IPL auction 2022: Pace makes Avesh Khan the new IPL millionaire | Cricket News – Times of India

CHENNAI: Avesh Khan’s burst of pace has brought him close to an India berth. And now the Madhya Pradesh fast bowler became the most expensive uncapped Indian player in the history of IPL after Lucknow Super Giants acquired his services for Rs 10 crore, a more than 25-time increase on his base price of Rs 20 lakh. He surpassed K Gowtham’s record when CSK had picked the allrounder at the 2018 IPL mini auctions for Rs 9.25 crore.
IPL AUCTION 2022 LIVE
Avesh was not retained by Delhi Capitals despite proving his mettle with the ball in last season’s IPL. He had 24 wickets to his name from 16 matches and finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. But it was his ability to consistently clock 145kph and match the likes of South African pacers Kagiso Rabada and Andre Nortje that brought him into the limelight.

Apart from his ability to generate pace consistently, he also has the skill to move the new ball and earn disconcerting bounce from the flat pitches. It all helped him attract a fierce bidding war between the IPL franchises on Saturday.

While it was Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow who started bidding over the pacer, Mumbai Indians entered the fray as the bid went past Rs 4 crore. It was a slugfest between Mumbai and Lucknow before Sunrisers Hyderabad showed interest in him with the bid reaching Rs 9.75 crore. Lucknow finally snapped him up and added depth to their bowling arsenal.

It wasn’t only Avesh who hogged the limelight in the uncapped players section. It’s the ability to hit sixes at the crunch which helped Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia rake in the moolah too, as they went for Rs 9 cr each. While Shahrukh hit a six off the last ball to help Tamil Nadu clinch the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy this season, Tewatia had smashed the West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell for five sixes in an over in a match-winning effort in the last IPL.
Their prowess and ability to handle pressure made several franchises go after them. Eventually, both the players were snapped up for big bucks from a base price of Rs 40 lakh each. Punjab Kings won a slugfest with Chennai Super Kings to retain Shahrukh while Gujarat Titans also outbid CSK to get Tewatia on board.
Shahrukh, who has fashioned himself as a finisher and has performed consistently, said he didn’t expect teams to chase him. “I wasn’t expecting such an intense bidding. But it was good to see the teams go after me. The price tag doesn’t put any pressure on me though. I am happy to go back to Punjab because that’s where I started. I am ready to shoulder more responsibility,” Shahrukh told TOI.
Apart from Avesh, Shahrukh, and Tewatia, Rahul Tripathi also invited a bidding war between CSK and Sunrisers Hyderabad before the latter snapped him up at Rs 8.50 crore, a 20-time increase again on his base price.
UNCAPPED, UNPLUGGED:
Avesh Khan sold to Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 10 crore
Shahrukh Khan sold to Punjab Kings for Rs 9 crore.
Rahul Tewatia sold to Gujarat Titans for Rs 9 crore
Rahul Tripathi sold to SRH for Rs 8.50 crore
Shivam Mavi sold to KKR for Rs 7.25 crore
Abhishek Sharma sold to SRH for Rs 6.50 crore