The most expensive franchise in the history of the Indian Premier League, Lucknow SuperGiants drew a lot of eyeballs because of their name and their logo. Apart from that, they also drew a lot of plaudits for their retention and also for appointing Gautam Gambhir as their mentor.
The RPSG group is not new to the IPL as they played under the name Rising Pune SuperGiants in IPL 2016 and IPL 2017 when Chennai Super Kings was banned for a couple of seasons. The team didn’t fare well in the first edition after they ended 7th but did well in the following season as they finished runners-up.
This time around they will be looking to go that extra mile and go and win the elusive IPL trophy. They have selected KL Rahul, Ravi Bishnoi, and Marcus Stoinis as their three picks heading into the auction. They also have selected Rahul as the captain of their side and will be looking to build the squad around him.
Also read: 4 players Sunrisers Hyderabad should target at the mega-auction
In this article, we will be having a look at who should be the top 5 picks for the Lucknow-based franchise in the mega auction that will be held on the 12th and 13th of February.
#1 Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina will be looking to looking to make it big in the upcoming IPL season
Suresh Raina has been a seasoned IPL campaigner and also an able leader for whichever side he has led. He holds the noble distinction of being the only player to play all 14 seasons and was also labeled as Mr. IPL one point in time for scoring the most number of runs across seasons in IPL.
However, post-IPL 2019, his IPL career has taken a downward spiral and he hasn’t been able to recreate the old performances which lead to the CSK not retaining him for the coming season. Lucknow can snap up the stylish southpaw and can help him regain his mojo. He also hails from the home state of Uttar Pradesh, where the Lucknow franchise is based, and also pulls some fans if they get to play in the Ekana Stadium.
#2 Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Another local lad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is one of India’s finest new ball bowlers at his peak. The 32-year-old was released by SRH and also due to lack of performances in national colors, his place in the squad was questioned.
He will be eager to prove his doubters wrong and will be looking to make an impact in the upcoming IPL. The 2-time Purple cap winner recently played under KL Rahul’s captaincy in the South Africa series and will be familiar with his style and his way of operating. He can also be the vice-captain of his side as he has led SRH on a couple of occasions and has won a couple of matches
#3 Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav is another name whose stocks have dipped in the last couple of years. The chinaman showed a lot of promise in his formative years but as time passed by, he was being easily tackled by the batters and was taken to the cleaners.
The left-arm bowler played only one IPL game in the last 2 editions of the league, which resulted in him eventually getting released by KKR. Gautam Gambhir, who was his captain in KKR earlier, used him perfectly as a wicket-taker. Lucknow will be targeting him at the auction and he might be able to resurrect his IPL career playing for a new franchise
#4 Dwayne Bravo
Dwayne Bravo will be another name that the Lucknow franchise will be looking to snap at the auction. The 39-year old can bowl those slower balls to perfection and can also hit the long ball making him the perfect utility player for any team.
His death bowling skills are valued across the globe in T20 leagues and along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Bravo can be a valuable addition to the squad.
#5 Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada was released by DC ahead of the 2022 Mega Auction
Kagiso Rabada is currently one of the best bowlers going around. The 2020 purple cap winner was released by the Delhi Capitals after they retained Nortje in one of their four retentions. Kagiso Rabada can be a valuable addition to the Lucknow bowling attack as he can bowl at any stage of the game.
The South African fast bowler can rush any batsman in the world with his pace and can also fox him with his change of pace. Rabada is also a handy bat down the order and can give you some quick runs while batting at number 8 or 9.