NEW DELHI: With the new rules out for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, former India opener Aakash Chopra feels that Punjab Kings won’t be retaining anyone and will build the team from scratch for the next season.
The franchises have been given the option of retaining up to 6 players but for that they have to shell out a huge sum.
Rs 18 crore, Rs 14 crore, and Rs 11 crore is the price that will be deducted from the franchise’s purse if they retain three players.For the next two players, they will have to spend another Rs 18 crore and Rs 14 crore along with an option to use an RTM Card.
Punjab Kings recently roped in Ricky Ponting as their new head coach — their 11th — and with the Australian at the helm, the franchise will look to start afresh.
For Chopra, the Punjab franchise, who went big on English players in the past, won’t retain any of them for such huge amounts under Ponting.
“New coach, new thinking, new approach. If they go with that, will they want to retain anyone? Do they have anyone worth 18 crores? They have uncapped players but does Punjab have any capped players worthy of 18 crores?” he said on his YouTube channel.
“They spent a lot of money on Sam Curran and retained him but Trevor Bayliss was there at that time. They had kept many English players. Now since Ricky Ponting has come, all English players will be made to stand next to the door. I feel Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow and Chris Woakes will all go,” Chopra further stated.
Chopra said Punjab do have good domestic players, some of which are also uncapped but none of them might be retained for such whopping amounts and the franchise would prefer using an RTM card for them.
“I want to retain Arshdeep but I won’t retain him for 18 crores. I will let him go as I have the Right to Match card in any case. I will use it later, however much he might be sold for. I don’t think any Indian fast bowler will go for 18 crores at the mega auction unless he is Jasprit Bumrah, who won’t come to the auction,” he explained.
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After Shikhar Dhawan’s retirement, Punjab will also be searching for their next captain at the auction, who will be their 17th in the league.
In all the past seasons combined, Punjab have been knocked out from the league stage on 15 occasions.