Cameron Green reacts to being picked by MI for ₹17.50 crore at IPL 2023 auction: “I’m pinching myself that this has all happened”

Australian all-rounder Cameron Green has expressed his delight at being snapped up by Mumbai Indians (MI) for a whopping ₹17.50 crore at the IPL 2023 auction in Kochi on Friday, December 23. He said that he is pinching himself after grabbing such a massive deal.

There was plenty of hype around the 23-year-old after his batting exploits in India during Australia’s visit to the country for a short T20I series ahead of the T20 World Cup. Green hammered two blazing half-centuries at a rapid pace to instantly grab the attention of IPL franchises.

Sharing his initial reaction after being purchased by five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at the IPL mini-auction, Green was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo:

“I’m pinching myself that this has all happened. It’s such a weird feeling watching an auction for yourself. I can’t believe how nervous I was and I was shaking like anything when the final call was confirmed."

On the thought of representing the most successful franchise in the history of the IPL, the young Aussie cricketer added

“I’ve always been a huge fan of the IPL and it’s going to be so cool to be a part of it. The Mumbai Indians are one of the powerhouses of the competition so I feel very humbled to be joining them. I can’t wait to get there next year.”

Green entered the IPL 2023 auction at a base price of ₹2 crore. It was Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) who made the opening bid for the all-rounder, with MI joining in. Mumbai took the bidding price up to ₹7 crore.

Delhi Capitals (DC) also entered the fray and tried hard to compete. Mumbai, however, broke the bank for Green and eventually acquired his services for ₹17.5 crore, making him one of the most expensive buys of the IPL 2023 auction.

---

What Cameron Green had said ahead of the IPL 2023 auction

After confirming his registration for the IPL 2023 mini-auction amid much hype, Green said in November that he was looking forward to being a part of the T20 league. He was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au:

"I have registered for it. It will be an exciting opportunity. Speaking to a lot of guys, especially in the WA (Western Australia) set up about their experiences in the IPL, they speak so highly of it. They speak about the quality coaches that you are around, the quality players that you are around. They are all the best in the world at their craft.”

The injury-prone Australian cricketer has so far featured in eight T20Is, scoring 139 runs at a strike rate of 173.75. He has also picked up five wickets with his medium pace.