TATA IPL 2022 Auction: RCB pick Plessis, Harshal, Hasaranaga & Hazlewood; Purse of INR 9 Cr remains

Day 1 of the TATA IPL 2022 Mega Auction has come to a close and we can see how different teams are shaping up at this point. One amongst the many, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), entered the auction with various slots to fill. The Bangalore-based franchise retained Virat Kohli (15 crores), Glenn Maxwell ( 11 Crore), and Mohammad Siraj (7 crores) and entered the megaevent with a purse of 57 Crores.

The RCB was on the hunt for a skipper candidate as former skipper Virat Kohli had announced that he would step down after last season. While many expected them to go after Shreyas Iyer, the management threw a googly at fans and went hard after Faf du Plessis (7 Crore).

Faf du Plessis was bought by RCB for INR 7.5 crore (Images ©BCCI)

Faf du Plessis (Bought for INR 7.5 crore)

Faf du Plessis had been a consistent performer for the Chennai Super Kings over the years and proved his credentials as a bankable top-order batter. While Ruturaj Gaikwad grabbed headlines for his breakthrough season and took home the purple cap, Faf missed the accolade by just two runs. His presence will bring a sense of relief and take the limelight away from Kohli and Maxwell.

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Harshal Patel was bought by RCB INR 10.75 crore. (Images ©BCCI)

Harshal Patel (Bought for INR 10.75 crore)

Bangalore did show interest in Trent Boult and Mohammad Shami early on, but it wasn’t until the introduction of Harshal Patel that they broke their bank. They locked horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad and nabbed him for a whopping 10.75 crores. This was a reward for Harshal’s groundbreaking performance last year where he returned with a big bag of 32 wickets. His slower ball variations keep the batters guessing, and Harshal also provides them with a batting option down at seven Eight.

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Wanindu Hasaranga (Bought for INR 10.75 crore)

RCB grabbed more eyes when they shelled out the same amount for Sri-Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga. The franchise recognized him as a batting finisher and a reliable leg spinner who would give them four overs in every game. Bangalore are showing a lot of faith in the Sri-Lankan all-rounder, but going after an Indian spinner would have suited them better as 10.75 Crores is a lot of money for a relatively untested commodity.

Other Notable inclusions: Dinesh Karthik (5.50 crore), Josh Hazlewood (7.75 crores)

Royal Challengers Bangalore Squad

Retentions: Virat Kohli (15 cr), Glenn Maxwell (11 cr), Mohammad Siraj (7 cr)

Auction Signings

Batters and Wicket Keepers: Faf du Plessis (7.5 cr), Dinesh Karthik (5.5 cr), Anuj Rawat (3.40 cr)

All-Rounders: Harshal Patel (10.75 cr), Wanindu Hasaranga ( 10.75 cr), Josh Hazlewood (7.75 cr), Shahbaz Ahmed (2.40 cr)

Purse Remaining: 9 cr

Squad strength: 11 (7- Indian, 4 Overseas buys)

Bangalore will start day two with a clear agenda on its mind. One of the items in their shopping list will be a solid middle-order Indian batter. The list reads thin at the moment beyond Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik. Further, they will look to add a few more options in the spin department, preferably domestic Indian talent. They still have four overseas slots but they cannot afford to splurge anymore with only 9 crores in their kitty.

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