IPL 2022: 3 players Lucknow could look to bring in

Ahmedabad and Lucknow will be the two new franchises in the Indian Premier League next year, as confirmed by the BCCI on Monday. The Lucknow team was purchased by the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, more commonly known as RPSG Group, which previously owned Rising Pune Supergiant for two years in 2016 and 2017. CVC Capital Partners, meanwhile, will be owning the Ahmedabad franchise.

The dust had only settled on the latest season of the Indian Premier League, with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) winning their fourth IPL title earlier this month. However, all eyes are already on next season with two new sides added to the mix, making it a 10-tam affair.

It can often be difficult for new franchises to set their fan base. Players play a key part in this role as franchises look for local talent to attract home support.

On that note, we take a look at the three players the Lucknow franchise will look to bag in the upcoming IPL mega auction.

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#1 Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina has been one of India's most underrated and destructive batters in T20 cricket. The southpaw was the first Indian to score a T20I century and was also the first to breach the 1000-run mark in the shortest format.

Often regarded as "Chinna Thala", Raina has been one of the mainstays of the successful Chennai Super Kings unit over the years.

Raina has 5528 runs at an average of 32.51 and a strike rate of 136.76 in 205 IPL matches. The Uttar Pradesh batter also has some experience of leading a franchise, captaining the Gujarat Lions in 2016 and 2017.

Raina's recent form hasn't been the most impressive. He was dropped from the CSK team after his lean run with the bat and could be the ideal "face of the franchise" buy for Lucknow.

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#2 Priyam Garg

Priyam Garg would just be the kind of signing a smart franchise would be looking to make. A young local player who has captained the Indian team at the U-19 level and also leads Uttar Pradesh's T20 side, Garg fits the bill for Lucknow.

Garg was picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹1.9 crore in 2020. He played 14 games in his debut IPL season, scoring one half-century.

While his numbers at the highest level might not be the most promising at the moment, the Uttar Pradesh batter would certainly be a candidate who would have the backing of the local fans.

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#3 Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been one of the best players Uttar Pradesh has produced at the international level. However, numerous injuries have hampered the Indian medium pacer's search for form and Sunrisers Hyderabad may finally part ways with him ahead of IPL 2022.

Lucknow could potentially look at this as an opportunity to bring in a fan favorite into the new team. The 31-year old pacer is the fifth-highest Indian wicket-taker in IPL history with 142 scalps to his name.

With a new franchise in his state and still possessing the potential to lead a bowling attack when he is in full-flow, Bhuvneshwar Kumar might be the most likely player Lucknow could opt for.