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Lucknow Super Giants, one of two new franchises to join the IPL family, unveiled their logo last week. Having gone for KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi during the draft pick, the franchise will look to put together a formidable squad with ₹ 59.8 crore remaining in their purse.
For any new franchise, selecting homegrown players plays an integral part in establishing an instant connection with fans. On that note, let's look at five Uttar Pradesh stars the Lucknow Super Giants must target at the upcoming 2022 IPL auction to be held in Bengaluru this month.
#5 Shivam Mavi
Mavi, who made his first-class, List A and T20 debut in 2018, is one of the brightest prospects from Uttar Pradesh cricket. A pivotal member of India's 2018 ICC Under-19 World Cup-winning squad, the pacer was picked up for ₹ 3 crore by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of season eleven.
The Noida-born has so far played 26 matches in the IPL for KKR across three seasons, picking up 25 scalps, including best-figures of 4/21. The 5 ft, 9-inch pacer is someone who can consistently clock the 140-kmph mark, apart from swinging the ball both ways.
Given his bowling credentials (both IPL and domestic), Mavi, who is also an excellent fielder, will be one of the players to watch out for in the domestic uncapped players category at the 2022 IPL auction.
The Lucknow Super Giants must target Mavi, who ended up as Uttar Pradesh's highest wicket-taker during the 2021-22 Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare Trophy with six and fifteen wickets respectively. Apart from the local connect, the 23-year-old might also be a long-term investment for the KL Rahul-led franchise.
#4 Kartik Tyagi
Yet another youngster who shot into the limelight from the Under-19 World Cup is Kartik Tyagi, who was part of the Indian Colts side that finished runners-up in the 2020 edition.
Swing comes naturally to the Hapur-born pacer, who is also known for his lethal pace, toe-crushing yorkers, slower deliveries and perfect bouncers.
The 21-year-old, who made his first-class debut for Uttar Pradesh before turning 17, acquired his first IPL contract during the 2020 IPL auction, having been bought by the Rajasthan Royals for ₹1.3 crore.
In the 14 matches he has featured for the inaugural champions across two seasons, Kartik has been impressive, picking up 13 wickets.
In a high-scoring thriller against the Punjab Kings last season, he produced a match-winning performance. Chasing 186 runs for a victory, the Mohali-based franchise needed just four runs with eight wickets in hand off the last over, bowled by Tyagi.
The youngster, however, conceded just one run while scalping Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda, thereby handing Rajasthan a nail-biting two-run win.
Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul, who was leading Punjab in that game, might be tempted to bring in the local boy, who remained calm under pressure during that final-over masterclass.
#3 Rinku Singh
Since his debut for Uttar Pradesh back in 2014 as a 16-year-old, Rinku Singh has gone on to establish himself as one of the mainstays of the state team. Post his one-year stint with the Punjab Kings in 2017, the Aligarh-born player moved to Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the 2018 IPL.
Unfortunately, in three editions for the two-time winners, Rinku featured in just ten IPL matches. A star-studded Kolkata batting line-up made match-time difficult for the talented batter, who had to miss the 2021 IPL due to a knee injury.
A consistent performer with the bat across formats, the southpaw was Uttar Pradesh's highest run-getter in both the 2021-22 Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare Trophy tournaments. While his tally of 187 runs at a strike-rate of 146.09 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament included two half-centuries, the 24-year-old amassed 379 runs in six innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which included four half-centuries and a century.
Although Marcus Stoinis might lend much-needed firepower to the Lucknow Super Giants' middle-order, they must also target talented and proven Indian batters who can do the job for them. Given his age, consistency and current form, local boy Rinku, who also bowls off-spin, is a perfect choice for Lucknow to invest in at the upcoming auction.
#2 Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav, who has staged an India return for the three-match ODI series against West Indies, will be up for grabs at the 2022 IPL auction, having been released by the Kolkata Knight Riders. The 27-year-old has played 45 IPL matches, picking up 40 wickets with his best figures being 4/20.
Unfortunately, poor form and injury saw the Kanpur-born left-arm wrist spinner feature in just five matches during the 2020 IPL and miss out on the last edition. Now that he is back in Team India colors, fully fit and raring to go, the Lucknow Super Giants must look to acquire his services for season fifteen.
Kuldeep, who has 123 first-class, 121 List A and 122 T20 wickets, is a good fit for Lucknow given his immense experience at the highest level. With the franchise picking young leg-spinner Bishnoi, Kuldeep's left-arm wrist spin might provide more options to their bowling attack.
#1 Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Bhuvneshwar might be temporarily out of form, but his class is permanent. Still one of the best new-ball bowlers in the country, he is the kind of domestic bowler every franchise would love to have in their squad. The 32-year-old, who has represented three franchises in the IPL, enters this year's auction after being released by Sunrisers Hyderabad, whom he represented for eight seasons.
Bhuvi is the only Indian bowler to have won the Purple Cap for most wickets twice, a feat he achieved in 2016 and 2017. A dip in form cannot overshadow his international and IPL achievements.
Meerut-born Bhuvi is vastly experienced and knows the dynamics of the IPL, having played 132 games in the league, will be a great asset for the Lucknow Super Giants.
