IPL 2022 Auction: 3 alternatives for Ravi Bishnoi that LSG could have acquired
Young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi was among the three pre-auction picks for new Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
LSG picked KL Rahul as captain and Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis in addition to Bishnoi.
Rahul will be paid Rs 17 crore, the record highest fee for any player in the IPL, while Stoinis will be paid Rs 9.2 crore. However, Rs 10 crore will be deducted from their purse as per the IPL rules.
Bishnoi was picked for Rs 4 crore, the baseline for uncapped Indians.
.@TeamLucknowIPL have picked their three players 🙌🙌🙌 https://t.co/IgJG5cPshJ
They are left with a purse of Rs 59 crore for the IPL 2022 auction. The auction is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. A total of 1,214 players have registered for it.
So far, including retention and pre-auction picks, a total of 33 players have already been secured by teams.
Bishnoi was surprisingly released by Punjab Kings ahead of the IPL 2022 auction and the Super Giants were smart to grab him before the auction.
KL Rahul, the LSG captain, said of their picks:
“The idea behind (picking) Stoinis and Bishnoi is very simple. When you are trying to get three retentions, you want to get three pillars sorted. You have an opening batter in me, you have an all-rounder in Stoinis, who can bat No. 5-6. We’ve seen that in Big Bash, he has opened as well. He’s a very flexible player. He gives you a sixth bowling option as well.”
On Bishnoi, he said:
"We’ve seen in the history of IPL that wrist spinners have done really well and whoever is available in this auction will be hot."
At Rs 4 crore, Bishnoi is a steal for the new franchise as one of the best upcoming spinners. The leg-spinner made a mark at the 2020 U-19 World Cup and followed that up with two impressive seasons in the IPL with Punjab Kings.
In addition, he has also got his maiden India call-up for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against the West Indies. He was named in both squads by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
And here we go.... 😍
Maiden ODI and T20I call-up for @bishnoi0056! 🤩
Way to go, champ!🙌
📸: @ICC
#LucknowSuperGiants #TeamIndia #INDvWI https://t.co/BVK60Oi6jE
However, there are some other spinners LSG could have chosen to secure with their pre-auction picks. Here are three alternatives for Ravi Bishnoi that Lucknow Super Giants could have gone for in the IPL 2022 auction:
#1 Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal would have cost more than Ravi Bishnoi, but the experienced spinner would have been a great choice for a pre-auction pick.
One of the most prolific wicket-takers over the last several years, Chahal made a name for himself by picking up scalps for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. He did that at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, a venue infamous for being a spinner's nightmare.
While his form has been on the decline over the last year or so, Chahal is still one of the best and most experienced in the business.
While Bishnoi is a good option looking forward, Chahal still has a good few years and his experience and guile would have made him a good pick.
#2 Rahul Chahar
Rahul Chahar's exploits for the Mumbai Indians saw him get into the Indian squad for the 2021 T20 World Cup. But he only got to play one match after a poor outing in the 2021 IPL.
However, he is only 22 and is another very bright prospect for the future. Chahar has shown that he can pick up key wickets. He has done well against top batters while being a regular for a MI, who won the league two years in a row in 2019 and 2020.
A player with experience in a champion team would have been a great pick for a brand new franchise starting from the ground up.
#3 Wanindu Hasaranga
The two new teams could only pick one overseas players. So if LSG were going for Marcus Stoinis, then they were bound to go for an Indian as the third player.
However, they could have also gone for Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga as a spin-bowling all-rounder and gone for an Indian batter instead.
Hasaranga is one of the premier leg-spinners in the world right now in the shortest format and was the leading wicket-taker in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
He is also a handy batter, making him a very good asset.