3 teams that will target Jhye Richardson at the IPL 2022 Auction

Australian pacer Jhye Richardson made his debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last season. The pacer was picked up by the Punjab Kings for INR 14 crore at auction. However, the 25-year-old made only three appearances in the cash-rich league in his short stint.

In the 11 overs he bowled, Richardson managed to take three wickets. With an average of 39 and an expensive economy rate of a bit over 10, he was unceremoniously dropped from the side.

After the first leg of the IPL 2021 season was postponed due to the covid outbreak, Richardson did not return for the second leg. Adil Rashid was announced as his replacement by Punjab.

Richardson's short stint in the IPL was by no means a fair assessment of the player. He is by far one of Australia's brightest prospects around and one to watch out for.

His record in the Big Bash League (BBL) speaks for itself. Playing for the Perth Scorchers, Richardson has 69 wickets in 53 matches. With an economy rate of 7.77 and a strike rate of 16.74, he is one of the best bowlers around.

Jhye Richardson was recently in the headlines after making his Ashes debut in Adelaide in the second Test match. The Australian prodigee came into the side alongside Michael Neser. They replaced the injured Josh Hazlewood and the Australian skipper Pat Cummins, who was in close contact of a COVID-19 case.

Richardson registered an impressive return of 5/42 in the second innings to lead Australia's charge to a romping 275 run victory. Despite his excellent performance, the Western Australian bowler made way for Pat Cummins in the third Test.

With his notable performances in recent times, Richardson has been on the fringes of the Australian side in recent times. He has caught the eye with his consistent performances and could be one to watch out for in the upcoming IPL season.

Here, we take a look at three teams that could sign Jhye Richardson at the upcoming IPL 2022 Auction.

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#1 Mumbai Indians could sign Jhye Richardson

Mumbai Indians are record five-time champions of the IPL. The key to their success over the years has been two (sometimes three) seamers, who can make the most of the new ball.

Last season, Jasprit Bumrah was partnered by Trent Boult as Mumbai looked to clinch their sixth title. While they weren't able to do so, they are also set to lose Boult's services next season.

Jhye Richardson could be one of the pacers the Mumbai franchise looks to target in the upcoming auction. The lanky Australian pacer would be a great fit for the five-time champions.

Not only would he be a handful with the kind of bounce the Wankhede pitches do provide, he could also be an ideal partner for Jasprit Bumrah.

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#2 Chennai Super Kings, the defending champions

The defending champions had a very successful outing last season. While their top-order was pivotal to their success, the well-set bowling line-up played a crucial role as well.

Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood and Shardul Thakur played alongside Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali. Captain MS Dhoni had the luxury of rotating his bowlers throughout the innings.

However, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) haven't retained any of their pace bowlers. This means that they will be in the market to look for a new fast-bowler to lead their bowling attack. Jhye Richardson might be the go-to guy for CSK, with the qualities he possesses. He would be an ideal replacement for someone like Josh Hazlewood.

We also know that CSK are patient with their players and support them despite some failures. That is exactly what Richardson might need after his spell at Punjab Kings. After all, playing in yellow is just what Richardson would want.

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#3 Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals have never really found their stride in recent seasons. With the services of Chris Morris, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer, one would have expected them to qualify for the playoffs.

However, the season took a horrible turn for the Royals once Ben Stokes was ruled out with a finger injury. Jofra Archer missed out on last season too, while Buttler only played the first leg of the IPL 2021.

As it turns out, their most expensive player, Chris Morris, had to carry the bunch of responsibility alongside Sanju Samson. Since then, Rajasthan have decided not to retain any of their core bowlers.

Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been announced as their three retentions for the upcoming season. With a full revamp needed for their bowling department, they could keep an eye on Jhye Richardson.

Richardson registered his first wicket in the tournament against the Royals. Usually Rajasthan tend to fancy some pace merchants on their side. That is precisely what the Royals will get if they sign the 25-year old Australian.