IPL Mega Auction 2022: Cummins, Dhawan, Iyer or Rabada? Which marquee player will spark a bidding war?

IPL Auction 2022: Ten of white-ball cricket’s biggest names, including opener Shikhar Dhawan, middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, Australian pacer Pat Cummins, and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada have been named in the Indian Premier League’s highest price bracket (Rs 2 crore) for the upcoming auction.

The auction offers a chance for the likes of perennial underachievers the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings, and the Delhi Capitals to finally build a title-winning squad, while the Mumbai Indians and defending champions the Chennai Super Kings — the tournament’s two most successful teams — will look to freshen up the squad for the upcoming three-year cycle. The deep pockets of the two new franchises — the Lucknow Super Giants and the Ahmedabad IPL team — will make things interesting as they look for a fast start off the blocks.

The marquee names

Shikhar Dhawan: India opener Shikhar Dhawan will look for one final payday after leaving the Delhi Capitals at the end of last season. An IPL veteran, the big-hitting left-hander will be targeted by the likes of the Punjab Kings and the Kolkata Knight Riders as they look for someone to get them off to a solid start at the top.

Mohammed Shami: The India international pacer was not retained by the Punjab Kings despite good performances since joining the squad in 2019 and will look to bag a deal with title-chasing side to finally bag that elusive first IPL trophy.

Faf Du Plessis: The former South African captain is a T20 veteran, having played around the world during a stellar career. The right-handed opener played a part in three of the Chennai Super Kings’ IPL triumphs and, having captained South Africa in all three formats, could make him a stellar addition looking for leadership and title-winning experience.

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David Warner: The maverick Aussie batter was dropped unceremoniously by the Sunrisers Hyderabad last season, despite leading the side to their only IPL title in 2016. Having secured his release from the franchise, the big-hitting opener is said to be a target for the Kolkata Knight Riders, who are looking for a captain to replace their own outgoing left-handed hitter in Eoin Morgan.

Pat Cummins: The new Australia Test skipper has had a hit-and-miss IPL career so far during his two stints with the Kolkata Knight Riders and a solitary season with the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). He became one of the most expensive overseas players when the Knight Riders bought him in 2020, but failed to live up to the price tag. Cummins did not return to the Kolkata side for the second leg of the 2021 season in the United Arab Emirates. However, reports suggest that the Shah Rukh Khan-owned side will once again look to bring him back as they build a frontline pace attack to compete for the title.

Shreyas Iyer: The India batter left the Delhi Capitals at the end of last season after being overlooked for the captaincy. A solid top-order batter, Iyer is reportedly a target for the Punjab Kings, who lost captain KL Rahul to the Lucknow Super Giants.

Ravichandran Ashwin: The India spinner has been an IPL mainstay for years, having played for four different teams during his career. The Tamil Nadu native was recently dropped from the Indian side and will look to give his international career a boost with some good performances in the IPL for a frontline team.

Quinton De Kock: The second South African in the marquee list is a two-time IPL winner with the Mumbai Indians. He was also the leading scorer for the side during its 2019 triumph and, as a wicket-keeper batter, represents good value for any team in the market for a big hitter at the top of the lineup.

Kagiso Rabada: The 26-year-old was released by the Delhi Capitals last season after four years despite being one of the bright sparks in a side that has still failed to win the title despite being the favourites several times. Known for his pace and a knack of taking important wickets, Rabada is expected to spark a bidding war during the auction.

Trent Boult: The wily old Kiwi was the star as the Mumbai Indians won the 2020 IPL, earning the man-of-the-match award in the final and also the award for player of the tournament. A left-handed pacer with a deadly inswinger to the right-hander, much like his hero Wasim Akram, Boult is capable of match-winning performances when on song and could represent a bargain for the price tag.

IPL mega auction date, time 

The IPL mega auction takes place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13 with 590 players going under the hammer. The IPL whittled down the original list of 1,214 players after the franchises named the players they would be interested in.