After Sunrisers Hyderabad’s shocking decision to sack Kane Williamson as the captain of the team and not retain him for the next season, the Kiwi international finds himself in a tight spot before the Indian Premier League’s mini-auction that is set to take place on December 23, 2022. Kane Williamson was retained for INR 14 crore ahead of the mega auction last year and following his multiple poor performances with the bat in international cricket, the top-order batter is very unlikely to receive the same amount of money he previously did.
However, the 32-year-old is still in demand as many franchises will be interested to acquire his service for IPL 2023. Other than being a dependable batter, the Kiwi can also lead a team and is a gun fielder. In 76 matches he played in the cash-rich tournament, Williamson scored 1667 runs at a strike rate of 126.03.
He is someone who can provide stability and help other batters settle down before going berserk towards the business end. Thus, he will be one to watch out for in the auction.
3 teams Kane Williamson might join for IPL 2023
3. Gujarat Titans
The defending champions Gujarat Titans tried a number of players in the number three position but none of them could prove themselves. The franchise tried Vijay Shankar in the initial phase and the all-rounder failed massively. Hardik Pandya and Matthew Wade later tried their luck in the position but that isn’t their preferable position to bat. Thus, the team can go after Kane Williamson in the auction to fill the void.
The opening combination of Gujarat too bothered the team in the past. Wriddhiman Saha isn’t very consistent and thus, Kane can be an option to partner with Shubman Gill at the top. He is very flexible and can fit in well at any position in the top order.
Now, in the presence of Hardik Pandya, David Miller, Matthew Wade and Rahul Tewatia in the middle order, Kane can be a very valuable player considering the way he approaches the game. Amidst all the big hitters of the game, Kane can play the role of an anchor and help the other batters settle down. Given his vast experience as a captain, he can help Hardik from time to time. Thus, the Gujarat franchise can be Kane Williamson’s next destination in the Indian Premier League.
2. Chennai Super Kings
The Chennai-based franchise is desperately looking for a captain at the moment. After the Ravindra Jadeja experiment failed, MS Dhoni is back at the helm but unfortunately, not for too long. As per reports, the two-time World Cup-winning captain is likely to retire after IPL 2023 and that’s exactly where Kane Williamson can come in and take over the responsibility.
Chennai Super Kings have shown their interest in Kane in the previous years but could never match the price tag. However, following his poor performance in international cricket, his price is likely to get dropped and that is where CSK can cash in.
Now it’s not just because of his captaincy, the 32-year-old would perfectly fit in the Chennai squad because of his batting skill. He is someone who can take the game deep and thus, the CSK philosophy suits the way he plays the game. The Kiwi captain can eventually replace Robin Uthappa in the playing XI.
1. Sunrisers Hyderabad
The fans can very well see Kane Williamson return to Sunrisers Hyderabad after not being retained. His price tag of 14 crores was bothering the franchise and that ultimately became the reason for his departure. However, the Hyderabad-based franchise won’t rule out a possible comeback if they manage to sign the cricketer at a much cheaper rate.
Now, in case that happens, the team might not name him as the captain of the ship. As per reports, Ben Stokes is their favourite choice as the new SRH skipper but his availability and injury concerns always remain to be in a doubt and that’s why Kane can be a perfect backup for Stokes.
After their fallout with David Warner and Rashid Khan last year, the franchise may sign Kane Williamson, who remains to be a fan favourite. Their style of play suits the cricketer and the franchise needs stability in the middle order. Thus, Kane can be the ideal candidate for that role.
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