The auction for IPL 2022 will take place in Bangalore on 12 and 13 February.
Two new franchises added this year – the Lucknow Super Giants and the Gujarat Titans – will bring the number of teams up to 10, and see the number of matches to be played to as many as 74.
The BCCI has finalised a list of 590 players for inclusion in the auction, 370 from India, and 220 overseas. Here are some Indian players that may find themselves the recipients of high offers after the weekend. All three have a base price of INR 2 crores, but anyone looking to acquire their services should need to be prepared to go considerably more than that.
Ishan Kishan
Kishan can count himself unlucky to have been released by the Mumbai Indians after last season. Although he had an indifferent 2021, he was their top scorer with 516 runs. He did end last season on a high, with two fifties, including a 32-ball 84 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Mumbai may look to buy him back, but his ability as a finisher could spark a bidding war for his services.
Shardul Thakur
Thakur underlined his credentials with his performances for India's tours of England (2021) and South Africa (2021/22). Initially included on the England tour as an extra seam bowler, he caught the eye with batting, slamming the fastest Test fifty in the 141-year old history of the Oval. He has already started 2022 well, claiming his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket in Johannesburg last month.
Another one surprisingly released, this time by the Chennai Super Kings, he can expect to be in demand, especially from those franchises that are looking to use his batting as well as bowling talents.
Deepak Chahar
Another man Chennai may want to buy again is Chahar, who played a major role in their two titles in the past four seasons, thanks to his economical bowling, particularly at the death.
Allied to that, he has shown hitherto untapped abilities with the bat, with impressive performances in ODIs for India in Sri Lanka and South Africa.