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Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc on Tuesday became the most expensive player in the IPL history with an eye-popping bid of Rs 24.75 crore, minutes after his skipper Pat Cummins fetched a jaw-dropping Rs 20.50 crore pay packet as pacers raked in the big moolah at the auction in Dubai Tuesday.
Gujarat Titans and KKR were involved in a long and exhilarating bidding battle for Starc before the latter lapped him up for a record deal.
Starc, 33, has usually prioritised international duty over IPL but decided to enter the auction with one eye on the T20 World Cup that follows the IPL.
He has played only two seasons of the IPL, taking 34 wickets in 27 games at an average of 20.38.
Not long after Cummins attracted a mind-boggling bid from Sunrisers Hyderabad,
Kolkata Knight Riders raised the bar by offering even a bigger pay packet for the left-arm pacer, who last played in the IPL in 2015.
Starc's payout was significantly more than Sam Curran got last year when Punjab Kings paid a then record Rs 18.50 crore for the England all-rounder.
"It was a shock, of course. Nothing I could have dreamt of. But no doubt, there will be some pressure that comes with the territory. But having the extra experience I have from my last IPL, hopefully, helps," Starc said
"Few ups and downs I've had before but this comes with the territory and I try to be successful and have as much impact as possible."
In contrast, 30-year-old Cummins has been a regular at the IPL but skipped the 2023 edition to focus on the Ashes and the ODI World Cup.
An intense bidding war followed for Cummins with Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad raising their paddles frenetically to secure the services of the fast bowling all-rounder.
In the end, it was SRH who broke the bank for Cummins.
It was not the first time that Cummins attracted huge sums at the IPL auction. Ahead of the 2020 edition, KKR had paid Rs 15.5 crore for his services.
Starc, however, was shocked after making history on Tuesday.
"It was a shock, of course. My wife Alyssa (Healy) is with the women's team in India so she was getting updates quicker than what I was seeing on screen. Surprised but thrilled," Starc told the host broadcaster.
On staying away from the IPL, he added: "Been a while, yes. I've been involved with RCB in 2014-15, then picked up by KKR in 2018 but got injured. But I've been prioritising international cricket and Test cricket for Australia.
"Coming into the back end of this year and next year, it's much quieter for Australia as a group so excited to be involved."
Among the fast bowlers, the others who broke the bank were Harshal Patel (Rs 11.75 crore to Punjab Kings), Alzarri Joseph (Rs 11.50 crore to RCB), Spencer Johnson (Rs 10 crore to Gujarat Titans), Shivam Mavi (Rs 6.40 crore to LSG), Umesh Yadav (Rs 5.80 crore to Gujrat Titans), Gerald Coetzee (Rs 5 crore to Mumbai Indians) and Shardul Thakur (Rs 4 crore to CSK).
Batters too get handsome money
In the batters category, Daryl Mitchell had a massive payday with Chennai Super Kings spending Rs 14 crore for the New Zealand batter.
SRH grabbed World Cup final hero Travis Head for Rs 6.80 crore.
Head, who scored a match-winning century in the ODI World Cup final against India and also starred in the World Test Championship final against the Rohit Sharma-led team earlier this year, saw reigning champions Chennai Super Kings and SRH indulge in a bidding war. The wicketkeeper batter finally went to 2016 champions SRH.
New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra, with a base price of Rs 50 lakh, was snapped by CSK for a modest Rs 1.8 crore. Ravindra was another star of the recently held ODI World Cup in India.
West Indies T20 skipper Rovman Powell emerged as the costliest player among capped batters, going to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 7.40 crore.
Powell, who had a base price of Rs 2 crore, was the first player to go under the hammer at the mini auction and as many as three teams showed keen interest to rope him in for the 2024 season.
Eventually, Rajasthan Royals got their hands on the big hitter, who also captains their team Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Gujarat Titans opened the bidding for Australian pacer Spencer Johnson at a base price of Rs 50 lakh.
KKR and Delhi Capitals quickly joined the fray, escalating the bid past Rs 5 crore.
With 18 wickets in 20 T20 games, the 28-year-old gained significant attention. Titans, determined to secure him, pushed the bid to an impressive Rs 10 crore, ultimately clinching the talented left-arm pacer.
Johnson, starting at Rs 50 lakh, fetched a substantial Rs 10 crore for Gujarat Titans.
Harshal Patel lands an Rs 11.75 crore deal with Punjab Kings, up from his 2 crore base price.
Alzarri Joseph joins Royal Challengers Bangalore in a high-stakes deal, sealing the contract at Rs. 11.50 Cr.
Uncapped Sameer Rizvi gets life-changing deal
The auction often rewards the uncapped Indian cricketers with life changing contracts and it was no different on Tuesday.
Sameer Rizvi, the 20-year-old from Uttar Pradesh, was recruited by Chennai Super Kings for as much as Rs 8.40 crore.
He is known for his six hitting abilities on the domestic circuit. His performances in the UP T20 league and U-23 went a long way in getting him a coveted contract at CSK.
Another hard hitting batter, Kumar Kushagra, went for big money as Delhi Capitals spent Rs 7.20 crore for the 20-year-old.
Jharkhand's wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra, priced at Rs 20 lakh, quickly garnered interest from CSK and Titans, with Delhi Capitals entering the competition.
In a rapid escalation, Kushagra's initial value skyrocketed, surging over 25 times and surpassing the Rs 5 crore mark within minutes.
The intense bidding persisted, surging beyond Rs 7 crore, ultimately concluding with Delhi Capitals successfully acquiring the promising young wicketkeeper for a substantial Rs 7.2 crore.
The dynamic Shahrukh Khan, initially listed at 40 lakh, saw his value soar to Rs 7.40 crore, making him a prized addition to the Gujarat Titans squad.
Shivam Mavi becomes a key addition to Lucknow Super Giants with a significant deal of Rs. 6.80 Cr.
Umesh Yadav secures a spot with Gujarat Titans in a notable deal, fetching Rs. 5.80 Cr.
Shubham Dubey, starting at 20 lakh, witnessed a spectacular rise as Rajasthan Royals secured his services for a notable Rs 5.80 crore.
Mumbai Indians clinch Dilshan Madushanka in a competitive bidding war with Lucknow Super Giants, sealing the deal at Rs. 4.60 Cr.
Gerald Coetzee sees his value rise from 2 crore to Rs 5 crore with Mumbai Indians.
Chris Woakes moves to Punjab Kings for Rs 4.20 crore from his base price of 2 crore.
Harry Brook moves from a 2 crore base price to a Rs 4 crore deal with Delhi Capitals.
In a CSK vs. SRH tussle, Shardul Thakur returns to Chennai for Rs 4 crore after starting at a base price of 2 crore.
Wanindu Hasaranga was a steal for Sunrisers Hyderabad at his base price of Rs 1.50 crore.
Azmatullah Omarzai joined Gujarat Titans at his base price of Rs 50 lakh, following an outstanding performance in the 2023 World Cup.
Chetan Sakariya stayed with Kolkata Knight Riders at his base price of Rs 50 lakh.
Jaydev Unadkat, with a modest base price of 50 lakh, experienced a noteworthy boost as Sunrisers Hyderabad secured him for a commendable 1.60 crore.