IPL 2022 auction: 3 teams that will target Shreyas Gopal

Having played for the Mumbai Indians and the Rajasthan Royals, Shreyas Gopal will see a paddle battle during the IPL 2022 auction. The Karnataka all-rounder has had some memorable moments in the IPL, most notably, the googlies that deceived Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers among other big names.

Gopal became a standout player for the Royals when he delivered a game-changing performance in a virtual knockout game against RCB. His side made the playoffs after his four-wicket haul.

Despite those performances, Gopal had a lean IPL 2021 playing just three games and having no wickets to show for. That said, he is not a player who will struggle to find a new home. With the perennial demand for tweakers, Shreyas Gopal will find some teams eager for his services during the IPL 2022 auction.

We take a look at three teams that may target the 28-year-old.

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#3 Royal Challengers Bangalore

Why not? He's a local name and one of Karnataka's finest. It was Shreyas Gopal's stellar 2013-14 Ranji performance that landed him an IPL contract with Mumbai and he's not looked back since.

Gopal has got the numbers in domestic cricket to back up the value he goes for - 82 T20 games that's seen him rack up 91 wickets and 380 runs. His IPL numbers are equally impressive — 48 wickets from 48 games. Bangalore can use a wily spinner in their ranks and Shreyas Gopal fits the bill. They may just target the tweaker in the IPL 2022 auction.

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#2 Kolkata Knight Riders

KKR may have a spin wizard in Sunil Narine, but having Gopal would mean filling the void left by Shakib Al Hasan. Not only does Gopal get a chance to send down four overs, but he will also play the role of a handy batter lower down the order.

Gopal will be keen to impress with the bat, and Kolkata might just acquire him to play that impact role.

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#1 Sunrisers Hyderabad

Rashid Khan's non-retention came as a shocker and that opens the gates for a rising spinner like Gopal. While a comparison would be unfair, he would greatly benefit from learning under Muttiah Muralitharan, who oversees Hyderabad's spin department.