Kings XI Punjab Can Come Out As A Real Winner At The IPL 2021 Auction - Aakash Chopra

Former India opener, Aakash Chopra believes that Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) is in a strong position going into the auction for IPL 2021 which is scheduled for 18th February in Chennai. Chopra asserts that after offloading just 9 players Punjab, not only has their core intact from the last season but also now has the biggest purse of INR 53.2 crore.

The Kings have let go of big names and expensive signings of Glenn Maxwell, Sheldon Cottrell, Krishnappa Gowtham, and Karun Nair who all were underwhelming last year. Hence, Chopra opines that the KL Rahul-led side can make a very strong side at the auction table.

“Kings XI Punjab can actually come out as a real winner at the IPL 2021 auction. Although they have let go of a lot of players, their core has not got impacted much. That has been a hallmark of a very good team, that the management is doing a very good job,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“They have 53.2 crores and have to fill only nine slots, so they are in a very decent space. They have let Glenn Maxwell, Sheldon Cottrell, Karun Nair, and Krishnappa Gowtham go. They released 25-30 crore just by letting these four players go. But whoever is left are very very good. The Kings XI Punjab team is not that bad even after leaving so many big stars,” the former batsman added.

Punjab have the money to buy Mitchell Starc: Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra reckons that KXIP, who finished sixth on the points table in UAE, would need a couple of high-quality overseas fast bowlers – none more lethal than Mitchell Starc, who will enter the auction this time. The 43-year-old points out that the Anil Kumble-led management has the money to buy the Aussie speedster.

Apart from that, Chopra believes that Punjab will need all-rounders; they could maybe buy back Maxwell at a cheaper price. Australia’s Cameron Green and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan are expected to fetch big bids in the all-rounder department.

“According to me, they need at two overseas fast bowlers, two middle-order all-rounders, and a proper batsman. If they get that, they should be fine. They will be in a fantastic happy place if they have a good auction,” the former KKR batsman added.

“They need at least two all-rounders. Cameron Green, Moises Henriques, and Shakib Al Hasan – these are the kind of players I see going towards them. They will need bowlers and that is why they have probably saved money. It could be Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, or Mitchell McClenaghan. They have the biggest capacity to buy Starc as they have a lot of money,” Aakash Chopra further stated.

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