IPL 2023 Auction: Will Gujarat Titans (GT) Bid For Kane Williamson? Hardik Pandya Answers
Sunrisers Hyderabad released Kane Williamson ahead of IPL 2023 auction.
The 2016 champions of the Indian Premier League, Sunrisers Hyderabad released New Zealand captain and the longest servant of the Orange Army, Kane Williamson ahead of the IPL 2023 auction.
Sunrisers Hyderabad bought back Williamson in the mega-auction, held earlier in February for a whopping amount of INR 14 Crore. However, the Kiwi batter failed to justify his price tag and could manage only 216 runs in 13 innings at a dismal strike rate of 93.50.
Meanwhile, team India is currently on a tour of New Zealand, where they will play three T20Is and three ODIs beginning Friday, November 18 in Wellington. Ahead of the series, India captain Hardik Pandya was asked whether Williamson would be picked in the IPL 2023 auction.
To this question, Hardik replied:
“For him, because he is a friend, yes. Rest it is okay. IPL is IPL, right now I am playing for India.”
On being asked if Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans will bid for New Zealand captain in the cash-rich league, the Baroda cricketer replied:
“Don’t know, it’s too far ahead to think about it now.”
Following their disappointing T20 World Cup 2022 campaign in Australia, Team India will look to overcome their past disappointments and build a formidable unit studded with young players for the T20 World Cup 2024.
Hardik Pandya will be leading Team India in the T20Is against New Zealand while Shikhar Dhawan will be captaining the ODI side. The series will also see VVS Laxman taking over the head coach duties in the absence of their regular coach Rahul Dravid.
Dravid has been given a break along with several senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik, and R Ashwin. This series will also mark the international return of Jammu pacer Umran Malik, who played his last T20I match for India against England in July.
