IPL auction sets records, Morris sold for ₹16.25cr
NEW DELHI: It was supposed to be a “mini” auction, but it set the record for the most expensive player ever bought in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with three other players close behind in the money stakes of a popular annual tournament that marries big bucks with big hits.
South Africa’s bowling allrounder Chris Morris was the biggest draw of the day with a ₹16.25 crore bid from Rajasthan Royals. It made the 33-year-old, who last played an international match in July 2019, the costliest IPL player IPL ever, surpassing Yuvraj Singh (who had gone for ₹16 crore to the Delhi Daredevils in 2015).
New Zealand’s towering fast bowler Kyle Jamieson was picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore for ₹15 crore, Australia’s Glenn Maxwell, always a “big show” in the league, was also bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for ₹14.25 crore, and Jhye Richardson was bought by Punjab Kings for ₹14 crore.
On going all out for Morris, Royals’s director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara said: “It was quite a high price, but at the same time, the role in the team and the demand for the role plays a large part.”
Overall, the eight franchises spent ₹145.30 crore combined for 57 players (22 overseas).
But, on the flip side, the day started with three top international players, including a Test triple centurion, going unsold. There were no takers in the initial rounds for Jason Roy, Alex
Hales and Karun Nair, even as the some surprise picks grabbed mega deals. Nair was eventually picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹50 lakh, and one of the surprises was Cheteshwar Pujara, arguably India’s most pedigreed Test batsman who has not played in the tournament since 2014, who was bought by Chennai Super Kings for his base price of ₹50 lakh.
There was a windfall for several uncapped players too. Karnataka’s spin bowling allrounder Krishnappa Gowtham, who has featured for Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians in the past, bagged ₹9.25 crore from Chennai Super Kings, 46 times more than his base price of ₹20 lakh. It is the highest bid ever for an uncapped player, surpassing Krunal Pandya (₹8.8 crore by Mumbai Indians in 2018).
The most expected big buy of the day, however, was Shahrukh Khan, a Tamil Nadu allrounder with no experience in the IPL.
After an impressive performance at the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, there was an intense bidding war over Khan between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore -he finally went to the former for ₹5.25 crore.
All-rounders were high on every team’s agenda at the auction.
Apart from Morris and Maxwell, the others who grabbed high values were Moeen Ali (CSK, ₹7 crore), Tom Curran (Delhi Capitals, ₹5.25 crore), Shakib Al Hasan (KKR ₹3.20 crore) and Moises Henriques (PK, ₹4.20 crore).
The 2021 IPL is expected to start in April, though a venue is yet to be decided.
ON THE FLIP SIDE, THE DAY STARTED WITH THREE TOP INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS, INCLUDING A TEST TRIPLE CENTURION, GOING UNSOLD