Mitchell Starc of Australia secured the tag of the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a staggering bid of INR 24.75 crore from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the player auction held on Tuesday. Previously in the same auction, held in Dubai, Australia captain Pat Cummins briefly held this distinction when Sunrisers Hyderabad made a significant bid of INR 20.5 crore for his services, but Starc surpassed that mark.
Entering the auction barely a month after leading Australia to the 50-overs World Cup title in India, Cummins had a base price of INR 2 crore. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings initially showed interest, but both dropped out as a two-way bidding war unfolded.
Also read: Mitchell Starc hits ₹24.75 crore KKR jackpot as IPL auction's costliest buy, Pat Cummins' record barely lasts an hour
While Royal Challengers Bangalore persistently pursued Cummins, it was the 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad who had the last laugh in the tug-of-war over the fast bowler, known for his skills as a handy lower-order hitter. The previous highest bid was held by England all-rounder Sam Curran, who received a bid of 18.5 crore INR from Punjab Kings at the auction held last year.
Meanwhile, returning after an absence of eight years, the left-arm pace bowler Starc garnered immediate interest as soon as his name entered the auction. Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals initially competed for his services, but both eventually withdrew as the bidding heated up. The KKR emerged victorious over Gujarat Titans by presenting the colossal winning bid of INR 24.75 crore for the 33-year-old.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, returning after an absence of eight years, the left-arm pace bowler Starc garnered immediate interest as soon as his name entered the auction. Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals initially competed for his services, but both eventually withdrew as the bidding heated up. The KKR emerged victorious over Gujarat Titans by presenting the colossal winning bid of INR 24.75 crore for the 33-year-old.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier on the day, Travis Head, who was touted to fetch big money in the auction, was bought by the Sunrisers for a relatively cheap INR 6.80 crore amount. Fellow Australian opener David Warner, who has been a part of the coveted league since the 2009 edition, reacted to his teammates going for colossal amounts in the auction; and, in doing so, also made a rather interesting revelation over the relationship with his previous franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.
“Trying to repost @travishead34 post but blocked from @sunrisers Instagram,” Warner wrote, as he posted a screenshot of the Hyderabad franchise's profile.
Warner had left Sunrisers on rather sour terms; he was left out of the XI mid-way through the 2021 season despite being the captain of the side at the time. He was later removed as skipper and wasn't called back to the team when the season resumed after a forced suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Warner was eventually bought back by the Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2022 edition; the Australian opener had made his IPL debut with the Delhi franchise.