Former India opener turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra believes that the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were the standout franchise at the IPL 2022 mega auction. However, CSK retained Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali and Ruturaj Gaikwad before the mega auction. They bought 21 more players at the auction to complete their squad of 25 as well.
While reviewing the IPL 2022 auction in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra was happy with CSK’s picks. He elaborated: “The Chennai Super Kings is the team I have given the most marks. Chennai Super Kings 9/10. This team has aced one more auction. You see this team’s philosophy clearly, they are phenomenal. They got the complete squad – 25 players, and money was still left.”
He again said that MS Dhoni’s side stuck to their philosophy but went on to spend wholeheartedly on Deepak Chahar. Apart from Deepak Chahar, Ambati Rayudu (₹6.75 crores) and Dwayne Bravo (₹4.4 crores) were CSK’s most prized picks at the mega auction as well. Shivam Dube (₹4 crores) and Chris Jordan (₹3.6 crores) were the only other players that cost them over two crores. Aakash Chopra also stated that CSK have plenty of options in the batting department.
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Aakash Chopra observed: “It is not that they have not spent the big bucks. When they had to spend 14 crores on Deepak Chahar, they did that as well. But despite that, what a squad they have prepared. I am thrilled.”
He explained: “If you see the team, either Robin Uthappa or Devon Conway can open with Ruturaj Gaikwad. Moeen Ali will come after that, you will have Shivam Dube, Ambati Rayudu. If you want you can play Robin Uthappa down the order, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja.”
The reputed commentator concluded by saying that the defending champions are not short in the bowling department either. Chopra elaborated: “In bowling, you have Deepak Chahar, Dwayne Bravo – they have given themselves the option of Chris Jordan, Mitchell Santner as an option for Jaddu, they have Adam Milne with Chris Jordan as an option. They have Prashant Solanki and more spinners along with him.”
He also believes that the Delhi Capitals (DC) have picked one of the best squads in the auction. He added that the franchise got the dangerous David Warner at a very cheap price as well. Warner was bought by Delhi for just ₹6.25 crore at the mega auction.
Aakash Chopra elaborated: “I have given the Delhi Capitals 8.5/10, could have gone towards 9 also. Prithvi Shaw, David Warner – David Warner is a steal. Prithvi Shaw will hit from one end and David Warner from the other, without warning.”
He continued: “They have Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, please play Kona Bharat. They spent money on Rovman Powell, they had retained Axar Patel and have got Lalit Yadav now there, spent a lot of money on Shardul Thakur but they also have Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Ripal Patel.”
Aakash Chopra highlighted that the IPL 2020 finalists also have a plethora of options in the seam-bowling department.
He observed: “If they have taken Kuldeep Yadav, Pravin Dubey is there alongside him. They have taken Khaleel Ahmed and Chetan Sakariya. Anrich Nortje was already there and along with him Lungi Ngidi and Mustafizur Rahman. Welcome them with claps, they have done a fantastic job.”
However, Aakash Chopra also acknowledged that the Delhi Capitals batting order might be a slight concern. And, the veteran rated the Punjab Kings as the joint third-best team along with the Delhi Capitals, only behind the Chennai Super Kings and the Lucknow Super Giants as well.
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He said: “I have kept Punjab Kings at the joint-third spot with 8.5 points. They retained just two players, no one else wanted to remain with them, neither Shahrukh Khan nor Ravi Bishnoi nor KL Rahul. But here if you see Mayank Agarwal with Shikhar Dhawan – I feel they have got a new captain in Shikhar Dhawan. After that Prabhsimran Singh – that’s the only problem I feel, they have only one Indian wicket-keeping option with Jonny Bairstow being the other – English player, availability becomes a question.”
“But after that Liam Livingstone – broke the bank for him, Shahrukh Khan, Odean Smith, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, they got Sandeep Sharma extremely cheaply. They have Nathan Ellis, Benny Howell, they have picked Rishi Dhawan, Raj Bawa, Bhanuka Rajapaksa,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
