In a smart move by the Ahmedabad franchise, the CVC group is all set to rope in former KKR batsman Shubman Gill outside the auction pool. The team has already zeroed in Hardik Pandya and Rashid Khan as their first two picks. According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, Hardik will lead Ahmedabad in the next season of the cash-rich league. While the IPL has set INR 15 crore, INR 11 crore and INR 7 crore for franchises retaining three players, the report further adds that Ahmedabad have decided to pay both Hardik and Rashid the same amount - INR 15 crore. The third player - Gill - will be paid INR 7 crore.
This means the franchise will go into the auction in February with a purse of INR 53 crore. In 2017, Sunrisers bought Rashid for INR 4 crore and, a year later, they retained him for INR 9 crore. Remarkably, Rashid featured in all 76 matches played by Sunrisers since his debut, picking up 93 wickets at an economy rate of 6.33. Only Jasprit Bumrah has taken more wickets (104) than Rashid in the last five IPL seasons. The Ahmedabad franchise, which was bought last October by CVC Capital Partners (Irelia Company Pte Ltd), has also finalised its coaching staff - they will be led by former India fast bowler Ashish Nehra, and former South Africa batter and head coach Gary Kirsten. Former England batter Vikram Solanki, who is currently Surrey's head coach, will be the team director.
