IPL 2019: 3 teams that could target Shivam Dubey at the auction

On Wednesday the BCCI announced that over 1,000 players including 232 overseas cricketers, have registered for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction to be held at Jaipur on December 18. The report released on the official IPL website also said that December 10 is the last date for the franchises to submit their shortlist of players.

The excitement for the auction has already hit fever pitch; fans all over the world are on their toes, discussing who could make it big at the event.

Recently, Mumbai-based all-rounder Shivam Dubey made headlines as Sunil Gavaskar was quoted as saying that every franchise would be aiming to get his services for IPL 2019.

Dubey, with 442 runs and 17 wickets in first class cricket so far, is certainly a star in the making. He debuted for Mumbai last season and has been the lone warrior for his state in the Ranji Trophy this year.

Earlier this year, the 25-year-old smashed the experienced Pravin Tambe for five sixes in an over in a T20 match.

Dubey can fetch some big money at the auction, as Gavaskar suggested. Here, we take a look at three franchises that are most likely to buy him.

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#1 Chennai Super Kings

CSK can only pick two players at the auction

The IPL defending champions, CSK were the only team to release just three players in the first trade window last month. They left out Mark Wood and two Indian players while retaining 23 ahead of the auction.

Having a salary cap of 8.40 crores, the MS Dhoni-led side can now pick two local players, and Shivam Dubey could be one of them.

They have a few good overseas all-rounders already, and adding a skilled local player who can contribute in both the departments is always a handy option. Chennai would be hoping to rope Dubey in and get the best out of him in the upcoming edition of the IPL.

#2 Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals captain Shreyas Iyer

Before going into the auction, Delhi Daredevils made a major change, rebranding themselves as Delhi Capitals. The franchise has failed to make an impact in IPL so far; they haven't been able to make it to the final of the league even once.

The Capitals might give serious thought to bringing in the Mumbai all-rounder. Apart from Chris Morris, they don't have a reputable versatile player in the squad.

They would likely enter a bidding war for Dubey's services at the upcoming auction.

#3 Kings XI Punjab

Another franchise that has consistently disappointed in the IPL, Kings XI Punjab have the highest remaining purse among all the teams. They released a total of 11 players including some big names like Yuvraj Singh, Aaron Finch and Axar Patel.

Actress Preity Zinta, who co-owns the franchise, will have a lot of thinking to do as to how to fill up all the vacant spots at the auction. Axar's and Yuvraj's removal means that they are lacking all-rounders, and Dubey might help them fix that problem.

He could play in the middle and bowl some overs too, and hence have a big say in improving the team's overall performance.