Prior to the IPL 2022 mega auction, PBKS confirmed the retention of two players: Mayank Agarwal for Rs 14 crore and uncapped pacer Arshdeep Singh for Rs 4 crore. The non-retention of skipper KL Rahul, on the other hand, has been a talking topic.
Also Read:IPL 2022: Kohli, Rohit, Dhoni, Pant retained; Rashid, Rahul & Hardik released ahead of mega auction
Rahul joined the Punjab franchise in 2018 and was named captain in 2020. Despite the fact that runs continued to flow freely from his bat, the club failed to make the playoffs in each of the previous four seasons. Some of the franchise's judgments, both at the auction table and in the coaching management, have been questioned.
Also Read: KL Rahul lured with sky-rocketing amount by Lucknow franchise; Punjab Kings lodge complaint
The franchise wants to keep Rahul and create the team around him, according to Anil Kumble. The dashing opener, on the other hand, desired to enter the auction pool. The great leg-spinner expressed himself and the team's admiration for the batsman's decision.
"Of course, Rahul posed the biggest obstacle for us. We obviously wanted to keep him. One of the reasons we picked him as captain two years ago was so that he could be the team's core. However, he chose to participate in the auction, and we accept his decision. It's up to the players," Anil Kumble told a leading daily.
Rahul is expected to be selected by one of the two new clubs; Ahmedabad and Lucknow both have the option of selecting three players from the available pool.
Punjab won 10 of their 24 matches under Rahul's leadership. Mayank Agarwal, Rahul's opening partner, who they've kept and who has progressed in international cricket, is a captaincy prospect, according to Anil Kumble.
"I believe that in the previous 3 to 4 years that Mayank has been with us, he has done incredibly well for us." He has been quite successful in the two years that I have been working with the brand. Of course, he's a prospective leader once more. He has a lot of experience in the IPL and international cricket," the coach remarked.
Before the mega-auction, the two new organisations have until December 25 to confirm their three players each.