Hyderabad, June 3: Indian cricket stars Mohammad Siraj and Tilak Varma are set to be the main attractions at the player auction for the inaugural edition of the TG20 league in Telangana, scheduled for June 7. The tournament will kick off on June 21 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal, where all matches will be held at one of India’s premier cricket venues.
The auction will take place at the Princess Convention Center in Ramoji Film City, featuring several established domestic players, including Rohit Rayudu, Rahul Buddhi, CV Milind, and Tanmay Agarwal, who are expected to catch the attention of franchise owners. The pool also includes Aaron George, a representative of India Under-19, and members of the recently crowned Vinoo Mankad Trophy-winning team from Telangana.
This marks Telangana’s first franchise-based T20 league, with over 1,300 HCA-registered cricketers set to be auctioned. A total of 32 matches will be played over 21 days among eight teams during the league.
The eight franchises participating in the inaugural season include Hyderabad E-Champions, Pranav Ranga Reddy Risers, Warangal Warriors, Medak Falcons, Anurag Nalgonda Knights, Karimnagar Diamonds, Palamuru Strikers, and Anvita Khammam Aces.
The auction process will begin with the ‘Icon Category’, followed by categories A+, A, B, C1, and C2, enabling franchises to build balanced and competitive teams of up to 20 players.
Each franchise is required to include at least four district-level cricketers in their team, with a minimum of two district-level players in the playing eleven. Teams will also have the opportunity to select promising Under-19 cricketers and players emerging from the league’s extensive ‘open-trial’ program. Each franchise will enter the auction with a budget of 6 million rupees, of which 5.4 million rupees must be spent.
Former international player and chairman of the SCA’s Cricket Operations Committee, Ambati Rayudu, along with his team, has played a crucial role in organizing extensive open trials, generating significant excitement among emerging cricketers from both urban and district areas. Cricket fans can watch the live streaming of the auction on JioHotstar.