KPL 2018 auction: Full list of updated squads and team analysis

Hubli Tigers

Abhishek Sakuja will look to pick up from where he left last season

Team: R Vinay Kumar (R), Abhishek Reddy (R), Abhishek Sakuja (R), Praveen Dubey (R), Melu Kranti Kumar, Mayank Agarwal, Mohammad Taha, Vidyadhar Patil, Nitin Bhille, Anil IG, Rahul Naik, Sunil Jain, Vidwath Kaverappa, Ram Sarikh Yadav, Suraj Seshadri, Kiran A M, Sujit N Gowda, Shivraj S.

Runners-up from the 2016 edition of the Karnataka Premier League, the Tigers had a great run in 2017 with four wins from six group stage matches and made it to the semifinals courtesy of some exciting batting from opener Mayank Agarwal and crafty bowling from Abhishek Sakuja, 2017's highest wicket-taker and skipper R Vinay Kumar.

While the Tigers managed to retain the services of skipper Vinay Kumar, Abhishek Sakuja and budding leggie, Praveen Dubey, they also opted to show some faith on to exciting opening batsman Abhishek Reddy, who notched up 154 runs from seven games. Sweating over Agarwal's availability for the upcoming season, the Tigers went in for a ₹25,000 bid on their star opener but have an excellent opener in Mohammad Taha (₹1 lakh). Having broken bank to buy back the services of all-rounder Melu Kranti Kumar (₹3.5 lakh), the Tigers have done well to retain the nucleus of their side as well as procure an exciting mix of youngsters.

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Bengaluru Blasters

Bengaluru Blasters

Team: Pavan Deshpande (R), Mitrakant Yadav (R), Abhishek Bhat (R), Koushik V (R), Robin Uthappa, KB Pawan, Anand Doddamani, Arshdeep Singh Brar, KC Avinash, Pallav Kumar Das, Sharan Gowda, Manoj S Bhandage, Bharath Devaraj, Vineet Yadav, Gaurav Dhiman, Vishwanath M, Azeem.

One of the biggest positives for the Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters will be the addition of Robin Uthappa (₹7.9 lakh) to their side, who is capable of single-handedly changing the fortunes of the Blasters from their win-less campaign last season to a title triumph this time around.

Ahead of the auction, the Blasters chose to retain their highest wicket-takers from last season, the duo of Abhishek Bhat and Koushik V while also keeping faith in left-handed dasher Pavan Deshpande and Mitrakant Yadav, and while the latter did not have much of a contribution last season, he has been pipped to make a strong impact in the upcoming season.

In KB Pawan (₹4.55 lakh), the Blasters have a man who can form an alliance with Robin Uthappa along with M Vishwanath (₹0.2 lakh), an imperative part of the Blasters' campaign last season. Add to that tweakers Anand Doddamani and Arshdeep Singh Brar, the Blasters look far more happy than what they did in the previous season.