IPL 2022: Mayank Agarwal plans to 'sit back and relax' during mega auction

Punjab Kings opening batter Mayank Agarwal has said that he will sit back and be more relaxed than others during the IPL 2022 mega auctions. The bidding event will take place on February 12 and 13 in Bangalore. A total of 590 players have been shortlisted to go under the hammer. Agarwal was retained by the franchise for 12 crore and the team is looking to get a new captain as KL Rahul has been signed by Lucknow Super Giants.

The team will also be looking for an opening partner for the Karnataka player as well. Rahul and Agarwal formed a formidable opening in the last two seasons. Further, they will be looking for players who can provide stability in the middle-order, which was a weakness in the last two seasons. The Mohali-based team would also be looking for the replacement of Ravi Bishnoi, who was signed by Lucknow.

I am really excited for the auction: Mayank Agarwal 

Meanwhile, the India Test opener, in a conversation with Boria Majumdar on his show ‘Auction Reels’, has said that he is excited for the mega auction. He’s also keen to see the kind of players the team will be able to buy.

“Well, honestly, I think this auction I am going to just sit back and say, ‘oh yes’. I am going to be a lot more relaxed than probably a few other people but, you know, I am really excited for the auction – for the kind of players that we’ll be able to buy and the strategies, the thought processes that we’ve had as Punjab Kings before the auction [and] … say we’ve decided the kind of cricket we want to play [I’ll see] have we actually been able to get the kind of players that we, as a team, have been looking for,” said Agarwal.

“So it is exciting on that front but I can definitely say that, on a personal front, it’s going to be a lot calmer compared to any of the auctions before,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mayank Agarwal has been added to the Indian squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies, getting underway on February 6. The 30-year-old was included after three players – Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Shreyas Iyer tested positive for COVID19