MUMBAI: The two new Indian Premier League franchises – the Ahmedabad team owned by CVC Capital Partners and the Lucknow one acquired by the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group – have reportedly finalised the three players each one is entitled to pick ahead of next months IPL mega auction.
With both teams being given the same purse – Rs 90 crore – as the existing eight franchises, Lucknow has reportedly spent Rs 30 cr from that to lock in KL Rahul (Rs 15 cr), who will lead India in the ODI series in South Africa, Australian allrounder Marcus Stoinis (Rs 11 cr) and uncapped Indian legspinner Ravi Bishnoi (Rs 4 cr).
While the IPL governing council had set Rs 15 cr, Rs 11 cr and Rs 7 cr for franchises retaining three players, ESPNcricinfo reports that Ahmedabad have decided to pay both Hardik Pandya and Afghanistan allrounder Rashid Khan the same amount – Rs 15 crore, while its third pick – Shubman Gill – will be paid Rs 7 cr.
Reports that Rahul will lead the Lucknow team come as no surprise, but Pandya to captain Ahmedabad? Now that’s a strange one. While we wish the young man well, there is no getting away from the fact that the cricketer has been carrying injuries. And even when fully fit, Pandya is not an automatic choice for Team India in white ball cricket.
