Cricket
Tilak Varma & Mohd Siraj emerge hot property at TG20 auction, Milind surprises one and all
India players Tilak Varma and Mohd Siraj, as expected, hogged the limelight in the inaugural TG20 Player Auction at Princess Convention Centre, Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad, on Sunday.
Mumbai Indians star batter Tilak Varma emerged as the highest-valued player of the auction as he was snapped up by Medak Falcons as an Icon player for Rs 33 lakh.
Mohd Siraj & Tilak Varma to headline historic inaugural TG20 player auction on June 7
Mohammed Siraj was picked up by Warangal Warriors for Rs 14 lakh but the surprise package was all-rounder CV Milind. He became the most expensive uncapped player, with Anvita Khammam Aces securing him for Rs 17 lakh.
The auction marked a significant milestone in the journey of Telangana’s premier franchise-based T20 league. The inaugural edition of TG20 will commence on June 21, 2026, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Uppal, featuring 8 franchises competing in 32 matches over 21 action-packed days.
Mohammed Siraj was picked up by Warangal Warriors for Rs 14 lakh
With a player pool comprising over 1,300 HCA-registered cricketers, franchises began assembling their squads by securing some of the state’s finest cricketing talent across the Icon, A+ and A categories. The auction brought together international stars, accomplished domestic performers and promising district cricketers, reflecting TG20’s vision of creating a world-class platform for Telangana talent.
Other notable Icon category signings included Ravi Kiran (Palamuru Strikers), T Raviteja (Medak Falcons), Tanay Thyagarajan (Pranava Ranga Reddy Risers), Rahul Buddhi (Anurag Nalgonda Knights), Tanmay Agarwal (Karimnagar Diamonds) and Rohit Rayudu (Palamuru Strikers).
CV Milind became the most expensive uncapped player, with Anvita Khammam Aces securing him for Rs 17 lakh
Aman Rao (Warangal Warriors), Pragnay Reddy (Palamuru Strikers), Ajay Dev Goud (Hyderabad e-Champions), Nitin Sai Yadav, Aaron George and Rakshann Readdi were among the marquee acquisitions as franchises strengthened their core squads.
Emerging talents also attracted strong bidding, with Arfaz Ahmed and Abhirath Reddy becoming the joint-highest buys in the category at ₹11 lakh each. Chandan Sahani (Karimnagar Diamonds), Pranav Varma (Hyderabad e-Champions) and Hima Teja (Anvita Khammam Aces) were among the other prominent signings.
The B Category saw franchises strengthen their squads with several promising domestic performers, including Sai Vikas Reddy, Bhavesh Seth and Ashish Srivastav emerging as notable acquisitions as teams focused on adding depth and balance across departments. The C Category highlighted TG20’s emphasis on emerging local talent, with Gaurav Reddy, Pratheek Pawar and Gnana Prakash Reddy among the standout signings as franchises invested in promising young cricketers for the inaugural season.
Held amid a grand atmosphere, the auction witnessed the presence of over 300 attendees, including franchise owners, team representatives, members from HCA-affiliated clubs, former cricketers, officials and key stakeholders from across the Telangana cricketing ecosystem. The high-energy event reflected the growing excitement around TG20 and the league’s ambition to create a world-class cricketing platform for the state.
A total of 160 players were bought during the auction, including nine Icon players, six A+ players, 30 A category players, eight B category players and 107 players across the C and C2 categories, underlining the league’s strong focus on grassroots talent development and squad depth across all franchises.
In line with TG20’s strong focus on grassroots cricket development, every franchise was mandated to include a minimum of four district cricketers in its squad, while at least two district players must feature in the Playing XI during the tournament.
Franchises collectively spent Rs 474.45 lakh during the auction, with Anurag Nalgonda Knights emerging as the highest spenders at Rs 60 lakh, followed closely by Pranava Ranga Reddy Risers (Rs 59.95 lakh), Palamuru Strikers (Rs 59.85 lakh) and Medak Falcons (Rs 59.20 lakh), reflecting the competitive nature of the inaugural TG20 player market.
The auction proceedings were conducted by renowned sports presenter and auctioneer Charu Sharma, in the presence of franchise owners, team representatives and league officials.
7 Charminar players picked by franchises
Seven players from the Charminar Cricket Club have been picked up at the TG20 Auction. These players had represented the club in the HCA A Division Leagues 2026. The players and the teams they will be representing are:
Nomaan Ahmed – Medak Falcons
Satwik Reddy – Karimnagar Diamonds
Bhavesh Seth – Warangal Warriors
Ghazi Abbas – Medak Falcons
Urvesh Kakkad – Nalgonda Knights
Shrunjith Reddy – Medak Falcons
Karan Yadav – Palamuru Strikers