The First Round of IPL 2022 Auctions was nothing short of a roller coaster ride. players went under the hammer on the first day. On one hand, there were some very good picks by certain franchises, where the players were roped in at a discount whereas on the other hand some purchases proved to be a bit confusing considering the team composition and the budgetary constraints of the respective franchises in place.
Today we at fantasy arena will discuss the best and worst picks from the first day of the IPL 2022 Mega Auctions.
Best Picks:
1) David Warner: (Rs 6.25 Cr- Delhi Capitals).
Before the IPL Auctions started, David Warner was considered as a player who will go for a high price in IPL auctions. But when the bidding started, Warner went for a moderating low price tag of Rs 6.25 crores to the Delhi Capitals. Warner's form and experience will be a vital factor for the Delhi Capitals who have been robbed of the experience at the IPL retentions. His presence at the top will be a huge added bonus for the Delhi Capitals.
2. Mitchell Marsh: (Rs 6.5 crores- Delhi Capitals).
Mitchell Marsh is currently in red hot form and is one of the most sought after names in the IPL Auctions in the all-rounders category. With a base price of Rs 2 crores, Marsh was slated to be one of the most expensive buys in this year's IPL. But when the hammer went down for Mitchell Marsh he was sold for Rs 6.5 crores to the Delhi Capitals. Marsh's addition will boost the Delhi Capitals squad as he will play under the mentorship of Ricky Ponting.
3. Johnny Bairstow: (Rs 6.75 crores- Punjab Kings).
Johnny Bairstow was another big name in the IPL Auctions that promised a high bid but somehow went cheaper to the Punjab Kings with a price of Rs 6.75 crores. Punjab had already roped in Shikhar Dhawan as an opener. The inclusion of Bairstow further strengthens the Kings who will also be the wicket keeper. Moreover the ECB has announced that the English cricketers would be available for the entire duration of the IPL.
The Worst Picks:
1. Devdut Paddikal. (Rs 7.75 crores-Rajasthan Royals).
The Rajasthan Royals went in to the auctions with a budget of Rs 62 crore and went for a full shopping spree. They picked up the duo of Ravichandran Ashwin (Rs 5 crores) and Trent Boult (Rs 8 crores) from the Marquee Players Category. They even roped in Shimron Hetmyer for Rs 8.5 crores for the designated finisher role.
However, things got a bit confusing when Royals brought in Devdut Paddikal for Rs 7.75 crores. Paddikal is a designated top order batsman and may justify the price tag but his selection is a bit unjustified as the Royals already had a set top 3 in the form of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson and Jos Buttler as part of their retentions.
2. Nitish Rana. (Rs 8.0 crores- Kolkata Knight Riders).
KKR started the auction with a tight budget of Rs 48 crores but somehow got the budgeting not right. They roped in Pat Cummins for Rs 7.25 crores and Shreyas Iyer for a whooping Rs 12.25 crores thus investing 40% of their purse.
The Knights should have engaged in a more value investing approach but vested their purse behind Nitish Rana who they roped in for Rs 8.0 crores. Rana's inclusion came as a shocker as buying in a pure middle order batsman made very less sense in the tight budget KKR had.
3. Shreyas Iyer. (Rs 12.25 crores- Kolkata Knight Riders).
The Knights needed a captain. They certainly got one in the form of Shreyas Iyer but at a price of Rs 12.25 crores. Now cricketers like Shreyas are valuable to any franchise but if we compare him with other captaincy prospects like Faf Du Plessis (Rs 7 crores), David Warner (Rs 6.25 crores), he seems to be a bit overpriced.
Disclaimer: This article is solely for Educational Purpose. This game involves element of financial risk and can be addictive. Please play responsibly and at you own risk.