5 players released ahead of IPL Auction 2022 who will be keen to impress in Vijay Hazare Trophy
The latest edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy got underway just a few days after the eight existing Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises announced their retention list ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. The 50-over domestic tournament began on Wednesday, December 8 and will conclude with the final on December 26.
A number of players like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Venkatesh Iyer, who have been retained by their respective IPL franchises, are part of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In fact, both Gaikwad and Iyer have shone for their respective teams at the start of the tournament itself.
1⃣5⃣4⃣* Runs
1⃣4⃣3⃣ Balls
1⃣4⃣ Fours
5⃣ Sixes
@Ruutu1331 was at his fluent best and scored his second successive hundred of #VijayHazareTrophy. 👏 👏 #CHHvMAH
Watch his fantastic knock 🎥 🔽
bcci.tv/videos/158642/… https://t.co/wQ1GDPHeWf
Representing Maharashtra, Gaikwad smashed 136 against Madhya Pradesh and an unbeaten 154 against Chhattisgarh. On the other hand, Iyer came up with an excellent all-round show for MP against Kerala. He hammered 112 with the willow and then claimed 3 for 55 with his medium pace.
Vijay Hazare Trophy: A chance for players to stake claim ahead of the IPL auction
Apart from the players retained by IPL franchises, the Vijay Hazare Trophy is also featuring players who had disappointing IPL 2021 campaigns. We profile five such cricketers who will be eager to make a strong case for being picked at the mega auction by performing well in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
#1 Krunal Pandya
From 2016 to 2019, Krunal Pandya was a key component in the Mumbai Indians (MI) outfit. Along with brother Hardik, he provided excellent balance to the playing XI, chipping in with bat and ball at crucial junctures. However, the all-rounder’s prowess seems to have waned over the last two seasons.
In IPL 2020, Krunal scored 109 runs from 16 games at a strike rate of 118.47. With his left-arm spin, he managed only six wickets at an average of 63.33. The 30-year-old’s numbers were not much better in IPL 2021. He scored 143 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 116.26 and claimed five wickets, averaging 53.
Krunal is representing Baroda in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In the two matches he has played so far, he has scored 39 and 7 and has claimed a total of three wickets. He will be desperate to improve on his efforts in the coming matches.
#2 Riyan Parag
Riyan Parag is considered among the most talented young batters on the Indian domestic scene. He looks very attractive when he plays his strokes. But consistency and lack of patience have been his bane in a short career.
Despite being given ample opportunities, he hasn’t scored a fifty in the IPL since 2019. Turning out for the Rajasthan Royals, he managed only 86 runs in 12 games at an average of 12.28 and a strike rate of 111.68 in IPL 2020. His numbers in IPL 2021 weren’t any better - 93 runs in 11 games at an average of 11.62. Parag often hit a couple of good shots and then threw his wicket away.
ICYMI: Amandeep Khare's solid 82 (102)
Khare, who hit 8 fours, was the top scorer for Chhattisgarh against Maharashtra. 👍 👍 #CHHvMAH #VijayHazareTrophy
Watch his knock 🎥 🔽
bcci.tv/videos/158602/… https://t.co/voSOXkLc4T
Parag has made a good start to his Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign. Representing Assam, he scored 40 against Goa and 58 against Services. Although the 20-year-old has age on his side, franchises would be seeking better maturity from a talented player like him.