The 2022 Indian Premier League season will be one of the standout events on the sporting calendar next year. Once again, the world’s best players will be in action in the competition, and it will be among the most popular betting options with real money betting sites. However, the first step on the road to the start of the new season was taken just a couple of weeks ago, as the players that have been retained by their respective franchises were announced.
IPL Most Illustrious Of T20 Competitions
Consensus with cricket fans in Inda and around the world is that the IPL is the pinnacle of the short-form game, with stars from around the world travelling to take part for one of the franchises that are involved. It is also a hugely lucrative occasion for players, as they can earn millions of dollars representing some of the teams that are involved in the IPL.
The talent that makes up all the squads in the IPL ensures that the quality of the tournament never diminishes, and ensures that there is always value to be had when betting with an online sportsbook. However, there will be further intrigue ahead of the coming season, as new franchises will make their debut in the IPL in the 2022 season.
New Teams Added To IPL
One of the most fascinating aspects of the upcoming IPL season is the expansion that the league will see. For the second time in IPL history, there will be ten teams making up the competition this season, as the two locations to have winning bids were announced at the end of October.
The RPSG Group paid a reported $940 million to set up a team in Lucknow, while CVC Capital also paid an eye-watering $750 million for a team to be based in Ahmedabad. The eight existing teams in the IPL were able to retain a maximum of four players at the end of the 2021 season, with the newly formed teams able to pick a maximum of three players before the auction. However, the newly formed teams are sure to open up value in betting with online sportsbooks in India.
Top Four Players Retained
Virat Kohli
The biggest name retained before the auction was Virat Kohli, as the Royal Challengers Bangalore will keep hold of their star man ahead of the 2022 season. The 33-year-old has been with the Royal Challengers since the 2008 season and is a three-time winner of the ICC ODI Player of the Year.
Kohli has played in 199 games in the IPL and has scored an average of 37.40 runs per game. As well as that, he has scored 42 50s and five 100s. His highest score in the IPL to date came when he hit 113.
Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali enjoyed an excellent year in 2021 in short-form cricket. The Englishman retired from test cricket to focus on ODI and T20 formats and was undeniably one of the stars of both the IPL season last term and the inaugural Hundred in the United Kingdom for his hometown team, the Birmingham Phoenix.
Ali was retained by the IPL winning Chennai Super Kings for 8 crores and has played 32 games in the IPL to date. He averaged 22.97 runs per game and has hit a high score of 66. Ali is yet to hit a 100 in the IPL but has managed four 50s. His ability to bowl to a high standard is another essential factor, as he has taken 16 wickets from 68.3 overs in the IPL to date.
Andre Russell
Andre Russell was retained by the Kolkata Knight Riders before the deadline and will be the highest-earning player for the franchise for the coming season. Russell has been in the IPL since 2012 and has won the IPL Super Striker award on one occasion. He has been an integral part of the Knight Riders team for the last couple of years, and his 52 sixes in the tournament back in the 2019 season.
That number of sixes is only eclipsed by Chris Gayle. The West Indian star’s highest score came when smashing 88, while he has an average of 29.31 runs per game. Russell has also taken 72 wickets from 210.1 overs during his career and has allowed a respectable average of 26.40.
Rohit Sharma
The Mumbai Indians will be looking to get back to the top of the IPL in 2022 after seeing their hold on the famous trophy lost last season. The Indians will once again be among the favourites with the top betting sites in India, as they have been able to retain the services of Rohit Sharma.
Sharma has played in 208 games in the IPL and has scored an aggregate of 5611 runs during his career. His highest score was 109, while he has an incredible average of 31.17. To date, he has hit just one 100 but has managed to smash 40 50s during his career. Sharma has also taken 15 wickets from 60.3 overs in the IPL.
Fans Look Forward To An Exciting New Season
The 2022 season promises to be one of the most exciting in recent seasons in the IPL. Real money betting sites in India are already offering excellent value on the outright markets, and the quality of the show promises to be better than ever. However, all cricket fans will be keeping close eyes on the stars that will be able to take their franchise towards the IPL title next year.
