IPL 2022: Ahmedabad pick Hardik Pandya as captain, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill roped in for new season

IPL 2022: Ahmedabad franchise picked Hardik Pandya as their captain for the new season while also roping in Afghanistan spinner Hardik Pandya and India opener Shubman Gill.

Hardik Pandya was officially announced as the captain of the new Indian Premier League franchise from Ahmedabad. The India all-rounder was drafted in for Rs 15 crore by the new franchise on Friday, January 21.

Newly-appointed Director of Cricket of the Ahmedabad franchise, Vikram Solanki, announced the three draft picks and their price bracket for the new season.

While Hardik Pandya was roped in for Rs 15 crore, Afghanistan all-rounder Rashid Khan, who played for SunRisers Hyderabad, has also been drafted for Rs 15 crore.

Former Kolkatta Knight Riders opener Shubman Gill was named as Ahmedabad's third draft pick for Rs 8 crore.

IPL 2022 will have 2 new teams -- one from Ahmedabad and the other from Lucknow. The Ahmedabad team will be owned by CVC Capital. CVC was one of two companies to have won bids to own the two new franchises that will play in the IPL from next season. While its bid of Rs 5625 crore helped them win the Ahmedabad franchise, the RPSG Group won the Lucknow franchise with a bid of Rs 7090 crore.

Hardik has never led an IPL team in the past. However, the all-rounder had been an integral member of Mumbai Indians' success over the years.

Hardik has played a total of 92 matches, hitting 1476 runs at a staggering strike rate of 153.91. He has picked up 42 wickets as well.