ANALYSIS
Follow UsDay 1 of the IPL 2022 Mega Auction was all about overpaying and overspending, but with no franchise having over 30 crore in its kitty, expect Sunday to be a slugfest. A vast majority of Tier 1 players were auctioned off on the first day, but with every team still having to fill more than 60% of its squad, there is still room for plenty of season-defining signings to be made.
The first day belonged to the Indian players, but Sunday could see overseas openers, pacers and all-rounders sell like hot-cakes.
ALSO READ: IPL 2022 mega-auction: Strategies, picks and money spent
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Purse remaining
9.25 cr
Slots remaining
14 (4 overseas)
Not a lot can be done by RCB on Day 2 due to the 9.25 cr purse, but the team is desperately in need of batters. Especially left-handers, with all specialist batters currently being RHB. They also need batters (preferably left-handers) adept versus spin, with all of Kohli, du Plessis and Karthik solely comfortable versus pace. In addition, an additional power hitter (who could bowl) might come in handy.
Who could they target?
Devon Conway, Charith Asalanka, Rinku Singh, Virat Singh, Mahipal Lomror. Sai Sudharshan, David Wiese, Odean Smith
Punjab Kings
Purse Remaining
28.65 crore
Slots remaining
14 (6 overseas)
With still almost 30 crore left in their kitty, Punjab are extremely well-placed heading into the second day. The only area where they definitely need reinforcement is the Indian seamer front, with Porel currently being the only option. They also need a few middle-order batters who can complement Bairstow, Dhawan and Agarwal, and lower-order power-hitters alongside SRK that preferably bowl.
Who could they target?
Aiden Markram, Liam Livingstone, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Vijay Shankar, Navdeep Saini, Chetan Sakariya, Ishant Sharma, Jaydev Unadkat
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Purse Remaining
20.35 cr
Slots remaining
12 (6 overseas)
Having filled just 2 of the 8 available overseas slots, SRH could be a busy side on Sunday. Fortunately, they still have some kind of a decent purse to have a field day at the office. The need of the hour, as things stand, is first and foremost run-banks and openers. They would also benefit from purchasing a couple of experienced overseas fast bowlers. They did not have the greatest day at the table on Saturday, but can salvage it by buying smartly on Day 2.
Who could they target?
Alex Hales, Evin Lewis, Finn Allen, Rassie van der Dussen, Devon Conway, Tim Southee, Lungi Ngidi, Kane Richardson
Gujarat Titans
Purse Remaining
18.85 Cr
Slots remaining
15 (4 overseas)
Gujarat have filled key pieces, but they still have a long way to go. And Sunday will be crucial, for there still exists some amount of imbalance in the existing squad. They will need to go after middle-order batters who exist as the bridge between Roy-Gill and Pandya, wicket-keepers and a few seamers who can fill-in for Shami/Ferguson if needed.
Who could they target?
Vijay Shankar, Mandeep Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, Ricky Bhui, Yash Dhull, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert
Mumbai Indians
Purse remaining
27.85 Cr
Slots remaining
17 (6 overseas)
Having purchased a mere 4 players on the first day, with only one of them being a guaranteed starter, Mumbai’s season could be defined by how they fare at the auction table on Sunday. They need to cover plenty of bases and hence are expected to be the busiest side on the second day. Among their requirements are an opening partner for Rohit (outside of Kishan), frontline overseas seamers, extra power-hitter(s) and at least one more frontline spinner. Luckily they have the second highest purse remaining, so should be able to get hold of the players they target.
Who could they target?
Evin Lewis, Adam Milne, Riley Meredith, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Reece Topley, Marco Jansen, Jayant Yadav, Tim David, Rovman Powell
Chennai Super Kings
Purse Remaining
20.45 crore
Slots Remaining
15 (including 6 overseas)
With INR 20.45 crore in hand, Chennai Super Kings are yet to build a reliable bowling line-up. Deepak Chahar can take care of the powerplay while Dwayne Bravo will have another stint in yellow as a death bowler specialist but CSK still need menacing pace - most probably an overseas pro. They will also search for an opening option for Robin Uthappa. A younger wicket-keeping option would be nice too alongside a prime wrist-spin option from the lot of several unsold spinners.
Who could they target?
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Devon Conway, Sam Billings, Imran Tahir, Karn Sharma, Adil Rashid, Adam Zampa, Adam Milne, Odeon Smith
Lucknow Super Giants
Purse Remaining
6.90 crore
Slots Remaining
14 (including 4 overseas)
Left with the lowest purse (INR 6.9 crore), Lucknow have done enough to build a solid first choice XI. On the second day, they might only be concerned with creating back-up options. They still have four overseas slots open and might go for base price options. If there is anything they lack, it is probably a specialist death overs bowler.
Who could they target?
Tymal Mills, Obed McCoy, Tim Southee, Nathan Ellis
Rajasthan Royals
Purse Remaining
12.15 crore
Slots Remaining
14 (including 5 overseas)
Besides back-ups, Rajasthan’s focus on the second day will be on an all-rounder as they don’t have any player with proven credentials in both facets. Yes Ashwin can bat but he averages only 13.5 in T20 cricket at a strike-rate of 114.2. More precisely, Rajasthan require a batting all-rounder who can bat at six and contribute two overs with the bat. A third-seamer will complete their bowling attack. With a remaining purse of INR 12.15 crore and five open overseas slots, they should get a solid striker at least. We can see them run bid aggressively for their previous recruits, Jaydev Unadkat and Chetan Sakariya.
Who could they target?
Tim David, Liam Livingstone, Marco Jansen, Chetan Sakariya, Rishi Dhawan, Odeon Smith, Romario Shepherd, James Neesham
Delhi Capitals
Purse Remaining
16.50 crore
Slots Remaining
12 (including 8 overseas)
Missing out on Avesh Khan and Kagiso Rabada, Delhi are missing the bite in their pace attack that made them imperious in the preceding seasons. You are never sure what to expect from Kuldeep Yadav. Hence, they will eye another spinner and an Indian fast bowler.
With Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel, they have batting depth this time unlike their last few seasons. But it is of little use without reliable batters at number five and six. Delhi won’t bother if they can bowl or not since they already have Mitchell Marsh as their sixth bowling option. With only INR 16.5 crore left in the bank, it won’t be easy for Delhi to fill these slots alongside assuring more back-ups.
Who could they target?
Amit Mishra, Mayank Markande, Tim David, Chetan Sakariya, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma, Sam Billings, Mandeep Singh
Kolkata Knight Riders
Purse Remaining
12.65 crore
Slots Remaining
16 (including 5 overseas)
In the lower half in terms of purse remaining, Kolkata have filled only nine slots as yet. Therefore, their task of building atleast a 20-man squad keeping the covid-ridden times in mind is quite challenging.
In their shopping list, they must be looking for an opener to partner Venkatesh Iyer at the top. They also lack a wicket-keeper unless they are planning to play Sheldon Jackson throughout the season. The line-up boast of a sixth bowling option in Andre Russell, yet they lack a specialist third seamer. They would want it to be an Indian to keep an overseas spot available to be flexible with their combinations. Kolkata are not fond of wrist-spinners but we can see them buy one at a cheap price. A replacement for Eoin Morgan/Dinesh Karthik in the middle-order is also required. With only INR 12.65 left, Kolkata will need a few things to go their way on day two of the auction.
Who could they target?
Amit Mishra, Imran Tahir, Adam Zampa, Matthew Wade, Sam Billings, Glenn Phillips, Alex Hales, Paul Stirling, Chetan Sakariya, Jaydev Unadkat
