The IPL mega auction is back and probably bigger than ever. With the IPL introducing two new teams from the start of the 2022 season, with every team only being allowed to retain a maximum of four players, the mega auction, which is set to take place on the 12th and 13th of February, 2022, is set to be one of the most exciting ones in IPL history. 

There have also been rumors that this might be the last mega auction in the IPL, hence it’s very important how the franchises go about their business in the auction: they must buy for the present while also keeping future talents in mind. 

In this article, I am going to discuss with you one player I feel each IPL team should sign in the upcoming mega auction. 

Chennai Super Kings: David Warner

David Warner is the most successful foreign batter to ever play in the IPL. The Australian has been synonymous with the IPL, be it for his early days with the Delhi Daredevils or him leading the SunRisers Hyderabad to their only IPL triumph in 2016. Warner loves the IPL, and the IPL loves Warner.

Warner, however, didn’t have a great season in IPL 2021 and was dropped not only as team captain but from the SRH squad altogether. Going in 2022, the franchise chose not to retain him, although the Australian showed his class in last year’s T20I World Cup and was named Player of the Tournament, demonstrating that form is temporary but class is permanent.

Warner would be a perfect fit for the Super Kings. He could be a replacement for Faf du Plessis to open with young Ruturaj Gaikwad. He is an experienced campaigner and also a character that would be deemed fit for an MS Dhoni squad. Warner shouldn’t cost too much, and given his proven talent and experience, he would be a great addition to the CSK. 

The Ahmedabad franchise: Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan first impressed as a 19-year old for the Gujarat Lions and since then has featured regularly for the Mumbai Indians and has now featured for India as well. In the 2020 season, Kishan scored 500+ runs, becoming the first non-capped Indian to reach the feat. His consistent performances also saw him included in India’s 2021 T20I World Cup squad.

Kishan would add several strengths to any team he joins and seems a great fit especially for the new Ahmedabad team. He can bat anywhere in the batting order, is a future-proof investment for any team, and can also be a first-choice wicket-keeper. 

Under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan would be an exciting prospect for the Ahmedabad team, especially if he were given the chance to play as an opening batter alongside Shubhman Gill.

Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan 

Shikhar Dhawan is arguably India’s most underrated batter. He has not been Team India’s first-choice opener since the past two years, but his form in the IPL has still been top quality. 

He has managed to get 500+ runs in the past three seasons of the IPL and was crucial in the Delhi Capitals reaching the 2020 final.

His experience and explosiveness at the top of the order would be a perfect fit for the Punjab team, who should pick Dhawan in the auction. If needed, the 36-year-old could also serve as team captain. 

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Quinton de Kock 

Quinton de Kock has been playing in the IPL for ages now and is a serial winner. With the RCB still looking for their first-ever IPL title, his addition to this team would bring explosiveness at the top of the order, a world-class wicket-keeper, and a serial-winning mentality.

De Kock was picked up by the RCB for the 2018 season, but they let him go, which was definitely a huge mistake. In the Mumbai Indians’ IPL-winning seasons of both 2019 and 2020, de Kock made sublime contributions, scoring 500+ runs in both seasons. With the MI having decided not to retain him, the Royal Challengers have a chance to rewrite history and bring him back.

De Kock’s signing would give the RCB a level-headed experienced overseas batter, and him playing alongside Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell would definitely make for one of the most lethal batting orders in the IPL. 

Rajasthan Royals: Nitish Rana 

The left-handed batter, who can open the batting but is also just as effective in the middle order, is the perfect run-bank the Rajasthan Royals need.

The RR have retained three batters in Jos Butler, Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Sanju Samson. Nitish Rana could, hence, be a perfect fit for the top four of the batting order in the Royals’ new-look squad. 

Nitish Rana has been a consistent performer in the IPL and whenever needed has got his previous side, the Kolkata Knight Riders, out of trouble. He has scored a total of 1820 runs in 77 IPL games and has also been a handy off-spinner in crucial situations.

Rana is a young batter with already a lot of IPL experience and is always on the fringes of the national set-up. Given he is one of the few left-handed middle-order batters in the domestic players pool, chances of a bidding war for him in the upcoming auction are likely.

Delhi Capitals: Devdutt Padikkal 

Devdutt Padikkal going to the Delhi Capitals makes sense in every scenario. He perfectly fits the Delhi franchise’s knack for signing young Indian players, as we have previously seen with the likes of Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant. Not only that, Padikkal is also the closest like-for-like replacement the franchise can get for Shikhar Dhawan.

