The IPL 2022 Mega-Auctions have come to an end on Sunday. The next step will be the main event, which is likely to happen by the end of March. In this article, we take a look at the strongest playing XI of all squads for IPL 2022.
Chennai Super Kings
CSK have retained the core of their squad but were forced to include some new names as they were not able to procure their old players. The team looks strong although it depends on the form of the middle-order.
Playing XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (C&WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Adam Milne and Prashant Solanki.
Delhi Capitals
Delhi did well on Day 1 of the auctions but seemed to miss a trick on Day 2. They will have to deal with their lower middle-order and the bowling attack.
Playing XI: Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Sarfraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (C&WK), Rovman Powell, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje and K Khaleel Ahmed.
Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians opted for an interesting strategy. They have a good squad for the future but do have a few gaps in the team for IPL 2022.
Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Ishan Kishan (WK), N Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Fabian Allen, Jaydev Unadkat, Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Tymal Mills.
Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR struggled with their tactics at the auction. They have a one-dimensional top-order and lack an experienced Indian pacer. If the core comes good, they will do well.
Playing XI: Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer (C), Nitish Rana, Sam Billings, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Sunil Narine, Shivam Mavi and Varun CV
Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings were the winners at IPL 2022 Mega-Auctions. They have all the bases covered and if all players find form, they could easily reach the playoffs.
Playing XI: Mayank Agarwal, Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Rishi Dhawan, Odean Smith, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Kagiso Rabada, and Arshdeep Singh.
Gujarat Titans
The Titans management will have a few problems in constructing the XI. They probably miss an experienced Indian batter and hence, will have to go with an uncapped pacer.
Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Jason Roy, Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya (C), Abhinav Manohar, Matthew Wade (WK), Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson and Yash Dayal.
Lucknow Super Giants
LSG, too, had a great outing at the auctions. At least, they have clean eleven starts in the roster. They are set for a spot in the playoffs, as well.
Playing XI: KL Rahul (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Jason Holder, Krunal Pandya, K Gowtham, Ravi Bishnoi, Mark Wood, and Avesh Khan.
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals have a solid core for IPL 2022. They might struggle with balance. However, if the main guys do the job, they are sure to do well.
Playing XI: Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (C&WK), Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, R Ashwin, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna and Trent Boult.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
RCB has no experienced Indian batters apart from Virat and DK. They might also struggle in the spin department. They overspent on bowlers and this could haunt them.
Playing XI: Faf du Plessis, Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Shahbaz Ahamad, Josh Hazlewood and Mohammed Siraj.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
SRH have actually done a pretty decent job. If they balance the squad and get the batting order right, they can do well.
Playing XI: Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran (WK), Kane Williamson (C), Abdul Samad, Abhishek Sharma, Washington Sundar, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kartik Tyagi and T Natarajan.
