IPL 2022 mega auction retention last date for the franchises is November 30.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has named the players who could be retained by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise ahead of the IPL 2022 mega-auction. A total of four players can be retained by a franchise till November 30.
Chopra, in his YouTube video, said that the franchise will retain former captain Virat Kohli and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. He added that they might get into a tricky situation of picking between Harshal Patel, the purple-cap holder of IPL 2021, and their reliable pacer Mohammed Siraj.
ALSO READ: "We have adopted him," says Aakash Chopra on India's love for AB de Villiers
"Virat Kohli, Yuzi Chahal. If it was in my hand for two more, then I would try to keep Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal. These are my four players."
"In fact, I can think about Harshal too. So it's Siraj or Harshal. And Devdutt Padikkal. I want to keep these four players with Yuzi Chahal and Virat Kohli as my first two choices for retention", he said.
The ex-cricketer pointed out that while choosing between Harshal and Siraj, the franchise needs to keep the long-term vision as it's the beginning of a new cycle in the league.
"You can see Siraj in terms of long-term vision. Harshal's development in the last 12 months has been very good", he said. "But then you are looking at three seasons. Not just one or two."
RCB's star batter from last season, Glenn Maxwell couldn't find a spot among the retained players. Chopra said it's because of a lack of confidence in the Aussie batter, as he hasn't been consistent in the last few years of IPL.
"That's because I don't have 100% confidence on him. He is doing good but am not sure if he will maintain that," he said.
South Africa's AB de Villiers, one of the core members of the RCB squad, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket earlier this month.