Tilak Varma, Mohammed Siraj, CV Milind Headline Major Signings As TG20 Auction Marks New Era For Telangana Cricket

Hyderabad: Telangana cricket entered a new era today as the inaugural TG20 Player Auction got underway at Princess Convention Centre, Ramoji Film City, marking a significant milestone in the journey of Telangana’s premier franchise-based T20 league.

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.

Icon Category Highlights

* Tilak Varma emerged as the highest-valued player of the auction, joining Medak Falcons for ₹33 Lakhs.

* Mohammed Siraj was picked by Warangal Warriors for ₹14 Lakhs.

* CV Milind became the most expensive uncapped player, with Anvita Khammam Aces securing him for ₹17 Lakhs.

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).

A+ Category Highlights

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.

A Category Highlights

Emerging talents also attracted strong bidding, with Arfaz Ahmed and Abhirath Reddy becoming the joint-highest buys in the category at ₹11 Lakhs each.

Chandan Sahani (Karimnagar Diamonds), Pranav Varma (Hyderabad e-Champions) and Hima Teja (Anvita Khammam Aces) were among the other prominent signings.

B Category Highlights

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.

C Category Highlights

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 INR 474.45 Lakhs (INR 4.74 Crore) during the auction, with Anurag Nalgonda Knights emerging as the highest spenders at INR 60 Lakhs, followed closely by Pranava Ranga Reddy Risers (INR 59.95 Lakhs), Palamuru Strikers (INR 59.85 Lakhs) and Medak Falcons (INR 59.20 Lakhs), reflecting the competitive nature of the inaugural TG20 player market.

Speaking on the occasion, V. Agam Rao, Chairman, TG20 Governing Council, said: “Today is not just about franchises building squads; it is about creating pathways for Telangana’s cricketers to dream bigger. The response to TG20 has been phenomenal, and the auction reflects the depth of talent that exists across the state.”

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.