Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) said that the decision to bring England opener Phil Salt was influenced by the fact that he is explosive and can take on anyone in the powerplay. Salt, came in at Rs 2 crore. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru and MI were locked in a fierce bid, with the price escalating rapidly. After MI decided to opt out of the race, KKR entered the fray. RCB raised the bid to Rs 8 crore, and KKR came right at it with Rs 8.25 crore. The bid reached Rs 9 crore and eventually zipped past Rs 10 crore. Both tables pondered on their next move, and RCB eventually sealed the deal at Rs 11.5 crore.
Speaking as per an RCB statement, Dinesh said, “Phil Salt, what have I got to say? He is explosive. He is someone who can take on in the power play. Great attitude. Nice guy to have around in the team. Everything about him says he is the kind of guy that RCB would love to have.”
In 38 T20Is for England, he has made 1,106 runs at an average of 36.86 and a strike rate of 165.32, with three centuries and four fifties. In 268 T20s, he has scored 6,517 runs at a strike rate of over 155, with three centuries and 41 fifties. In Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)’s triumph last season, he scored 435 runs in 12 matches with four fifties at a strike rate of 182.00.
Speaking on acquisition of Indian wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma, Karthik said, “He is a very explosive middle -order batsman. We wanted someone who is on the fringes of the Indian team and he is right there. We have seen what he can do in the IPL. Has got areas that he can hit and RCB being a ground where you can play spin well, he comes as a very, very good option.”
On wicket keeping (Jitesh or Phil) Kartik said: “I think it is a decision that we will take closer to the tournament. I think it is a discussion that we need to have and see who is the better fielder, who is the better wicketkeeper and accordingly figure out what is the right option.”
In 9 T20Is for India, Jitesh has 100 runs with best score of 35. In 40 matches for Punjab Kings (PBKS) since 2022, he made 730 runs at an average of 22.81, with strike rate of over 151.14 and best score of 49*.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction from Sunday to Monday is all set to be two of the most intriguing days of this year’s cricketing calendar, with several international stars having entered the auction, records expected to be broken and the possibility of some unexpected crossovers.
A total of 574 players have been shortlisted from an initial pool of 1,574 names. These players will go under the hammer from November 24-25 in Jeddah. The list includes 208 overseas players, 12 uncapped overseas talents, and 318 uncapped Indian players.
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