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- DUBAI : Australia’s Mitchell Starc became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after drawing an eye-watering $2.98 million bid from Kolkata Knight Riders in the players’ auction on Tuesday.
- Australia captain Pat Cummins briefly held that honour after Sunrisers Hyderabad agreed to splash $2.46 million for his service before Starc bettered that number.
- Barely a month after leading Australia to the 50-overs World Cup win in India, Cummins entered the auction with a base price of 20 million Indian rupees ($240,473).
- IPL heavyweights Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings were initially interested in him but both dropped out as a two-way bidding war erupted.
- Royal Challengers Bangalore doggedly chased Cummins but 2016 champions Hyderabad had the last laugh in the tug-of-war over the fast bowler, who has also evolved as a handy lower-order hitter.
- England all-rounder Sam Curran’s 185 million rupees bid from Punjab Kings at last year’s auction was the previous best mark.
- Cummins also provides a leadership option at Hyderabad, though head coach Daniel Vettori stay tight-lipped about that prospect.
- “There’s a lot of cricket left before the IPL,” former New Zealand captain Vettori said.
- “We’ll have to get through that and then we’ll make a decision closer to that time.”
- Back after an eight-year gap, left-arm quick Starc was in demand as soon as his name was put under the hammer with Mumbai and Delhi vying for his help.
- Both, however, retreated as bidding intensified and Kolkata trumped Gujarat Titans by making the winning bid for the 33-year-old.
- “You should expect this. Because IPL is growing, salary caps will grow and so will player fees,” Kolkata chief executive Venky Mysore said of their aggressive chase of Starc.
- New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell also struck it rich after Chennai splashed 140 million rupees to buy the batting all-rounder at 10 times his base price.
- India seamer Harshal Patel also became a millionaire joining Punjab Kings for 117.5 million rupees in the sale, which was held outside India for the first time.
- The Indian cricket board has not announced the dates but next year’s IPL is expected to be played between March and May.
- Unsold stars included former Australia captain Steve Smith and England spinner Adil Rashid.
