VARUN, JAYDEV HIT IPL JACKPOT
Uncapped architect-turned-cricketer Varun Chakaravarthy fetched a sensational bid of 84 million, more than 40 times his base price, at the Indian Premier League auction in Jaipur on Tuesday. Here is a look at the highest price tags in the world’s wealthiest cricket league:
jaipur — Little-known Indian mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy hit the jackpot at the Indian Premier League auction on Tuesday after he was snared for $1.2 million by Kings XI Punjab.
The price tag surprised experts gathered at Jaipur for the 2019 Twenty20 tournament auction, where the 27-year-old only had a base price of two million rupees ($28,400).
After a fierce bidding war, the bowler emerged as the most expensive player in this year’s sell-off along with Indian leftarm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, bagged by Rajasthan Royals for the same price.
“What a bid! Varun Chakaravarthy joins us for the new season of IPL!” the Punjab franchise tweeted.
Chakravarthy began playing cricket when he was 13 but took up architecture after several rejections
in age-group cricket.
He later returned to the game, honing his skills as a spinner able to bowl both off and leg breaks, with quite a few tricks under his hat.
Veteran Yuvraj Singh, who unsold in first round, was finally bought by Mumbai Indian at his base price of Rs 1 crore ($141,794).
More than 350 players went
under the hammer Tuesday, including 120 international cricketers, in what is the world’s wealthiest cricket league.
West Indies players proved to be the top draw among the foreigners, with big-hitter Carlos Brathwaite going for $707,150 to the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.
“What a fantastic buy. We all know what Carlos did at Eden back in 2016! Everyone remembers the name!” KKR said on Twitter.
Another West Indies heavy hitter Shimron Hetmyer was lapped up for $594,195 by RCB. The 21-year-old, who impressed during the recent West Indies tour of India, will be making his IPL debut.
England’s rising star Sam Curran was sold for one million dollars to Kings XI Punjab. His base price was $283,460.—