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The initial round of T20 Mumbai League's auction witnessed windfall on promising young talents including Ayush Mhatre, Atharva Ankolekar, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge and Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
Ayush Mhatre, Atharva Ankolekar grab big deals in T20 Mumbai League auction
Notably, the T20 Mumbai League 2025 is scheduled be played from May 26 to June 8. Musheer Khan, a 20-year-old currently part of the Punjab Kings' squad in the Indian Premier League alongside the 22-year-old Suryansh Shedge, was acquired by Arcs Andheri for a substantial sum of Rs 15 lakh. Ayush Mhatre, a 17-year-old who recently made his Ranji Trophy debut for Mumbai and showcased impressive performances in both red-ball cricket and the Vijay Hazare Trophy, earning him an IPL debut with the Chennai Super Kings this year, was a sought-after player.
Continuing the trend of investing in youth, the action-packed auction saw Triumph Knights Mumbai NorthEast secure the services of Ayush Mhatre for Rs 14.75 lakhs. This same franchise also added Suryansh Shedge to their roster for Rs 13.75 lakhs. Notably, Triumph Knights Mumbai NorthEast already boasts the presence of India's T20 International captain, Suryakumar Yadav, as their icon player.
Adding to the list of young Mumbai talents finding favor in the league, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, a 20-year-old batter who has been representing the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, was picked up by SoBo Mumbai Falcons for a price of Rs 14 lakhs. Furthermore, Tanush Kotian, who received a Test call-up during India's tour of Australia late last year, was acquired by North Mumbai Panthers for Rs 10 lakhs, further highlighting the league's focus on nurturing and showcasing local cricketing potential.
However, the spotlight of the auction ultimately belonged to Atharva Ankolekar, who commanded the highest bid among all the players. The 24-year-old all-rounder Atharva Ankolekar became the most expensive player in the auction. Eagle Thane Strikers successfully acquired his services for a whopping sum of Rs 16.25 lakh.
T20 Mumbai League auction most expensive buys:
Atharva Ankolekar (₹16.25 lakh) - Eagle Thane Strikers
Musheer Khan (₹15 lakh) - ARCS Andheri
Sairaj Patil (₹15 lakh) - Eagle Thane Strikers
Ayush Mhatre (₹14.75 lakh) - Triumph Knights Mumbai North East
Angkrish Raghuvanshi (₹14 lakh) - SoBo Mumbai Falcons
Shams Mulani (₹14 lakh) - Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburbs
Moreover, the league will see participation star India players each representing a different team. These include Ajinkya Rahane (Bandra Blasters), Shreyas Iyer (SoBo Mumbai Falcons), Prithvi Shaw (North Mumbai Panthers), Shivam Dube (ARCS Andheri), Shardul Thakur (Eagle Thane Strikers), Sarfaraz Khan (Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburbs), and Tushar Deshpande (Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals)
To ensure a balanced representation of talent, the player pool was carefully categorised into three tiers in the auction, Senior Players, who have experience in First-Class, List A, or T20 matches; Emerging Players, comprising cricketers who have represented Mumbai at the U-23 or U-19 level within the last three years; and Development Players, featuring promising local and club-level cricketers.
Correspondingly, the base prices for these categories were set at Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh, and Rs 2 lakh, respectively. Each team was mandated to include a minimum of four senior players, at least five emerging players, and at least five development players in their final squad, which must consist of at least 18 members. The icon players have been signed at a fixed price of Rs 20 lakh. Each franchise had a purse of Rs 1 crore for the season and was required to spend a minimum of Rs 80 lakh from this allocation.
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