'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Suryakumar Yadav is reportedly in a race with Ishan Kishan for a place on the Mumbai Indians' retained players list ahead of IPL Auction 2022. According to reports, the Mumbai Indians have finalized Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah as their top two Indian picks.
For the final Indian slot available, the Mumbai-based franchise plan to keep either Suryakumar Yadav or Ishan Kishan, with the latter being the favorite.
If Mumbai Indians retain Kishan, they will have to release their star top-order batter in Suryakumar Yadav, who has been very consistent in the IPL.
The 31-year-old has played 115 IPL games, aggregating 2,341 runs at a strike rate of 135.71. Most importantly, Suryakumar Yadav has scored a minimum of 300 runs in each of the last four seasons.
If MI release Yadav, their chances of bidding for him again at IPL Auction 2022 are high. However, the following three teams will also likely be interested in signing Suryakumar Yadav and could give the Mumbai Indians a run for their money.
#1 Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings have reportedly retained the trio of MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja to fill their Indian spots ahead of the IPL Auction 2022. For the overseas spot, CSK are considering Sam Curran and Moeen Ali as the top two contenders.
If CSK finalize on Curran, they will have only one top-order batter heading into the mega auction. Faf du Plessis, Robin Uthappa, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu and Ali will lose their spots.
CSK will need a solid Indian batting option in the top-order, and Suryakumar Yadav could be that player.
Yadav is younger than all five batters mentioned above. He can play at least five or six more IPL seasons and can be an asset to CSK. MS Dhoni would have seen him closely during his tenure as India's mentor during the T20 World Cup 2021.
It should not be a surprise if CSK bid for Yadav at IPL Auction 2022.
#2 Sunrisers Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad had their worst IPL season in 2021. They finished in the last position on the points table for the first time. One of the major reasons behind SRH's failure was their middle-order's poor performance.
SRH are likely to release Manish Pandey ahead of the IPL Auction 2022. A player like Suryakumar Yadav can take his spot, and if he continues his fine form, SRH will get better returns than what they got from their middle-order batters in 2021.
It will be interesting to see if the Orange Army targets Suryakumar Yadav at the upcoming mega auction.
#3 Ahmedabad franchise
According to reports, one of the two new teams approached Suryakumar Yadav to draft him ahead of IPL Auction 2022. However, the right-handed batter did not respond to the franchise.
The chances that the Ahmedabad-based franchise would have approached him are high because Lucknow has reportedly agreed to a deal with KL Rahul.
Since the new team's approach to buy Yadav was not successful, the chances that the franchise would bid for him at the mega auction are very high now.
A player like Yadav can be a match-winner in the IPL. He has done well at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, which is why the Ahmedabad franchise can target him as well.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download Cric Rocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more!
