IPL 2024 Auction: The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction lived up to its hype yet again, but this time, the event took place outside of India for the very first time.
The mini-auction witnessed 10 teams acquiring 72 players for a total of 230.45 crore rupees at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai.
In the compact setting of the IPL 2024 mini-auction, records tumbled as hefty sums were splurged to secure top-tier players. Mitchell Starc claimed the title of the league's priciest player in history, with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) acquiring the left-arm speedster for a staggering Rs 24.75 crore.
Meanwhile, Pat Cummins, the World-Cup winning captain was secured by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for Rs 20.50 crore after a bidding war with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
List Of Most-Expensive Players:
1) Mitchell Starc - 24.75 Cr (Kolkata Knight Riders)
In a groundbreaking moment in IPL auction history, Australian left-arm seamer Starc secured his position as the tournament's costliest player ever, joining the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a staggering Rs 24.75 crore.
As Starc entered the auction fray, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) initiated the bidding, eventually stepping back to make way for Gujarat Titans (GT) and KKR. The joy was palpable for KKR, with mentor Gautam Gambhir and CEO Venky Mysore expressing satisfaction after successfully adding Starc to their squad.
Starc marked his return to the IPL auction after several years, his last appearance dating back to 2015. Throughout his IPL journey, Starc has amassed 34 wickets in 27 matches while representing RCB during the 2014-15 seasons. Starc was bought by KKR in the 2018 auction as well, but the pacer withdrew his name ahead of the tournament because of injury.
2) Pat Cummins - 20.50 Cr (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Before Starc broke the bank for KKR, Cummins secured the title of the league's most expensive player with a hefty price tag of 20.50 crore, as SRH spared no expense to acquire the Australian skipper. The feat came exactly a month after Australia delivered a stunning blow to India in the World Cup Final.
The auction drama unfolded as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) initiated the bidding, entering into a fierce battle with MI who eventually withdrew at 4 crores. RCB then entered the fray, igniting a bidding war with CSK. The stakes rose to 7.8 crores before CSK bowed out, making way for SRH to enter the competition.
Cummins officially claimed the title of the costliest player in IPL auctions for an hour, surpassing the 18.5 crores set by Curran. The bidding frenzy continued, drawing applause from other franchises as the 20 crore barrier was breached.
3) Daryl Mitchell - 14 Cr (Chennai Super Kings)
In the IPL 2024 Auction on Tuesday, the Chennai Super Kings bolstered their squad with the addition of Daryl Mitchell for INR 14 crore, who had an initial base price of INR 1 crore.
DC and Punjab Kings (PBKS) engaged in an extended bidding duel before Capitals eventually withdrew. CSK, after a prolonged wait, entered the competition, engaging in a back-and-forth with PBKS, who ultimately opted out of the race.
The keen interest in Mitchell was fueled by his impressive performance in the ODI World Cup earlier this year, where he amassed 552 runs at an impressive average of 69.00 and a strike rate of 111.06.
Mitchell had a brief stint with the Rajasthan Royals in 2022 after being purchased by the franchise at his base price of Rs. 75 lakh. The 32-year-old went unsold in the previous year's auction, where he was listed at a base price of Rs 1 crore.
4) Harshal Patel - 11.75 Cr (Punjab Kings)
PBKS successfully secured the services of all-rounder Harshal Patel, the holder of the purple cap in the 2021 edition, for a sum of INR 11.75 crore, surpassing his base price of INR 2 crore.
Having been a part of RCB for the last three seasons, Harshal became the focal point of a bidding war initiated by GT. As the price approached the INR 10 crore mark, PBKS entered the fray along with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), driving the price up to the final winning bid of INR 11.75 crore.
5) Alzarri Joseph - 11.50 Cr (Royal Challengers Banagalore)
RCB entered the auction with the acquisition of West Indies international Alzarri Joseph, securing his services for a sum of INR 11.50 crore, a notable leap from his base price of INR 1 crore. The bidding war for Joseph unfolded between LSG and RCB, with the latter ultimately clinching the deal.
Alzarri Joseph's T20 form is evident from his impressive record of 121 wickets in 101 matches, featuring standout figures of 6/12.