IPL 2024: Starc and Cummins Break Auction Records in Dubai
The IPL 2024 auction in Dubai saw record-breaking bids for Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, with a total spend of ?230.45 crore on 72 players.
The Indian Premier League auction is often very exciting where teams shell out an incredible amount of money for the players they need. The auction for IPL 2024 was held in Dubai on 19th December 2023. It saw Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins bag home the big bucks. For the first time in IPL's 16 year history, a female auctioneer has been handling the gavel - Mallika Sagar. Mallika Sagar had been the auctioneer for the Pro-Kabaddi League, and the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL). SRH scripted history when they dished out Rs. 20.50 crore for Pat Cummins. But considering his all-round ability, SRH felt it was the right amount. He led Australia to the 2023 World Cup title. This was the first time in IPL history that a player went for Rs. 20-plus crores. It was a record. His record, however, stood only for a few minutes as teammate and fellow Australian pace stalwart Mitchell Starc was bought for a whopping ?24.75 crore by KKR. He hence has become the costliest buy in IPL history. Starc's bidding started with the battle between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals. However, both teams stepped back after the bidding went past Rs. 9.6 crore. The fight was then between KKR and Gujarat Titans as both teams seemed keen to get the speedster on board. KKR eventually walked away with his services, having shelved almost 75 percent of their available purse. Notably, Starc last played an IPL match in 2015. Starc has been ditching lucrative IPL contracts to stay fit for national assignments. However, the upcoming IPL season will help him prepare for the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. Notably, Starc had registered for the 2018 IPL auction and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bought him. He withdrew from that season due to fitness issues. Apart from Pat Cummin and Mitchell Starc, Daryl Mitchell: Rs. 14 crore (CSK), Harshal Patel: Rs. 11.75 crore (PBKS) and Alzarri Joseph: Rs. 11.50 crore (RCB) landed big IPL deals. A total of 72 players were handed a fresh Indian Premier League (IPL) contract, with the 10 teams splurging a combined amount of INR 230.45 crore at the mini-auction in Dubai.
