IPL 2022 Auction: 3 England players who could be targeted
The IPL 2022 Auction is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. A number of marquee players will be up for grabs at the mega auction and one can expect frantic bidding from franchises as they set out to build their squads.
There is no doubt that the England players will be in massive demand at the IPL 2022 Auction. England are a great white-ball team and several sides wish to follow their template to attain success.
According to reports, the IPL mega auction will take place in Bangalore on 12 and 13 February 2022.
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The ODI World Cup champions and semi-finalists of the T20 World Cup boast a number of bona fide superstars in their ranks. Come the IPL 2022 Auction, a number of these players will be highly sought after.
England's Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali have been retained ahead of the IPL 2022 Auction
It's no surprise that a couple of England players - Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali - have already been retained by Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) respectively ahead of the IPL 2022 Auction. Given their match-winning prowess in the T20 format, their retention comes as a no-brainer.
On that note, let's take a look at three England players who will be actively pursued by teams at the IPL 2022 Auction:
#3 Jonny Bairstow
Few batters are as destructive in limited-overs cricket as England's Jonny Bairstow. The right-hander, who is flexible enough to bat at any position, is one of the most proactive batters doing the rounds.
Bairstow had personified intent during his stint at Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and even made batting on a turning Chepauk track look easy in the first half of IPL 2021.
It wouldn't be a surprise if SRH look to procure his services again at the IPL 2022 Auction, given how well he has served them over the last three seasons.
However, other franchises would also be keen to get hold of Jonny Bairstow ahead of the next three-year cycle. A match-winner who is agile on the field too, the 32-year-old is one of the first names on any team sheet. Expect a bidding war for him at the IPL 2022 Auction.
#2 Sam Curran
The value that a seam-bowling all-rounder, a left-arm seamer and a pinch-hitter bring to a T20 side needs no reintroduction. In Sam Curran, though, one finds all these attributes imbibed in a single package, making him an invaluable commodity.
Curran has made a great impression in the IPL over the last three seasons. Having first represented Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Curran picked up a hat-trick in just his second IPL game in 2019.
Over the next two seasons, Curran made many a telling contribution across departments for Chennai Super Kings.
CSK may well have considered retaining Sam Curran's services ahead of the IPL 2022 Auction. But it wouldn't be a surprise should they go all out in trying to secure his services again.
Don't expect them to succeed all that easily though. Given Curran's all-round package and the limited all-rounders available of his caliber, a fierce bidding war is well on the cards.
#1 Liam Livingstone
Easily one of the most exhilarating cricketers across the globe, Liam Livingstone should fetch a hefty bid at the IPL 2022 Auction. Why wouldn't teams loosen their purse strings for a player who bowls both off-spin and leg-spin, apart from being a runaway match-winner with the bat!
Livingstone has made the world sit up and take note of his belligerent hits that go soaring out of the ground. Add his ability to be flexible with regards to his batting position and the knack of being a partnership breaker with the ball, and Livingstone comes across as quite the deal.
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Liam Livingstone is no stranger to the IPL, having represented Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Will he return to their setup or will he find a new home for the upcoming IPL season? One thing's for sure - when the England all-rounder's name comes up for bidding at the IPL 2022 Auction, viewers will be pinned to the edge of their seats.