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The stage is set for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) as the mega auction has stirred up the extravaganza which is building day by day now. Franchisees heavily broke bank to rope in their favourite players as they eye the coveted IPL glory. The windfall in mega auction has not only made some overnight millionaires but has also stirred interest in the three-match T20 series between India and West Indies followed by another three-match T20 contest between India and Sri Lanka.
Amid all this, the legendary cricketer and India's former captain Sunil Gavaskar has raised questions on the fact that players might have to compromise with their performance in International cricket to concentrate more on the upcoming IPL. The players will have to deal with immense pressure to pay back their respective franchisees through their performances.
"Franchisees did their part by tantalizing players with money and now the onus is back to players to pay back with their performance in the upcoming IPL. That in itself will create pressure of expectations that could be a telling factor in these matches. The auction is a life-changing one for all the players as it opens doors to a secure future for them and their families," Gavaskar wrote in a column.
"That can also lead some to not try as hard when playing for their country, especially when the IPL is round the corner. This is to ensure that there is no injury that will prevent them from being fit for the IPL and missing out on the security that an IPL contract guarantees. So the diving and sliding, or the hard throws from the deep, are not attempted for fear of doing some damage that will mean withdrawal from the IPL. For those who were unlucky, it's an opportunity to prove that it was a mistake not to pick them and with more matches and teams in the IPL, there is always an opportunity to be a replacement player," the column added.
From team India superstars and the future India greats to some of the brightest bigwigs of world cricket went under the hammer in the two-day affair. A whopping amount of INR 5,51,70,00,000 was spent where 207 players were sold. India's young gun Ishan Kishan hogged limelight as he remained the most expensive player in the IPL 2022 auction where Mumbai Indians grabbed him for a hefty INR 15.25 crore. Avesh Khan became the most expensive uncapped player in the history of IPL auction as he was sold for Rs 10 crore to Lucknow Super Giants.
Deepak Chahar, with 4 teams locked in a big fight, was kept at CSK for INR 14 crore and with this he became the most expensive Indian bowler to be auctioned in the IPL history. Shahrukh Khan was sold for INR 9 crore to Punjab Kings from a base price of INR 40 lakh. Meanwhile, Liam Livingstone became the most expensive overseas player as he was roped in by Punjab Kings for INR 11.50 crore.
Five most expensive players in IPL mega auction 2022:
Ishan Kishan, INR 15.25 crore, Mumbai Indians
Deepak Chahar, INR 14 crore, Chennai Superkings
Shreyas Iyer, INR 12.25 crore, Kolkata Knightriders
Liam Livingstone, INR 11.50 crore, Punjab Kings
Shardul Thakur, INR 10.75 crore, Delhi Capitals
