IPL 2016 – Smith, Dhoni Joins Pune team for 9th Season: Indian Team Captain MS Dhoni and Australian Captain Steven Smith to play in Same Team Pune for IPL 2016 season. This happens after the IPL Draft today in Mumbai when Pune Franchise owner selects both players for their IPL Team. MS Dhoni is the first pick for Pune team in 12.5 Cr while Australia’s Steven Smith is 4th Pick for Pune team in Rs 5.5 Cr ($1.3 million AUD).
Another Australia All-rounder James Faulkner sold for the same amount as his team captain but in opposite team Rajkot. Before today’s draft, Smith and Faulkner played for Rajasthan Royals before the suspension of Franchise.
Some Big players Like Shane Watson and Mike Hussey are undrafted. Watson played for RR since 2008. Now with Watson and Hussey other players like Ben Cutting, Kane Richardson, and Andrew Tye will go to main IPL Auction 2016 on Feb 6.
Steven Smit with MS Dhoni also joins other players, “picked by Pune Team” Ajinkya Rahane and Ravi Ashwin and Proteas T20 captain Faf du Plessis While James Faulkner will join with Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Bravo for Rajkot Team.
As we already know that this IPL Draft happened due to the suspension of two big IPL Teams Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. The suspension happened due to Corruption scandal between both teams. Pune and Rajkot will replace these suspended teams for 2 years.
In today’s draft, there is a total of 50 players from CSK and RR. Each new teams has given the right to select 5 players from each team with their previous salary contracts with CSK and RR retained with two new teams.
- Chennai Captain MS Dhoni was selected first in 12.5 CR INR while Raina was picked in the 2nd sport in Rajkot for the same price.
- Ajinkya Rahane selected by Pune in the 2nd round while Ravindra Jadeja went to Rajkot in 9.5 Cr INR.
- Ashwin went to Pune in 7.5 Cr INR while New Zealand Captain Brendon McCullum went to Rajkot also in 7.5 Cr INR.
IPL 2016 the 9th season of Indian Premier League with 2 new teams start on April 9, Six days after the World T20 2016 India and Ends on 26 May with Final will be played in Kolkata Eden Gardens.
