Not Ishan Kishan! Mumbai Indians star becomes most expensive pick in Jharkhand T: Auction Highlights
The Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) has successfully concluded its highly anticipated player auction for the inaugural edition of the Jharkhand T20 League. This new domestic tournament has sparked considerable excitement among cricket enthusiasts, with six distinct franchises meticulously building their squads in anticipation of the upcoming competition.
The auction, a pivotal event in the league’s formation, unfolded at the Wave International Hotel in Ranchi on Saturday, May 30. A total of 275 talented cricketers entered the player pool, vying for spots across the six franchises. Each franchise operated under a strict and equal budget, ensuring a level playing field for squad assembly. The Jharkhand T20 League is scheduled to commence on June 10, promising to serve as a vital platform for showcasing local cricketing talent.
Robin Minz Emerges as Most Expensive Pick, Surpassing Ishan Kishan
In a significant turn of events that captured national attention, Koylanchal Super Kings made the most substantial signing of the auction by securing the services of promising wicketkeeper-batter Robin Minz for a remarkable ₹15.25 lakh. This record-breaking acquisition meant Minz surpassed even India international and prominent Mumbai Indians star, Ishan Kishan, who was picked up by Santhal Strikers for ₹14.7 lakh. The Chota Nagpur Royals also made a notable investment, acquiring the talented Virat Singh for ₹13 lakh, further highlighting the competitive nature of the bidding.
Strategic Squad Building Across Six Franchises
All six participating franchises—Ranchi Titans, Jamshedpur Steelers, Chota Nagpur Royals, Koylanchal Super Kings, Dhanbad Diamonds, and Santhal Strikers—adhered to a stringent salary cap of ₹50 lakh. This financial constraint necessitated astute planning and strategic bidding to balance experience with emerging potential.
Jamshedpur Steelers demonstrated their intent by signing Md. Kounain Quraishi for ₹12.5 lakh and bolstering their roster with Sahil Raj for ₹8.75 lakh, aiming for a robust combination of seasoned players and promising youngsters. Dhanbad Diamonds focused on strengthening their bowling attack, securing pacer Sushant Mishra for ₹11 lakh and adding Pankaj Kumar for ₹10.75 lakh. Meanwhile, Ranchi Titans made key acquisitions in Shikhar Mohan for ₹11 lakh and Rajandeep Singh for ₹9 lakh. The auction also featured special icon-player categories, with base prices commencing at ₹4 lakh, adding another layer of strategic depth to the proceedings.
JSCA Leadership Praises League’s Potential
The launch of the Jharkhand T20 League was met with enthusiastic support from the JSCA leadership. JSCA President Ajay Nath Shah Deo expressed his optimism, describing the tournament as a monumental step forward for cricket within the state. He emphasized that the league is poised to significantly strengthen the sport’s infrastructure and generate enhanced opportunities for local players to thrive.
Shah Deo remarked, “This is an exciting new chapter in Jharkhand’s cricketing journey. The league is a landmark initiative by the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) to further promote and develop the game at a professional level within our region. It underscores our commitment to nurturing talent and elevating the sport.”
Adding to this sentiment, JSCA Vice President Sanjay Pandey shared his perspective on the league’s profound impact. He highlighted the invaluable platform the tournament will offer to young cricketers, enabling them to play alongside experienced professionals and gain crucial exposure in a highly competitive environment.
Pandey stated, “The Jharkhand T20 League will provide a robust platform for young and emerging cricketers to showcase their skills alongside experienced players. The league is designed to bring high-quality, competitive T20 cricket to fans across the nation, fostering a new generation of cricketing stars.”
Complete Squads for the Inaugural Season
Here are the full rosters for each of the six franchises, showcasing the depth of talent assembled for the Jharkhand T20 League:
Chota Nagpur Royals Squad:
- Virat Singh
- Md. Nazim Siddiqui
- Vikash Singh
- Kumar Kushagra
- Supriyo Chakraborty
- Pankaj Yadav
- Mohit Kumar
- Deepanshu Rawat
- Sonu Kumar Singh
- Varun Kumar Singh
- Ritwik Pathak
- Durgesh Kumar
- Chandan Mukhi
- Aryaman Lala
- Shresht Sagar
- Rahul Rajak
- Avinash Kumar
- Himanshu Dwivedi
Dhanbad Diamonds Squad:
- Sushant Mishra
- Pankaj Kumar
- Bal Krishna
- Atul Singh Surwar
- Ram Roshan Saran
- Bisesh Dutta
- Vikash Kumar Vishal
- Md. Shamshad
- Vivekanand Tiwari
- Aryaman Sen
- Aditya Singh
- Tanish Choubey
- Prabhat Kumar Yadav
- Meet Jain
- Himanshu Ranjan Kumar
- Abhishek Yadav
- Gaurav Singh
- Siddharth Sinha
Jamshedpur Steelers Squad:
- Md. Kounain Quraishi
- Sahil Raj
- Kumar Deobrat
- Anukul Roy
- Pratik Ranjan
- Niteen Kumar Pandey
- Ravi Sharma
- Harsh Rana
- Adarsh Giri
- Kumar Karan
- Sameer Sharma
- Siddhanth Raghuvanshi
- Aman Kumar
- Hritik Anant
- Manikant Mishra
- Anurag Singh Sengar
- Pranjal Kumar
- Jasraj Singh
Koylanchal Super Kings Squad:
- Robin Minz
- Shubh Sharma
- Utkarsh Singh
- Amit Kumar
- Harsh Raj
- Sharandeep Singh
- Yogesh Bhaskar
- Satyam Singh
- Rahul Prasad
- Sentu Kumar Yadav
- Aditya Jha
- Gunjan Yadav
- Lakshya
- Abhinav Sharan
- Junaid Ashraf
- Sunny Sachin Tiwary
- Sanjeev Chaturwedi
Ranchi Titans Squad:
- Shikhar Mohan
- Rajandeep Singh
- Shreshtha
- Jatin Pandey
- Saurabh Shekhar
- Ayush Bhardwaj
- Prince Murmu
- Aryan Hooda
- Yash Bhagat
- Ishan Om
- Kumar Ankit
- Sachin Yadav
- Om Singh
- Satya Setu
- Prem Kumar Chaurasiya
- Mukesh Kumar
- Yuvraj Singh
- Yuvraj Kumar
Santhal Strikers Squad:
- Ishan Kishan
- Arvind Kumar
- Sumit Kumar
- Anmol Raj
- Manishi
- Vivek Kumar
- Rayan Sapkota
- Ravi Yadav
- Pratyush Kumar
- Vikas Kumar
- Kumar Suraj
- Raunak Kumar
- Ojus Wardhan
- Ritesh Patel
- Vibhor Pandey
- Sadab Hussain
- Sanjeet Sharma
- Ashish Kumar
The stage is now set for a thrilling inaugural season of the Jharkhand T20 League. With strategically assembled squads and a strong vision from the JSCA, cricket fans can look forward to high-octane T20 action and the emergence of new cricketing heroes from the heart of Jharkhand.
