Reports: RCB to break the bank to rope in Jason Holder in IPL mega auction

With the IPL 2022 mega auction hardly a few days away, all the eight existing teams have named their mandatory three-four retentions and also made tough decisions while releasing others. However, all of them including the two new franchises Lucknow Super Giants and Ahmedabad would be looking forward to starting afresh by making a few important additions to their side in the two-day event in Bengaluru.

Among them will be the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) who would not only be hoping to add some firepower in their middle-order as well as bowling especially when it comes to the death overs and the best option that they have going forward is West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder. Meanwhile, it has been reportedly learned that Bangalore could bid aggressively to have the T20 World Cup winner on board with not too many choices left for them this time around.

RCB will like to go the distance to buy Jason Holder: RCB source

“Ben Stokes isn’t available, Hardik Pandya and Marcus Stoinis are taken. Mitchell Marsh, you never know whether he can survive a full IPL with his injury-prone career, Holder has been phenomenal if one looks at his record. RCB will like to go the distance as some others will also pitch in,” said an RCB source as quoted as saying by Cricket Next.

The three-time finalists who have a whopping INR 57 crore in their auction purse are reportedly willing to shell out a sum of INR 12 crore for Holder, and INR 8 and 7 crores for veteran batter Ambati Rayudu as well as emerging all-rounder Riyan Parag respectively.

“For Holder, they have reserved Rs 12 crore and another Rs 8 crore for Rayudu and Rs 7 crore for Parag. If they spend Rs 27 crore approximately on these players, they would have another Rs 28 crore left. The core with Kohli, Maxwell, Siraj, Holder, Rayudu, and Parag will be set. Let’s hope they can get two out of the preferred three, the source said.

Months ahead of the IPL 2022 auction, the Bengaluru-based franchise had retained batting megastar Virat Kohli, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and India Test specialist Mohammed Siraj. They would be hoping to tick all the boxes in the much-awaited mega auction as their hunt for a maiden IPL title continues.