"This franchise has surprised me a little" - Aakash Chopra on RCB's retentions ahead of the IPL 2022 auction
Aakash Chopra is slightly bewildered by the Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) retentions ahead of the IPL 2022 auction.
RCB opted to retain just three players - Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj. They have thereby spent 33 crores from their kitty and will still have 57 crores with them at the auction.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra highlighted that RCB have expectedly retained Kohli and Maxwell. He said:
"Bangalore have retained three players. They had the chance, they had four-five names like that. Virat Kohli without doubt, they have kept Glenn Maxwell because AB de Villiers is no longer there. This franchise has surprised me a little."
The former India cricketer feels Yuzvendra Chahal should have been RCB's third retention although he acknowledged that the leg-spinner might have himself wanted to leave. Aakash Chopra explained:
"I was saying Yuzi Chahal has to be the third pick but the problem is - does Yuzi want to stay there? Yuzi can be the third pick but if Yuzi thinks he is worth more than whatever the third player is going to get, so he might want to go somewhere else. They have retained Siraj."
Having retained Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj, RCB will head into the #IPL2022 Auction with a purse of 57 Crores. 💪🏼
#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPLRetention https://t.co/KzRhBwnIqq
Chahal is RCB's most successful bowler in IPL history. His 139 scalps have come at an excellent average of 22.03 along with a decent economy of 7.58.
"SRH has surprised me a little" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra is also slightly perplexed about the Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) retentions. He elaborated:
"Hyderabad (SRH) has surprised me a little. They have retained three players which includes two Indians - both uncapped, Abdul Samad and Umran Malik and Kane Williamson. The surprise package is that neither Bhuvneshwar Kumar nor Rashid Khan has been retained."
Presenting the 2️⃣ #Risers along with Captain Kane who will continue to don the #SRH colours in #IPL2022 🧡
We enter the auction with a purse of INR 68 crores.
#OrangeArmy https://t.co/2WwRZMUelO
The reputed commentator pointed out that Rashid Khan might have opted not to stay as one of the two new franchises could have offered him a bigger sum. Aakash Chopra observed:
"Rashid might have been wanting to be the first retention. The ninth and tenth franchise, who are going to come in, have approached people and told them that they are going to pay them this much money. So the story is that a good partnership has ended."
Certain reports suggest that the Lucknow franchise has lured KL Rahul and Rashid Khan with the promise of hefty amounts. The two players might have thus opted not to stay with their previous franchises.