IPL 2022: Ahmedabad and Lucknow pick Pandya and Rahul as skippers; BCCI to meet franchises on Saturday

The mega auction venue, scheduled for Bengaluru on February 12 and 13, will also come up for discussion as the country deals with the third wave of COVID-19.
IPL Trophy (Photo | IPL)
IPL Trophy (Photo | IPL)

NEW DELHI: Hardik Pandya will captain the Ahmedabad franchise and K L Rahul the Lucknow team, the two new IPL teams confirmed on Friday while announcing their three draft picks ahead of the mega auction.

The CVC-owned Ahmedabad have picked Hardik and Afghanistan star spinner Rashid Khan for Rs 15 crore each while shelling out Rs 7 crore for batter Shubman Gill, their director of cricket Vikram Solanki announced on Star Sports.

The RPSG group owned Lucknow franchise signed Rahul for Rs 17 crore, Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis for Rs 9.2 crore and uncapped leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi for Rs 4 crore.

They will make the rest of their squad at the mega auction scheduled in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

The BCCI and IPL team owners will discuss potential back-up venues for the upcoming edition of the league in a virtual meeting on Saturday.

The mega auction venue, scheduled for Bengaluru on February 12 and 13, will also come up for discussion as the country deals with the third wave of COVID-19.

"Owners have been invited for the meeting and it will be held virtual," a team official told PTI.

BCCI's first preference is to hold the event in India but if COVID situation worsens, it needs to have a back-up plan ready.

The 2020 edition was entirely held in the UAE while the second half of the 2021 edition was held across the Emirates after the event's suspension in India due to the second wave of COVID-19.

The IPL is usually held in the April-May window.

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