India's youth stars celebrated a massive payday during the second day of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Following their pivotal roles in bringing home India's fifth U-19 World Cup trophy earlier this month, skipper Yash Dhull, Raj Bawa, and Rajvardhan Hangargekar were all picked up by IPL teams. Specifically, the Delhi Capitals secured captain Yash Dhull for 50 lakhs.
The auction saw an intense battle for all-rounder Rajvardhan Hangargekar. Starting at 30 lakh, he first attracted Mumbai Indians, who sought a replacement for Hardik Pandya, before Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings entered the bidding. Ultimately, CSK won the tug-of-war, signing the youngster for INR 1.5 crore. Raj Bawa also had a dream day; starting at just 20 lakh, he was eventually signed by the Punjab Kings for a massive INR 2 crore after they outbid both Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Raj Bawa, a prominent member of India’s U-19 World Cup-winning team, had a field day in the auction. He was roped in by Punjab Kings for a whopping INR 2 crore. Bawa had a base price of INR 20 Lakh. Punjab Kings won the bid after battling it intensely with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians.
Raj Bawa was a standout performer in the U-19 World Cup, delivering an all-round masterclass with 252 runs and nine wickets in six outings. His contribution peaked in the final against England, where the 19-year-old took five wickets to help steer India toward another championship title.
The biggest spenders of the auction were Mumbai Indians, who paid a record INR 15.25 crore for Ishan Kishan, and CSK, who shelled out INR 14 crore for Deepak Chahar. Additionally, Avesh Khan made history as the most expensive uncapped player ever, joining Lucknow Super Giants for a whopping INR 10 crore.