Padikkal has had a quick rise to stardom. He was recently picked for India’s tour of Sri Lanka because of his two good seasons in the IPL. He has played 29 IPL matches and has scored a total of 884 runs over two seasons; Padikkal is definitely a future-proof star.

Padikkal has impressed playing alongside Virat Kohli at the top of the RCB batting order, scoring 400+ runs in both previous seasons with an Average of 31.

Being a young, left-handed Indian talent, it is likely he might cause a little bit of a bidding war, but I think a spot in the Delhi Capitals set-up is the perfect place for Devdutt Padikkal. 

Mumbai Indians: Mitchell Marsh 

Mitchell Marsh probably had his best cricketing year in 2021. He became a mainstay in the Australian T20I side, batting at #3 and bowling crucial overs whenever needed. He also played the match-winning innings of 77* which helped the Aussies lift the T20I World Cup. Marsh was also having a great first half of the IPL 2021 with the SRH, which he backed out from after getting injured. 

Mitchell Marsh was Australia’s star boy in 2021 and has carried his sublime form into 2022, having recently captained the Perth Scorchers to their fourth Big Bash League trophy. He played a crucial role in the recently-concluded BBL season, scoring 300+ runs and getting his first 100, while also picking up five wickets throughout the season. 

Marsh would bring with him a serial-winning attitude and would fit perfectly into the Mumbai Indians squad. He could act as the perfect replacement for Hardik Pandya. He could bat higher up the batting order but could be moved around as well, and he would definitely bowl more overs than Pandya. If he were to not fit into the squad straightaway, the Indians could always use Marsh in rotation with Kieron Pollard.

Mitchell Marsh’s stock has definitely gone up due to his recent performances, and it would make perfect sense for the Mumbai Indians to pick him up and avenge their average performance in the 2021 IPL. 

Kolkata Knight Riders: Shreyas Iyer

The Delhi Capitals not retaining Shreyas Iyer is a bit of an unlucky story. Iyer was DC captain and took them to the 2020 IPL final. However, he missed the next season due to a freak shoulder injury, and Rishabh Pant became captain in his stead. Now, it looks like the DC coaching staff has shown faith in Pant and hence chosen to let Iyer go. 

Iyer, as we all know, is a top middle-order batter, who has been pipped to solve India’s #4 problem. Not only that, he is also great in the field and a proven leader. All of these qualities make him a perfect fit for the Knight Riders, who could also appoint him as their captain.

Iyer won 21 out of the 41 matches he captained for the DC — a winning percentage of 53. With the likes of the RCB and the PBKS both looking for new captains, Iyer will definitely lead to a bidding war come the auction. Personally, I believe he would be best-suited for the KKR. 

SunRisers Hyderabad: Faf du Plessis 

The SunRisers have not retained any of their stars barring captain Kane Williamson; they have instead shown faith in two youngsters — Abdul Samad and Umran Malik. This means, not only do the SRH have a huge budget for the auction, they will likely be in the hunt for IPL veterans.

As a batter, there is hardly a better option than Faf du Plessis on the market for the SRH, and I believe going for him in this auction makes perfect sense. Du Plessis is a proven T20 opener and has won multiple IPL trophies with the CSK.

Du Plessis’ explosiveness in the 2021 IPL was second to none. He scored 633 runs in 16 games with a Strike Rate of 138, leading the Super Kings to their fourth IPL title. The South African went from an Average of 40.81 in IPL 2020 to 45.21 the season after, indicating that he is only on the verge of getting better. 

This pick for the SunRisers Hyderabad makes perfect sense, as not only they would be bringing in a top-quality opener to their side, but du Plessis’ experience alongside Kane Williamson will also create a great leadership circle — something that could make the SRH candidates for the Playoffs. 

Lucknow Super Giants: Jonny Bairstow 

Jonny Bairstow is a proven T20 opener and on his day is one of the most explosive batters in world cricket. With the SunRisers Hyderabad having decided not to retain him, this is a great opportunity for the new team, the Lucknow Super Giants, to get him in the upcoming auction.

Bairstow is very experienced, he has undoubted ability, and he has proven to be good in both UAE and India pitches; there seems to be little downside to this signing. 

Another reason why I believe this could be a blockbuster pick-up in the auction for the Super Giants is because of the potential opening partnership of KL Rahul and Jonny Bairstow. Personally, this would be my favorite opening pairing, and it would be a delight to watch if both of them were to show great form and go hard in the Powerplay overs together.