Former India captain Sourav Ganguly and the talented VVS Laxman have increased their base prices for the auction of the fourth edition of IPL which puts them in the top bracket with the likes of Brian Lara, Adam Gilchrist, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble.
Ganguly and Laxman were originally put in the third bracket base price of USD 200,000 (appx Rs 92 lakh) but the duo have decided to put themselves in the highest base price bracket of USD 400,000 (appx Rs 1.84 crore).
According to IPL rules, a player has the right to increase or decrease his base price.
"Let's be practical. Although Twenty20 is a different format but players of the stature of Ganguly and Laxman would have found it difficult to digest that they have been clubbed in the third bracket of base price.
"And since the rule allows them to increase their base price then why not? Now whether the franchises will be game to go for them at that price is a different ball game altogether," a senior official of one of the franchises said on Friday.
Ganguly had been KKR's top scorer in the first and third editions while Laxman has had a wonderful season where he has single-handedly won three Test matches for India against Sri Lanka (Colombo), Australia (Mohali) and South Africa (Durban).
{{/usCountry}}Ganguly had been KKR's top scorer in the first and third editions while Laxman has had a wonderful season where he has single-handedly won three Test matches for India against Sri Lanka (Colombo), Australia (Mohali) and South Africa (Durban).
{{/usCountry}}Ganguly and Laxman are not the first players to have raised their base prices. Former India captains Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid - who were also in the USD 200,000 have increased it to USD 400,000.