Aakash Chopra picks 10 players who will be benefitted from addition of two new IPL teams
With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 suspended midway due to the COVID-19 virus, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) faces the hefty task of hosting the remaining tournament in a jam-packed cricket calendar. Moreover, the board also needs to have an eye on IPL 2022 as the next season holds massive significance. While a mega auction will take place ahead of the competition, two new teams will also be added.
The inclusion of the two new sides means IPL will become a 10-team tournament. Hence, it will open up opportunities for players who have had limited chances lately. Speaking of the same in his YouTube channel, former India opener Aakash Chopra picked 10 players who will benefit the most from the addition of the new franchises. While the cricketer-turned commentator named few side-lined Indian players, he also picked some foreign stars.
He started his list with Kuldeep Yadav, who has gone down the ranks lately. The left-arm wrist-spinner didn’t play a single game for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2021 and is all but certain to get released ahead of the mega-auction.
“The first name I am keeping in this list is Kuldeep Yadav. He has been there with KKR for so many years, has done exceedingly well in T20 cricket but is not getting the chances now. He might have asked KKR earlier also to release him as some other team might play him,” said Chopra.
Next on the list were Mumbai Indians’ Chris Lynn, KKR’s Lockie Ferguson, and Chennai Super Kings’ Mitchell Santner. These three players are proven stars of T20 cricket but haven’t got many chances in IPL lately due to the restriction of four foreign players in a line-up.
Ajinkya Rahane lands in Aakash Chopra’s list
The former cricketer also put Ajinkya Rahane on the list. Rahane, a veteran of 151 IPL games, hasn’t got many chances in Delhi Capitals’ star-studded batting line-up. Rajasthan Royals’ leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal is another player who spent most of his team in benches this season and hence, Chopra wants to see in a different team.
Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane also found a mention in Aakash Chopra’s list of players who might gain from the addition of two new IPL teams. The list ends with New Zealand’s Tim Seifert and England duo Jason Roy and Joe Root. Roy and Seifert are currently part of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively. However, they didn’t get a single game in IPL 2021. On the other hand, Root never even got a bid in IPL
“It is possible he (Root) becomes the captain of one of the teams. I agree he is not a regular member of the England T20 team but he is a good player,” asserted Chopra.
Aakash Chopra’s list of players who might be profited next season: Kuldeep Yadav, Chris Lynn, Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Gopal, Sandeep Lamichhane, Tim Seifert, Jason Roy, Joe Root
