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Cricket PlayersShockers at the IPL auction: A look at the surprise bidding wars and baffling steal deals of 2024 edition
IPL 2024 Auction: Records were broken yet again in the latest edition of the auction but many deals left the fans surprised as well.
The IPL auction held in Dubai on Tuesday was not just a spectacle of cricketing talent but also a stage for setting new records in player valuations. Australian pacers stole the show, with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc rewriting the league's record books. Cummins, the current captain of the Australian ODI and Test teams, broke new ground by becoming the first player to command a bid exceeding the INR 20 crore mark. Sunrisers Hyderabad secured his services for a whopping INR 20.50 crore, a testament to his all-round prowess and leadership skills.
However, the limelight was quickly shifted to Mitchell Starc, who emerged as the costliest player in the history of the IPL. Kolkata Knight Riders engaged in an intense bidding war, ultimately breaking the bank with a staggering bid of INR 24.75 crore for the seasoned Australian fast bowler.
Also read: Akash Ambani's classy reply to 'Rohit Sharma ko wapas lao' shout from crowd steals the show during IPL auction
While these marquee names commanded the headlines, the IPL auction also witnessed its fair share of unexpected turns and surprises. Some players, initially not projected as headline acts, became the focal points of bidding wars. Let's delve into the players who managed to astound both fans and the cricketing community with unexpected bidding wars and substantial earnings in the 2024 IPL auction.
Harshal Patel
Punjab Kings secured the services of Indian pacer Harshal Patel with a staggering bid of ₹11.75 crores. Make no mistake, Harshal has been one of the more impressive performers in the IPL in recent past; in the 2021 edition, Harshal was the Purple Cap holder for the Royal Challengers Bangalore with 32 wickets in 15 matches. However, inconsistency marred Harshal's progress at the RCB since.
The right-arm pacer specialises in slower ball but that alone wasn't enough for Harshal as he conceded at an economy rate of 9.66 in the 2023 edition, picking 14 wickets in 13 matches for the side. While the prospect of Harshal Patel going unsold seemed very likely, the surprising turn of events unfolded as the bidding for him soared to an unexpected ₹11.75 crores. Punjab Kings remained the strong contenders in the race for Harshal right from the start of the bidding, successfully warding off competition initially from Gujarat Titans and later Lucknow Super Giants to secure his signature.
Spencer Johnson
Australian left-arm quick Spencer Johnson, a landscape gardener and greenskeeper a little more than a year ago, emerged as a remarkable success story in the 2024 IPL auction. The 194cm speedster saw his base price of INR 50 Lakhs skyrocket to a staggering INR 10 crore. This monumental deal, 20 times his base price, makes him the fifth-highest paid Australian player in IPL 2024, trailing Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, and Glenn Maxwell.
Johnson's meteoric rise includes impactful performances in BBL, Sheffield Shield, and an impressive international debut for Australia. Following a breakout BBL 12 campaign with Brisbane Heat, he made his first-class debut for South Australia and gained international recognition with an exceptional spell of 3-1 for the Oval Invincibles in the UK Hundred debut. Subsequently, he earned his T20 International and ODI debuts for Australia. Johnson now joins Gujarat Titans, contributing his left-arm prowess to an attack featuring Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan.
Yash Dayal
Yash Dayal found himself on the wrong side of history during a memorable moment in the 2023 IPL season. Bowling the fateful final over for the Titans in a group game against KKR, Dayal faced the onslaught of Rinku Singh, who became an overnight sensation by hitting him for five consecutive sixes; as a result, KKR chased down 28 runs needed in the final over with a delivery to spare. Dayal was understandably shocked and distraught; as fate would have it, as the IPL auction took place on Tuesday, Rinku Singh was awarded his maiden ODI cap in Gqeberha, South Africa.
Despite Dayal's challenging outing in the 2023 season, franchises showed continued interest in him. Undeterred, Dayal made a comeback in domestic cricket, delivering commendable performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. These achievements appear to have convinced the RCB management to sign him for the upcoming season.
Kumar Kushagra
Delhi Capitals secured the services of Jharkhand's promising wicketkeeper-batter, Kumar Kushagra after a substantial bidding war during the auction. The 19-year-old showcased his batting prowess by finishing as the sixth-highest run-scorer in the 2023 Deodhar Trophy season, amassing 227 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 109.13. Kushagra, who was a part of India's Under-19 World Cup squad in 2020, attracted competitive bidding, particularly from theeChennai Super Kings.
Delhi's interest in Kushagra goes beyond just acquiring a wicketkeeper; they also see potential in his aggressive batting technique, making him a valuable addition to their squad.
Alzarri Joseph
Purchased by RCB for ₹11.50 crores after an intense bidding battle involving Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Lucknow Super Giants, Alzarri Joseph entered the auction with a base price of ₹1 crore. Joseph became a roaring sensation in his IPL debut when he recorded the best bowling figures in IPL history (6 wickets for 12 runs for Mumbai Indians in 2019 against Sunrisers Hyderabad).
Despite this outstanding debut performance, Joseph's subsequent appearances in the IPL were sporadic. He was absent in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, and made only 9 and 7 appearances in the 2022 and 2023 seasons respectively for the Gujarat Titans. Joseph, however, continued to remain highly sought after, and RCB considered him among their top three priorities.
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However, there are also notable players who were expected to command substantial bids during the auction but ended up being sold at comparatively lower prices. Take a look:
Rachin Ravindra
Ravindra had a base price of INR 50 lakh but many expected the New Zealand star to headline the mini auction. Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Chennai Super Kings engaged in a bidding war for Rachin Ravindra, but the defending champions secured the all-rounder's services for ₹1.8 crore.
Ravindra emerged as one of the standout performers in the recently concluded World Cup 2023, finishing as the fourth-highest run-scorer with 578 runs in 10 matches at an impressive average of 106.44. This remarkable performance included three centuries and two fifties. However, in T20Is, he is yet to establish himself, having scored only 145 runs in 16 innings at an average of 13.18, along with picking up 11 wickets.
Wanindu Hasaranga
Sri Lanka's prominent spinner Hasaranga was secured by Sunrisers Hyderabad; however, him being sold for his base price of ₹1.5 crore came as a shocker to many. Despite being a sought-after player in the T20 league circuit, Hasaranga had no bidders except the Sunrisers; he had represented Royal Challengers Bangalore in the last two seasons, showcasing his skills as a spinner.
Hasaranga has amassed 91 wickets and scored 533 runs in 58 matches for Sri Lanka, maintaining an average of 14.02. In his overall T20 career, spanning 157 matches, Hasaranga has contributed 1,760 runs at an average of over 18, including seven fifties, and claimed 216 wickets.
Travis Head
Travis Head, who delivered impressive performances in the World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup final earlier this year, emerged as one of the players commanding a substantial price in the auction. The intense bidding battle unfolded between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Eventually, Travis joined the Orange franchise after the Super Kings withdrew from the bid at INR 6.8 crore – still a steal in the auction when comparing it to the substantial amounts paid for his teammates, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
In his T20 International career spanning 23 matches, he has accumulated 554 runs at an average of 29.15 and a strike rate exceeding 146, including one fifty. Across 107 T20s, his overall record stands at 2,494 runs, boasting an average of 27.71 and a strike rate exceeding 134, featuring one century and 10 fifties.
