IPL 2022: 3 teams that desperately need a good auction
The IPL 2022 Auction is fast beckoning and all the franchisees are in the process of strategizing their plans for the game. With widespread rumors that this could be the last of the mega auctions in the league, teams will have to plan accordingly.
The last four-year cycle saw the league's two most successful teams, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, snare two titles apiece. Heading into the mega auction in 2022, teams have retained a core which they will be keen to build upon.
Lucknow and Ahmedabad to debut at the IPL 2022 Auction
However, the challenge is set to get tougher for pre-existing teams with the entry of two new franchises. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Ahmedabad franchise have made their entry into the league and have picked three players apiece.
While KL Rahul will captain LSG, Hardik Pandya has been appointed captain of the Ahmedabad team. Needless to say, pre-existing teams will have to be on their toes at the IPL 2022 Auction with the competition only increasing multifold.
Here are three teams that will be desperate to have a good auction:
#1 Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
They might be the reigning champions but Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will need to fare a lot better than they did in the mega auction of 2018. Having picked a number of players back then on the wrong side of 30, the 'Dad's Army' defied all odds to lift the title.
Age finally caught up with a unit that had far too many players towards the end of their prime. The 2020 IPL saw CSK fail to make the playoffs for the very first time in the league's history. A more prudent auction the following year paved the way for the team's fairytale comeback as they clinched their fourth title.
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Ahead of the IPL 2021 Auction, CSK have retained Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and Ruturaj Gaikwad along with skipper MS Dhoni. With uncertainty over how long Dhoni will carry on, CSK needs to invest in younger blood that can carry the franchise forward for years to come.
Coach Stephen Fleming and Dhoni both mentioned the need to have an 8-10 year plan in mind. That is exactly how CSK will have to go about their auction business, unlike the manner they did in 2018.
Needless to say, CSK will be desperate to have a better time at the IPL 2022 Auction in order to take the team forward for many more years.
#2 Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Punjab Kings (PBKS) entering a mega auction in reset mode is something that has become familiar over time. At the IPL 2022 Auction, things will be no different with PBKS having to start nearly from scratch after yet another lackluster cycle.
Having parted ways with KL Rahul, who has now joined Lucknow Super Giants, PBKS are on the lookout for a new captain. Mayank Agarwal could be an option, given he led the side in Rahul's absence in one of the games last season.
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That said, it is about time PBKS enjoyed a good auction and put together a balanced outfit that can take the franchise forward. Head Coach Anil Kumble will have his task cut out to that end, even as PBKS enter the IPL 2022 Auction with the fattest purse (INR 72 crore).
Needless to say, they will have to learn from their mistakes of previous auctions. They will need to have a sound strategy this time around to end their title drought. Half the battle is won at the auction table and a better auction is the inevitable need of the hour for PBKS.
#3 Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
After five successive years of making the playoffs, the 2021 IPL was a catastrophe for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Not only did they finish bottom of the pile, but there was the infamous fallout with David Warner that transpired as well.
To make matters worse, SRH failed to hold onto the services of Rashid Khan, arguably the best T20 bowler globally. In short, this is a unit that has been dismantled and needs to be put together all over again at the IPL 2022 Auction.
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The previous mega auction in 2018 was a solid one for SRH, having managed to put out a well-balanced unit on the park. That said, SRH's failure to work on their batting frailties in subsequent years caught up with them in 2021. They can ill afford such a mistake going into the next three-year cycle.
It is the bleeding obvious when stating that SRH needs to have a good time at the IPL 2022 Auction. They will hope that their newly-appointed backroom staff along with captain Kane Williamson formulate the requisite strategy for the same.