Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Mohsin Shaikh
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc made history in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction as Kolkata Knight Riders secured his services for a whopping Rs 24.75 crore, surpassing Pat Cummins' previous record of Rs 20.50 crore earlier in the day.
Former record-holder Pat Cummins, Starc's skipper at the Australian team, was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 20.5 crore, making him the second most expensive player ever in the marquee tournament.
The auction witnessed a fierce bidding war for Mitchell Starc, with Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals initially battling for the Australian pacer before Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders engaged in a high-stakes showdown. Shah Rukh Khan-owned KKR finally prevailed in securing Starc's services.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) secured West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph for a sum of Rs 11.5 crore. The auction saw Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Delhi Capitals (DC), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and RCB, all engaging in a bidding war for Jospeh. Ultimately, all three teams decided to step back, allowing RCB to secure the services of Alzarri Joseph for their squad.
Punjab Kings made a significant move by acquiring Indian pacer Harshal Patel for a substantial Rs 11.75 crore, making him the second-highest earner in the IPL 2024 auction.
Mumbai Indians secured South African pacer Gerald Coetzee for Rs 5 crore after a bidding war involving Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants. Coetzee is yet to make his IPL debut.
Kiwi batting all-rounder Daryl Mitchell joined the millionaire club in the auction, as Chennai Super Kings acquired him for Rs 14 crores, marking a significant addition to their squad.
Rajasthan Royals secured Rovman Powell for Rs 7.40 crore, Delhi Capitals acquired Harry Brook for Rs 4 crore, and Sunrisers Hyderabad added Travis Head to their squad for Rs 6.80 crore.
Umesh Yadav will join Gujarat Titans for Rs 5.8 crore, and South AFircan Wicketkeeper Tristan Stubbs has been bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 50 lakh.
Uncapped player Shubham Dubey has sparked a bidding war before he was sold to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 5.8 crore. He has played 21 T20 matches, having scored 485 runs at a strike rate of 145.20.
The ten franchises collectively have a spendable amount of Rs 262.95 crore, with Gujarat Titans leading in financial capacity at Rs 38.15 crore, followed closely by Sunrisers Hyderabad with Rs 34 crore and Kolkata Knight Riders with Rs 32.7 crore.
With a total of 77 slots available across teams, the IPL 2024 auction promised intense competition and strategic bidding, setting the stage for an eventful and star-studded season next year.