IPL auction 2022: Punjab Kings goes the distance to buy local players | Cricket News – Times of India

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Kings were in no mood to let the local boys ply their trade in other franchises in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The Anil Kumble-coached franchise was involved in intense bidding with the other franchises to acquire the home-grown talent during Saturday’s mega IPL auction in Bengaluru.
IPL AUCTION 2022 LIVE
In the process, the franchise managed to have the last laugh while bidding for Zirakpur left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar and Patiala wicketkeeper-batsman Prabhsimran Singh.

While Harpreet attracted a fierce battle from Gujarat Titans, Punjab made sure they retained the tweaker by investing Rs 3.8 crore. This despite Harpreet heading into the auction with a base price of mere Rs 20 lakh.
Prabhsimran, who also had a base price of Rs 20 lakh, was bought by the franchise for Rs 60 lakh.

PBKS, however, failed to buy Amritsar all-rounder Abhishek Sharma. A member of the victorious 2018 U19 World Cup campaign, the explosive left-handed batsman attracted intense bidding from Punjab and Hyderabad.

Despite a late entry from Gujarat, Hyderabad managed to re-sign him for Rs 6.5 crore. Sharma, who had earlier plied his trade for the Hyderabad side, spent a season with the Delhi Capitals before returning to the Orange Army.

Kumble entrusted to solve PBKS captaincy puzzle
Yet to lay their hands on the IPL title after 14 long seasons, Punjab Kings are on a mission to rebuild their squad for the upcoming season. Barring opener Mayank Agarwal and left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh, the franchise released all their players, including the likes of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul, and went into the mega auction with the highest purse of Rs 72 crore.

Focussed on getting a balanced squad for the season, and possibly form a core for the next 5-6 years, the Punjab franchise went all out after Shikhar Dhawan, the first player to go under the hammer on Saturday. After a fierce bidding with a couple of other franchises, Punjab managed to buy the southpaw for a whopping Rs 8.25 crore.

With Dhawan’s inclusion, Punjab sorted the opening conundrum and possibly a potential candidate for the leadership role. Over the past couple of years, Dhawan has been in rollicking form in the IPL for the Delhi Capitals, and his move could well help Punjab retain their image as a top-heavy side. Dhawan is expected to form a lethal combination with Mayank, who has been one of the vital cogs in Punjab’s wheel over the past couple of seasons.
“If you think Shikhar Dhawan is not a game-changer then you are making a big mistake. He is an outstanding player, we would also have been interested. The way he plays at the top of the order… if you see his stats and fitness I think he will keep going and going,” Mohit Burman, co-owner PBKS, said.

“Also, if you look at the nuances of the auction, you will always have a situation where the Indian players will come on more because of the unavailability of a lot of foreign players. We are happy with what we bid for Shikhar. Let’s hope he performs very well,” Burman further said.
However, the Punjab co-owner preferred to remain tight-lipped on the team captaincy. Asked about zeroing on Punjab’s captaincy pick, Burman remarked, “For us, it was important to get some senior Indian players on our side. Regarding captaincy, not in a position to answer that.”
“We will decide once the auction is over and our coach Anil Kumble will make that call. Let’s see what he decides. Hopefully, what we put in the squad will change our fortunes,” he added.
With players of the caliber of Dhawan, Mayank, Jonny Bairstow and Kagiso Rabada in their ranks, the task for choosing the next skipper won’t be an easy one for Kumble and his team of support staff.
Punjab Kings at a glance after Day 1 of IPL auction
Retained: Mayank Agarwal, Arshdeep Singh
Bought: Shikhar Dhawan (Rs 8.25 cr), Kagiso Rabada (Rs 9.25 cr), Jonny Bairstow (Rs 6.75 cr), Rahul Chahar (Rs 5.25 cr), Harpreet Brar (Rs 3.8 cr), Shahrukh Khan (Rs 9 cr), Prabhsimran Singh (Rs 60 lakh), Jitesh Sharma (Rs 20 lakh), Ishan Porel (Rs 25 lakh)
Total Squad: 11. Purse Remaining: Rs 28.65 cr