IPL 2024 auction: A look at the most expensive signings
What's the story
The 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai turned out to be eventful, with quite a few historic signings being made. Australia's Pat Cummins became the first-ever player to touch the Rs. 20-crore mark, while Mitchell Starc later emerged as the most expensive signing in IPL auction history. Here are the top five bids at the IPL 2024 auction.
Starc
Starc becomes most expensive player in IPL history
Australian seamer Starc is now the most expensive player in the IPL. Kolkata Knight Riders picked him for a whopping Rs. 24.75 crore. He went past his Australian teammate Cummins, who fetched Rs. 20.50 crore from Sunrisers Hyderabad earlier in the event. England all-rounder Sam Curran held this record before this edition. He received Rs. 18.50 crore from Punjab Kings last year.
Information
The return of Starc
Starc is set to end his nine-year hiatus from the IPL. He last featured in the tournament in 2015. Starc, one the finest white-ball bowlers going around, has been ditching lucrative IPL contracts to stay fit for national assignments.
Cummins
Cummins entered the record books
Australia's World Cup-winning captain Cummins has been sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Cummins, who started a bidding war, fetched Rs. 20.50 crore. He became the costliest buy in IPL history before Starc broke his record. The Knight Riders bought Cummins in the 2022 mega auction for Rs. 7.5 crore. He then skipped the 2023 edition due to workload management.
Mitchell
Daryl Mitchell fetches Rs. 14 crore from CSK
New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell, who was on the radar of many franchises, has been acquired by Chennai Super Kings. Mitchell fetched a whopping sum of Rs. 14 crore. Mitchell was the second-highest run-scorer for NZ in the 2023 ICC World Cup. He smashed 552 runs from 10 matches at 69.00, only behind Rachin Ravindra, who was also sold to the Super Kings.
Harshal
Most expensive Indian at IPL 2024 auction
Pacer Harshal Patel became the most expensive Indian at the IPL 2024 auction. PBKS picked him up for Rs. 11.75 crore. Harshal, the T20 specialist has a vicious slower ball that makes him a match-winner. He bagged the Purple Cap in IPL 2021 (32 wickets), playing for RCB. He equaled Dwayne Bravo's record for taking the most wickets in a season.
Joseph
RCB buy Alzarri Joseph for Rs. 11.50 crore
West Indies's pacer Alzarri Joseph will play for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2024. The Royal Challengers bought the pacer for a staggering sum of Rs. 11.50 crore. Joseph can set the speed gun on fire and his ability to nail yorkers makes him an even greater asset. He holds the best bowling figures in the cash-rich league (6/12).