TNPL 2023 Auction: Sai Sudharsan to make more from TNPL than IPL as LKK buy him for record Rs 21.60 lakh

Top-order batter Sai Sudharsan broke the bank on the opening day of the first-ever Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) auction being held in Mahabalipuram.

The 21-year-old was bought for his base price of Rs 20 lakh in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. However, in a surprising turn of events, the top-order batter will now earn Rs 1.60 lakh more in the TNPL.

Sai Sudharsan in TNPL 2023 Auction

On Thursday, Lyca Kovai Kings splurged 21.60 lakhs to ensure the services of the Chennai-born cricketer. The amount is massive considering the team purse was Rs 70 lakh only.

The southpaw made his IPL debut against Punjab Kings at the Brabourne Stadium in 2022. He featured in five matches for Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans, scoring 145 runs at an average of 36.25 and a strike rate of 127.19.

Sai Sudharsan T20 Stats

Overall, the youngster has played 18 T20I matches and scored 497 runs at an average of 33.13 and a strike rate of 122.41. He made his first-class debut against Hyderabad in December last year. Till date, he has played seven matches and scored 572 runs (2 hundreds and a fifty) at an average of 47.66.

Sudharsan's List-A debut came back in December 2021 against Mumbai in Thumba. He has played 11 50-over matches till date and scored 664 runs at an average of 60.36. He has hit three hundreds and two fifties in the format.

Other major buys in the TNPL auction

R. Sonu Yadav (Nellai Royal Kings): Rs 15.20 lakh

Baba Aparajith (Chepauk Super Gillies): Rs 10 lakh

Varun Chakravarthy (Dindigul Dargons): Rs 6.75 lakh

Sandeep Warrier (Nellai Royal Kings): Rs 8.25 lakh

T Natarajan (Ballsy Trichy): Rs 6.25 lakh

Washington Sundar (Siechem Madurai Panthers): Rs 6.75 lakh

Vijay Shankar (iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans): Rs 10.25 lakhs

(Chepauk Super Gillies): Rs 12.80 lakh

Sanjay Yadav (Chepauk Super Gillies): Rs 17.60 lakh

Swapnil K Singh (Siechem Madurai Panthers): Rs 12 lakh