Wankhade Becomes Costliest Player in Vidarbha Premier League Season 2 Auction The Vidarbha Premier League Season 2 auction, held on Sunday, concluded with Apoorv Wankhade emerging as the most expensive player acquired by Nagpur Heroz for Rs 8.30 lakh. The 34-year-old right-handed batter, who had a Category B base price of Rs 1.5 lakh, was the subject of a heated bidding war between Nagpur Heroz and Neco Master Blaster. Faiz Fazal, the mentor of Nagpur Heroz and a former Vidarbha Ranji Trophy-winning captain, secured Wankhade after a tense exchange with Neco Master Blaster’s captain Jitesh Sharma, who had initially raised the paddle. Wankhade, a seasoned player with experience in the Indian Premier League, having previously represented Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, was praised by Faiz Fazal for his destructive batting abilities. Fazal expressed satisfaction with the squad he assembled, highlighting that acquiring Umesh Yadav at his base price of Rs 2.5 lakh and Rajneesh Gurbani for Rs 3.20 lakh helped the team save costs. He emphasized that while auctions rarely yield all desired players, the Nagpur Heroz squad now boasts a strong bowling line-up and the addition of Wankhade. Jitesh Sharma, representing Neco Master Blaster, acknowledged the competition for Wankhade but expressed contentment with his team’s acquisition of Vaibhav Chandekar, a hard-hitting batter purchased for Rs 4.40 lakh. Both teams emphasized their strategic approaches to the auction, balancing high-value signings with cost-effective choices. The auction also saw intense bidding for other players. Vishesh Ram Tiwari, a 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Category B with a base price of Rs 1.5 lakh, was snapped up by Orange Tigers for Rs 7 lakh after a fierce contest with Bharat Rangers.#jitesh_sharma #faiz_fazal #apoorv_wankhade #nagpur_herorz #neco_master_blaster
