On Sunday Telangana cricket moved ahead when the first-ever TG20 Player Auction unfolded at the Princess Convention Centre inside Ramoji Film City. Over 1,300 cricketers registered with the HCA made up the talent list, giving each of the eight teams a wide field to pick from. Bidding happened through multiple tiers - Icon, A+, A, B, C, and C2 - as franchises built their lineups piece by piece.

160 players found teams, a mix that showed how much skill lives across the region. International names landed alongside seasoned local pros, while fresh faces from smaller districts got their chance too. Nine became Icons, six earned top-tier status beyond even A+, thirty took A spots, and eight filled B roles.

The rest - 107 strong - from C and C2 groups were given space to grow. This wasn’t just about big signings; it quietly highlighted support for those starting out.

TG20 strengthens focus on district talent

What stands out about the league is how it focuses on growing local players from different parts of Telangana. Each team had to pick no fewer than four cricketers from district sides when building their group, also ensuring that at least two such players appeared in the starting lineup throughout the event.

Franchises dropped a total of ₹4.74 crore in the auction - proof that the first-ever player market was anything but quiet. The biggest spender? Anurag Nalgonda Knights, tossing down ₹60 lakh. Just behind them came Pranav Ranga Reddy Risers at ₹59.95 lakh, while Palamuru

Strikers landed close with ₹59.85 lakh. Medak Falcons followed closely, sealing bids worth ₹59.20 lakh.
That day, V. Agam Rao, head of the TG20 Governing Council, explained how the league went beyond just forming squads.

“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,” Rao said.

Out front among new arrivals, Tilak Varma fetched the top bid when Medak Falcons secured him at ₹33 lakh. Not far behind, Mohammed Siraj landed with Warangal Warriors for ₹14 lakh. Then came CV Milind, rising above uncapped peers as Anvita Khammam Aces spent ₹17 lakh to bring him aboard.

Palamuru Strikers picked up Ravi Kiran along with Rohit Rayudu, both making waves in the Icon bracket. Medak Falcons went for T. Raviteja in a move that drew quiet attention. From there, Pranav Ranga Reddy Risers secured Tanay Thyagarajan without much fanfare. Anurag Nalgonda Knights brought in Rahul Buddhi under the steady radar. Karimnagar Diamonds closed their list with Tanmay Agarwal joining through the same route.

Teams added big names like Aman Rao to the Warangal Warriors. Palamuru Strikers brought in Pragnay Reddy around the same time. Hyderabad e-Champions locked down Ajay Dev Goud shortly after. These picks came straight from the A+ pool. Moves like these shifted the balance quietly. Each signing clicked without much noise.

Arfaz Ahmed matched Abhirath Reddy’s bid, both landing at 11 lakh rupees in the A group. Moving along, the B tier brought in fresh names - Sai Vikas Reddy slipped through, then came Bhavesh Seth, followed by Ashish Srivastav. Over on the quieter side, the C list lit up with Gaurav Reddy stepping forward, Pratheek Pawar close behind, and Gnana Prakash Reddy holding steady at the tail.

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Top Five Buys of the TG20 Auction

Tilak Varma (Medak Falcons) - ₹33 lakh
CV Milind (Anvita Khammam Aces) - 17 lakh
Mohammed Siraj (Warangal Warriors) - ₹14 lakh
Arfaz Ahmed - ₹11 lakh
Abhirath Reddy - ₹11 lakh