 crore and two RTM slots left, they might bring back Shreyas Iyer, who took them to the finals in 2020. Jos Buttler could be another key addition, potentially filling both the keeper and captain’s spot. Their pace department might also see a shakeup, with Kagiso Rabada possibly back in the mix.
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
PBKS has the largest purse by a mile – ₹110.5 crore – and is essentially starting from scratch. Only Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh remain from the previous squad, and they have a hefty four RTM slots to use. Arshdeep Singh and Liam Livingstone might be their first picks, and Rishabh Pant could be a key player for the captaincy role. Punjab will be building a squad from the ground up, making them the biggest wildcard.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
With KL Rahul gone, LSG is left without a skipper. Nicholas Pooran remains their top player at ₹21 crore, and with ₹69 crore in their purse, they’re eyeing a new captain. An RTM slot could go to Marcus Stoinis, while Nitish Rana is another possible target for their Indian batting lineup.
Countdown Begins: All Eyes on the Auction
The mega auction is about to bring the heat like never before. With a plethora of exceptional players up for grabs, new captains, and massive cash to burn, franchises are all set to battle it out for the incredible talent.
