[Watch] Keshav Maharaj joins LSG camp ahead of IPL 2024 after going unsold at auction

South African spinner Keshav Maharaj attracted no bidders at the IPL 2024 auction.

With less than a week to go for the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the excitement among cricket enthusiasts keeps rising as their favorite players have started to join their respective IPL franchises ahead of the mega season. For the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the joy doubled as star South Africa left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj joined the LSG camp ahead of the IPL 2024.

The South African bowling all-rounder entered the IPL 2024 mini-auction at a base price of Rs 50 lakhs, but no team showed any interest despite him performing well at the ODI World Cup 2023 in India.

The South African spinner is part of LSG’s sister-franchise Durban’s Super Giants (DSG) in the SA20 league. Maharaj will train alongside LSG squad during the entire IPL 2024. He is not part of the official squad as of now, but can come in if any of LSG’s overseas player gets ruled out. However, Maharaj’s presence during the entire season will bring positive energy to the LSG camp.

Maharaj enjoyed on Indian surfaces last year at the ODI World Cup, where he picked up 15 wickets in 10 matches. Even in the SA20 earlier this year the ace spinner, who played for Super Giants, took 15 wickets in 13 matches and choked the opposition batsmen consistently.

LSG took it to their social media handles to share a video of Maharaj’s arrival, with the clip containing a specific instance of KL Rahul and his banter where the popular ‘Ram Siya Ram’ song was played in the background when Maharaj had come out to bat, and Rahul told him, “Every time you come, they play this song.”

Here is the video:

The Maharaj comes home to UP! 👑💙 pic.twitter.com/R89GZbBkTX

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) March 15, 2024

Meanwhile, KL Rahul’s men will begin their IPL 2024 campaign at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur against the one-time IPL winners Rajasthan Royals (RR) on March 24. LSG’s first home fixture will be against Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) on March 30.

Lucknow Super Giants squad for IPL 2024

KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Krunal Pandya, Yudhvir Singh, Prerak Mankad, Yash Thakur, Amit Mishra, Shamar Joseph, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, K. Gowtham, Shivam Mavi, Arshin Kulkarni, M. Siddharth, Ashton Turner, David Willey, Mohd. Arshad Khan.

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