Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz have been traded from Gujarat Titans to Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2023.
Lockie was bought by Gujarat for Rs 10 crore at the 2022 IPL mega auction. He finished last season with 12 wickets in 13 matches at an economy rate of under 9. Lockie was part of the KKR set-up after the two-time IPL champion signed him at the 2019 IPL auction. But he was released before the mega auction earlier this year. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Gurbaz - Jason Roy’s replacement and the reserve opener - didn’t get any game time.
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‘’As Lockie and Gurbaz get set to start a new journey at the Kolkata Knight Riders, we wish them the very best. Both players leave behind unforgettable memories. Lockie’s four-wicket haul against Delhi Capitals is a performance we will always remember. While Gurbaz did not play a game, his promise and talent was evident right through,” said Vikram Solanki, Gujarat Titans’ Director of Cricket.
Earlier, Australia’s left-arm fast bowlerJason Behrendorffreturned to Mumbai Indians after Royal Challengers Bangalore traded him. He was acquired by Royal Challengers at the 2022 auction for his base price of Rs 75 lakh but didn’t play a single match.
The auction for the 2023 season will be held in Kochi on December 23. It will be a mini-auction, unlike the mega auction before the 2022 edition, when the 10 franchises refurbished their entire squads. In addition to the money left over from their previous auction purse and the value of the players they release, each team will have an additional Rs 5 crore to spend, taking the overall purse tally to Rs 95 crore.
Kolkata Knight Riders had Rs 0.45 crore left over after last auction. Defending champion Gujarat Titans was left with Rs 0.15 crore.
