IPL 2022: The best three-player combos for the new teams to sign
With the fast-approaching IPL auction, many people have turned their attention to which players the two new franchises will sign for their upcoming season. Lucknow and Ahmedabad, the two new teams introduced for IPL 2022, can register three players before the Mega Auction in January. BCCI has allowed both teams to spend INR 33 crore on the top three picks.
The amounts for signing the three players based on the order of signing are ₹15 crore, ₹11 crore, and ₹7 crore respectively. According to the BCCI, the three signings should comprise two Indians and one overseas player for both franchises.
As the three signings would form the core of these franchises, it is imperative to choose the right players to build a foundation with. Primarily, Lucknow and Ahmedabad will need to analyze how their shortlisted players will perform on their home ground in IPL 2022.
In addition, these teams should have a checklist to see if their desired players possess qualities such as marketability, reliability, and various other skillsets. With that said, we shall look at the best three-player combinations for each team.
#1 Ahmedabad (Best possible combination: Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, and Kagiso Rabada)
Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, and Kagiso Rabada could create a tremendous three-player core for Ahmedabad in IPL 2022. The three know each other very well, having played for the Delhi Capitals the last few seasons.
Shreyas would be the best captaincy choice of the bunch. Since taking over the captaincy with DC, he led them to the playoffs in 2019 and their maiden IPL finals in 2020.
As the Ahmedabad stadium is large, a batsman like Dhawan, who has a knack for getting runs, is precisely what the team needs. A seasoned IPL veteran, Dhawan holds the second-highest aggregate of runs in the tournament's history (5783 in 191 innings).
As for Rabada, the Motera pitch is known for its bouncy tracks and would assist him in striking the right chord. With the ability to regularly bowl past 150 km/h, Rabada, the death overs specialist, could be crucial for the team. The South African pacer won the IPL Purple Cap in 2020 and can do it again in IPL 2022.
#2 Lucknow (Best possible combination: David Warner, Ishan Kishan, and Harshal Patel)
David Warner, Ishan Kishan, and Harshal Patel are the three best players the Lucknow team could sign for IPL 2022. One thing in common between all three players is their match-winning quality.
As captain, David Warner led Sunrisers Hyderabad to their maiden IPL victory in 2017. In the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2021, Warner played a crucial role in Australia's championship win and received the player of the tournament award.
Furthermore, Warner's aggregate of runs in the IPL (5449 in 150 innings) is the highest among overseas batters. So the southpaw has what it takes to lead the Lucknow-based franchise in the IPL next season.
Kishan could be the team's young left-hander who learns from the guidance of a more experienced left-handed batter like Warner. At just 23 years of age, Kishan has six years of IPL experience and has already won the competition twice.
With over 2000 IPL runs under his belt and domestic captaincy experience with Jharkhand, Ishan is a strong leadership prospect. Therefore the Lucknow franchise should sign him as their vice-captain for IPL 2022.
Based on his performances in the previous season, Lucknow could trust and sign Harshal as their third signing for IPL 2022. The right-handed fast-medium bowler picked up 32 wickets in the latest IPL and won the purple cap. With the long boundaries in Lucknow's stadium, batters will find it difficult to score against Harshal's variations in the upcoming version of the tournament.