Key Points

The DPL Season 2 men’s mega auction on Day 1 was action-packed with a host of marquee signings, seasoned Ranji veterans, and promising emerging players.

Runners-up in the inaugural season, the Superstarz entered the auction with clarity and intent. Their first strong move was retaining Ayush Badoni, the dynamic leader who guided the team to the finals last year.

With the retention rule limiting teams to just one player ahead of the auction, the Superstarz managed to buy back their core from the previous season.

Besides Badoni, the SuperStarz picked Digvesh Rathi, the highest wicket-taker for the team in the last edition and a marquee buy at the auction, Tejasvi Dahiya, the powerful wicketkeeper batter who scored two hundred plus runs and was secured using the only Right to Match card, and Kunwar Bhiduri, the 29-year-old experienced batter who was part of the Superstarz in the last season as well.

They also picked a reliable all-rounder in Sumit Mathur, Sarthak Ray, the 18-year-old batter who played nine matches in the first season, and Vision Panchal, the experienced all-rounder who was part of the team in the last edition.

In a format where each franchise had to fill a squad of at least 20 players, and with two new competitive teams joining the league this season, the stakes were higher than ever. Yet, the South Delhi think tank showed composure and smart decision-making throughout the day.

Team captain Ayush Badoni said, “We have played with a fearless approach in the last season, and we will try to play this season with the same approach and bring the trophy to the Superstarz camp. It’s a unique experience to be a part of the auction, a lot of strategies are made, the bidding process and all the outcomes and possibilities around this are something different.”

Key Additions to the Squad:

Himanshu Chauhan: A 22-year-old fast bowling sensation who played 9 matches last season.

Anmol Sharma: Right-hand batter secured for a particularly decent price in the mega auction.

Sumit Kumar: A 26-year-old all-rounder who will be playing his debut season.

Aman Bharti: A Young left-arm pacer who brings experience as well from the previous edition.

Rohan Rana: A 23-year-old all-rounder who made a good name in the Delhi cricket circuit.

These names form the backbone of a squad built to challenge across all three departments of the game. With a strong mix of youth, domestic experience, and leadership, the team looks poised to go one step further this season.

Team Head Coach Sarandeep Singh said, “We are feeling very excited, today it’s the start of the second season. As expected, we went for Digvesh Rathi, who was part of our team in the previous year, and he did an excellent job and went on to make the IPL debut as well. We wanted our team back, that’s why we went for Digvesh and Ayush, including the players from the last season.”

With Ayush Badoni leading the charge and a renewed squad hungry for silverware, the South Delhi Superstarz are poised for another strong campaign in the Delhi Premier League Season 2. The countdown to the league has begun, and the Superstarz have made one thing clear — they are not just here to compete. They are here to conquer.

- IANS