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IPL 2021 Auction: 5 Players For Whom CSK And MI Could Get Into A Bidding War

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Jhye Richardson and K Gowtham
Photo Source: Twitter

Two of the most successful sides in the competition, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings IPL 2020 campaigns echoed a stark contrast. While MI won the title, CSK was the first team to go out of the tournament. Nevertheless, it is a new season in 2021, and the rivalry is all set to get renewed.

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The MI-CSK contest is a box-office element for IPL. While it often happens on the pitch, this time around, we could witness it on the auction-table as well. Going by the gaps in both the squads, we feel there would be certain players both teams would target. While MI has a purse of INR 15.35 crores, CSK can spend up to INR 19.9 crores. Hence, they could enter into a bidding war on February 18th. We talk about five such players in this article.

1. Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Photo: Mujeeb Ur Rahman/Instagram

Barring Krunal Pandya and Rahul Chahar, MI does not have an established spinner in the squad. For CSK, apart from Imran Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja, there aren’t too many spinners they can rely upon. Mujeeb Ur Rahman is one of the best spinners in the T20 format, and hence, both teams might target him. The Afghan is still young and would also be a long-term investment for both franchises. Of course, there would be other teams that will also target him, but at the moment, Mujeeb might end up wearing either blue or yellow.

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2. T Sangha

If Mujeeb goes out of reach, which might be possible considering the limited purse of both squads, Tanveer Sangha could become a target. The Indian-origin Aussie spinner did well in the Big Bash League. He even earned a spot in the National Team for his consistent show. The leg-spinner is extremely adept with his skills in the shortest format, and both MI and CSK would have already noticed this. Hence, they could compete with each other to land the Aussie in their line-up.

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3. Jhye Richardson

The highest wicket-taker in BBL, Jhye Richardson has been in phenomenal form. The right-arm pacer will surely set the auctions on fire. Having released four of other overseas pacers, Mumbai Indians will surely be in the market for another quick. On the other hand, CSK will want to have a backup to Josh Hazelwood and Lungi Ngidi, both of whom are pretty inconsistent in the T20 format. Dwayne Bravo also doesn’t look his past self these days. Hence, both teams would be vying to purchase Jhye. However, we feel it would be Wankhede where the Aussie will be heading to.

4. K Gowtham

Jayant Yadav is Mumbai Indian’s right-arm off-spin option. While he is good with the ball, he is not suited to the T20 format with the bat. Having released Harbhajan Singh, CSK does not have a right-arm offie in the squad. K Gowtham has not done much in the last two editions but will still be in demand. He is a batting maniac and can single-handedly win games on his own. The Karnataka player is also a more than useful right-arm off-spinner. Hence, both MI and CSK could raise their bids for the player.

5. Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav has lost his charm in the T20 format. However, he still has the experience and technique to succeed in IPL. Mumbai Indians would need a reserve Indian pacer in the squad. Dhawal Kulkarni is there, but a more experienced option would be better. Similarly, CSK would like to have a domestic player with genuine pace who can combine with Chahar and Thakur. Umesh Yadav is a suitable option for both teams. Hence, the former RCB pacer could be at the centre of a bidding war in the auctions.

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