Mumbai , December 15 : As anticipated India’s ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was picked first by Pune franchise in players draft for the upcoming IPL season in Mumbai on Tuesday . The former Chennai Super Kings captain will be joined by his team mates off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Proteas batsman Faf du Plessis . Pune have also roped in Ajinkya Rahane and Australian star Steve Smith.
On the other hand, the Rajkot franchise picked IPL’s top run-getter Suresh Raina as their first draft pick and the left-hander will be joined by local hero Ravindra Jadeja,New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, Aussie all-round James Faulkner and West Indian Dwayne Bravo.
Pune and Rajkot won the recent franchise bids from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to replace CSK and RR for 2016 and 2017 seasons after the two franchises were suspended by the IPL administrative committee.
The teams could pick 5 each (no more than 4 capped Indian cricketers)in the IPL Draft and the remaining players will go under the hammer in the 2016 IPL players auction to be held in Bengaluru on February 6, 2016.