IPL 2022 Auction, Day 1: Top uncapped Indian players at mega auction

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Indian cricket and its billion of fans are eagerly awaiting the IPL 2022 mega auction that will see all franchises, along with two new entries, undergo a major reshuffle in their bid to form a team for the next decade.

With the rule allowing retention of just three players, some major names have been listed for the auction and in this edition of our buildup to the mega payday, we take a look at them.

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Rahul Tewatia

Age: 28

Base Price: Rs 40 lakh
Teams: Rajasthan Royals (2014-15), Kings XI Punjab (2017), Delhi Capitals (2018-19), Rajasthan Royals (2020-21)

It's hard to believe that Rahul Tewatia will be entering the auction with the aim to play his eighth IPL season. The left-handed all-rounder burst on to the scene with a memorable half-century against Punjab Kings, which saw him clobber Sheldon Cottrel for five sixes in an over to seal the game in Sharjah during IPL 2020. That season he shone with the bat and ball; averaging 42.50 with the bat and picking up 10 wickets from 14 matches while maintaining an impressive economy rate of 7.08.

The last season wasn't up to the mark as he managed just 155 runs from 11 innings at 15.50, and picked up eight wickets from 13 innings while conceding 9.18 runs per over.

He had a decent domestic season with Haryana in Syed Mushtaq Ali as he picked four wickets in five games but was largely quiet with the bat.

Avesh Khan

Age: 28
Base Price: Rs 20 lakh
Teams: Rajasthan Royals (2014-15), Kings XI Punjab (2017), Delhi Capitals (2018-19), Rajasthan Royals (2020-21)

This could be the last time that Avesh Khan is featured in an uncapped list as the express UP pacer has been knocking the doors of the national team for a while now. The 25-year-old pacer came out as an improved bowler in the last season for Delhi Capitals, who reached the playoffs once again. Being part of a bowling side, that has often enjoyed heavy doses of pace bowlers, Avesh had to wait for at least three years before he came up with his best season that saw him pick 24 wickets from 16 matches at an economy rate of 7.37.

Right after, he was picked as one of three standby pacers for the Test team touring England and got his maiden India call-up for the T20 series against visiting New Zealand.

The 25-year-old fast bowler is currently part of the Indian squad for ongoing the West Indies series and could very well enter the auction as a capped Indian bowler.

Shahrukh Khan

Age: 26
Base Price: Rs 40 lakh
Teams: Punjab Kings (2021)

Taking IPL auction by storm last year, Shahrukh Khan is once again expected to be the most-sought after uncapped player at the auction and could go beyond his last season's price of Rs 5.25 crore. Featuring for Punjab King, the Tamil Nadu cricketer 153 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 134.21 while batting lower down the order. He backed his last season performance with a strong showing in the recently-concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare trophies that saw him score runs at a strong strike rate of 157.81.

Rahul Tripathi

Age: 30
Base Price: Rs 40 lakh
Teams: Rising Pune Supergiants (2017), RR (2018-19), Kolkata Knight Riders (2020-21)

Rahul Tripathi might be an uncapped player but is a seasoned IPL campaigner, who has the experience of two IPL finals including last year with Kolkata Knight Riders, for whom he played a crucial top-order batter role. He had a decent strike rate of 127.07 and scored 230 runs from 11 innings while being shuffled across positions.

Rahul could only play in one game for Maharashtra in 2021 Syed Mushtaq -- scoring 66 in his sole innings -- but maximised the opportunities he got in the national 50-over tournament with  199 runs from five matches at 49.75. 

KS Bharat

Age: 28
Base Price: Rs 20 lakh
Teams: Delhi Daredevils (2015), Royal Challengers Bangalore (2021)

Attracting eyeballs with his agility behind the stumps and ability to slog hard with the bat, KS Bharat is knocking the doors of the Test team, which makes him an ideal buy at the auction. A consistent performer in the domestic circuit, the wicketkeeper-batter already has a triple century to his name in Ranji Trophy and his last-ball six against Delhi Capitals last season turned memorable. Overall in 2021, he scored 191 runs at an average of 38.20 after Virat Kohli promoted him top of the order. It won't be wrong to say he was one of the x-factors that helped RCB reach play-offs.

N Jagadeesan

Age: 26
Base Price: Rs 20 lakh
Teams: CSK (2018-21)

Tamil Nadu's N Jagadeesan is no novice to IPL as he has been part of the CSK squad for the last three years. A domestic stalwart, the right-handed batter has an aggregate of 906 runs in 43 T20 first-class games that included five half-centuries. 

To top that, the keeper-batter scored 253 runs in the last season's Hazare trophy while scoring a century and a fifty each. He averaged 31.62, hitting 26 fours and 1 six. He has a strong presence in the Tamil Nadu Premier League last season saw him accumulating 336 runs in 10 matches with a best of 95 and a strike rate of 125.37 for Chepauk Super Gillies.