The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the holy grail of franchise cricket leagues all across the world. Top-notch on-field action is what has led to it being the massive sensation that it currently is.
But something that adds a lot more to the drama and flavor of the IPL is all the off-field buzz surrounding this tournament. In recent years, the Indian cricket board has done a lot to keep the IPL hype train moving even in the off-season. One major development that fans have found particularly entertaining to follow are the pre-season IPL auctions.
The earlier IPL seasons didn’t have much transparency in their player purchase process; but over the past 6-7 years, IPL auctions have been regularly televised and attracted a great deal of TRP from fans. So it’s only fair to assume that when the players line up for the mega-auction ahead of the upcoming IPL 2022 season, excitement levels will hit the roof.
Ahead of the 2022 season, as the countdown for the yet-to-be-announced mega auction date draws nearer, we at Sportstime247 have decided to do a preview of all the exciting developments that could occur in the auctions. More specifically, in this article, we’ll be looking at 5 players who can start an absolute bidding war among all the 10 franchises involved. So keep reading, as we discuss our picks for the 10-most expensive players in the IPL 2022 mega-auctions.
Shreyas Iyer
Delhi Capitals vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is first on the list. The 26-year-old Mumbai batsman has been a major force in DC’s reversal of fortunes, both with his batting skills and his leadership assets. However, with DC opting to retain Rishabh Pant as the franchise’s captain, it would seem wise for Shreyas to want to move away from DC to a franchise where he could command a great deal of authority (and money) as captain.
Iyer could be a hot pick for either of the 2 new franchises, or he could even find a place in one of the existing teams looking for a new skipper. Either way, expect Shreyas Iyer to stir a major bidding war at the mega-auctions.
Hardik Pandya
Mumbai Indians’ and India all-rounder Hardik Pandya hasn’t really had the best of the times on the cricket field lately. His inability to bowl regularly really hurt MI in their IPL campaign this season; so much so that they might not consider retaining him ahead of the next season.
Should MI release Hardik into the auction pool, Hardik is almost certain to attract a lucrative deal as a marquee player from one of the 2 new franchises. If not, then the existing teams- including Mumbai, his current franchise- could go bonkers at the auction table to acquire his services.
Glenn Maxwell
After several seasons of disappointment, Australia’s Glenn Maxwell finally managed to live up to his ‘big show’ reputation this season for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. However, despite being RCB’s leading run-scorer from the 2021 edition, it could be very tough for Maxi to retain his place in the side with the more challenging player retention rules.
Maxi’s mercurial abilities could make him a very tempting pick for every franchise in the auction, both new ones and old ones alike. If nothing else, one can expect RCB to bid intensely and reacquire Mad Max into their lineup, making him one of the auction’s most expensive players.
David Warner
From one Australian player to another, we now move to David Warner, former captain of the Sunrisers Hyderabad. But while Warner’s relationship with the SRH management could have become incredibly awry, that shouldn’t stop one of the new franchises to name him as one of their first-draft players.
In fact, Warner’s exceptional batting and captaincy record in the IPL makes him a hot favorite for both old and new teams alike. Expect the 2016 IPL winning skipper to command a lot of money at the mega auctions.
ALSO READ: Predicting 4 Players each franchise can retain ahead of the IPL 2022 Mega Auction
KL Rahul
Last, but certainly not the least on our list is IPL’s modern run-machine, KL Rahul. While Rahul has enjoyed one hell of a time with the bat for Punjab, his team has been one of the more disappointing franchises in the ongoing 4-year IPL cycle.
It seems as though Rahul has finally run out of patience, and according to some reports, Rahul has already conveyed to the PBKS management about his will to quit Punjab Kings. What this means is, Rahul already has, or will almost certainly have, an exceptionally high-paying deal in the upcoming mega-auction from a new franchise.