The IPL 2022 Mega Auction is scheduled on the 13th and 14th of February. All the ten teams including the two new teams from Lucknow and Ahmedabad will be wanting the best for their teams. Opening the batting is one very important task. Over the years the IPL has seen several iconic openers. The likes of Sourav Ganguly, Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, and Brendon McCullum have all played in the IPL. So, who are the top 10 opening batsmen that will go under the hammer in the IPL 2022 Mega Auction? Here’s a look:
10) Faf Du Plessis:
Faf Du Plessis played a big role in making Chennai the Champions last season. Du Plessis proved that he is aging just like fine wine. Faf announced retirement from all formats of the game at the international level last year too. But his physique and fitness will allow him to play for at least 2 more years. Faf has been good season after season for Chennai. Whenever given a chance Faf has stepped up to the occasion.
9) Aaron Finch:
Aaron Finch, Australia’s white-ball captain can be a good pick for any franchise. Aaron is currently on the list of top 10 opening batsmen in the IPL Mega Auction. Over the years, Finch has played for several teams. Pune Warriors, Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, and many more. The experience value that Finch will add to any team will be worth a lot.
8) Martin Guptill:
Martin Guptill, the Kiwi opener was in good touch in the recently concluded, ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Guptill was scoring runs on a wicket where other players were struggling. Guptill has good skill of playing the short ball. His cover drives are exquisite. Martin Guptill makes the game looks super easy when he gets going. Like every New Zealand opener, Martin too looks to make most of the powerplay overs by playing a slam-bang game.
7) Quinton De Kock:
De Kock, the Protea is certainly on this list of top 10 opening batsmen. Quinton played for the Mumbai Indians last season. He was an integral part of the Mumbai team that won the IPL in the year 2020. He is one of the top white-ball openers of the game and has been on top since 2015. One can never forget Quinton and his ramp shorts. He is a technically sound batsman and also has the skills to make runs cheekily.
6) Devdutt Padikkal is one of the Top 10 opening Batsmen:
Devdutt Padikkal, the Indian youngster is going to earn big bucks in the IPL 2022 Mega Auction. The left-handed lad from Bengaluru has the skill set required to excel at the top. Devdutt has been exceptional in the limited opportunities that he has got. His cover drive and Yuvraj-like flick are a treat to watch. Devdutt is going to be a top star within a few years. Padikkal has dominated the domestic circuit for 3 years now and it is about time he gets a fixed place.
5) Jason Roy:
Jason Roy is one player that hasn’t got due credit in the IPL. Roy has previously played for Gujarat Lions and Delhi Capitals. He was associated with the Sunrisers Hyderabad last season. Roy plays the short ball well as he has a well-timed cut short. One can never forget his thunderstorm-like innings in Australia back in 2017. Jason was also a big reason why England got its hands on the 2019 World Cup. Roy hasn’t got many opportunities in the IPL and he has been vocal about it on Twitter.
4) Shikhar Dhawan is one of the Top 10 Batsmen:
Jattji as Shikhar is referred to by his teammates has been exceptional for the past 3 years. It is unfortunate that due to the emergence of a phenomenon named KL Rahul, Shikhar was sacked from the T20I team of India. Shikhar has always been in contention for the orange cap season after season. He has on average scored 450 runs in every season for the past 5 years. More than anything else, Shikhar brings experience and calmness to the table. He has a happy-go-lucky attitude and this helps him perform under pressure.
3) Ishan Kishan:
Ishan Kishan was sought after by the Lucknow as well as the Ahmedabad franchise. Unfortunately, the young lad couldn’t be picked in the draft. But since he has moved to the auction table now, Ishan will earn a big paycheque. The Mumbai Indians will certainly bid for Kishan as they tend to have a strong core and will want their key players back.
2) Johnny Bairstow is one of the Top 10 Batsmen:
Johnny Bairstow is a top pick. Bairstow is currently one of the top 10 opening batsmen in the white-ball circuit. Johnny opened the innings for Sunrisers for the past 2 years and performed very well. Coming from England, Johnny plays fast bowling with excellence. He is good with the pull shot and the cut shot. He times the ball very well too. Bairstow has a Jayasuriya-like attacking nature and he takes the opposition apart from ball one!
Honorable Mentions:
1) Lendl Simmons
2) Chris Lynn
1) David Warner:
David Warner is one of the hottest picks in the IPL 2022 Mega Auction. Warner is a left-hander, a captaincy option, and is very attacking. After having a disastrous season with Sunrisers Hyderabad last year, Warner decided to quit the franchise. It looked as if the team management and David Warner were not on terms. But David turned the tables in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and won Australia the same. He was the “Man of the Series” in that tournament.
