IPL 2024 auction: Teams that could target NZ's Rachin Ravindra
What's the story
The player auction for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) will take place on December 19. Several overseas stars have registered for the bidding event. New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra, being one of them, is certainly on the radar of many franchises. He was a revelation for NZ in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. Here are the teams that could go after him.
Context
Why does this story matter?
New Zealand youngster Ravindra could fetch the highest bid in the auction. Ravindra, who smashed a ton on his World Cup debut, has been the talk of the town. The left-handed batter now has the most runs by a batter in their maiden WC edition (578). Ravindra also broke Sachin Tendulkar's record for scoring the most runs in a WC before turning 25.
CSK
CSK will likely go after Ravindra
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) released all-rounder Ben Stokes, who had opted out of IPL 2024 to manage his workload. This has added Rs. 16.25 crore to their bank. Meanwhile, the departure of Ambati Rayudu (Rs. 6.75 crore) expanded their remaining purse. As a result, the Yellow Army can raise the stakes for Ravindra. Ravindra can complement his NZ teammate Devon Conway at the top.
SRH
Ravindra can be a perfect replacement for Brook at SRH
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) recently released England's Harry Brook, who they picked for Rs. 13.25 crore. However, he could not make any impact besides scoring a century. Heading into the IPL 2024 auction, SRH now have Rs. 34 crore with them. They would certainly go after Ravindra, who can be a like-for-like replacement for Brook. Moreover, Ravindra will bolster their relatively bleak top order.
GT
GT can invest in Ravindra
The absence of Hardik Pandya, who returned to Mumbai Indians (MI) through trade, will certainly haunt the 2022 IPL champions Gujarat Titans (GT). Besides losing an IPL-winning captain, they are also devoid of a potent middle-order batter and seamer. After releasing a chunk of seamers, they are left with Rs. 38.15 crore in the bank. They have the capacity to invest in Ravindra.