‘RCB have kept aside 20 crores for Shreyas Iyer’ – Aakash Chopra reveals

Aakash Chopra believes former Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Shreyas Iyer is about to become the most expensive pick at the mega auction for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Chopra reckons Iyer is going to attract the most intense bidding war at the mega auction for IPL 2022 and said there could be a possibility of the Indian batter going for as big as INR 20 crores to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Iyer is one of the four Indians part of the first set of ten marquee players that will start off the bidding war in Bangalore. Aakash Chopra said since promising wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan is not part of the marquee list, his more senior Indian teammate is expected to fetch a very heavy sum at the auction this year.

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Shreyas Iyer could be the most sought-after Indian marquee player at IPL 2022 mega auction.

“Shreyas Iyer will be the most expensive player” – Aakash Chopra

In a video shared over his Youtube channel, former India Test cricketer turned popular commentator, broadcaster Aakash Chopra said Iyer is going to become the “most expensive player” at the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, to be held in Bangalore on February 12 and 13.

“Shreyas Iyer will be the most expensive player in this list because Ishan Kishan’s name is not there in this list. There would have been a tug of war if Ishan Kishan was there in this list, it would have been enjoyable,” he said.

Iyer’s bid will not just be strengthened by Kishan’s absence from the marquee list but also his body of work at a relatively young age in the IPL. The middle-order anchor, aged 27, has struck 2,375 runs in his 87 matches of the IPL with a strike-rate of 123.96. He also has strong captaincy credentials.

Before parting ways with DC at the end of IPL 2021, he led the franchise to their best-ever finish – the final of the IPL 2020 versus Mumbai Indians (MI). A year earlier, it is under Iyer’s captaincy that DC broke their longstanding playoffs drought.

With multiple teams eyeing a new captain for the forthcoming season, Iyer’s leadership qualities and success at the helm is expected to only make him a more attractive commodity.

“Now Ishan Kishan has been left out, it means money will be saved for Ishan Kishan and high bids will be placed on Shreyas Iyer. It could be 15-16 crores as well, someone told me that RCB has kept 20 crores for Shreyas Iyer,” added Aakash Chopra.