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Star Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday (December 19).
During the IPL 2024 auction at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) signed him with a record-breaking paycheck of ₹24.75 crores. The 34-year-old has missed the last eight seasons of IPL as he opted to keep himself fit and fresh for national duties.
As soon as Mitchell Starc's name came up during the auction, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) initially showed interest with multiple bids. Gujarat Titans (GT) and Kolkata Knight Riders entered the action after MI and DC reached their respective limits.
GT and KKR then indulged in an intense bidding war, triggering a surge in the bid amount. KKR eventually won the duel by shelling out ₹24.75 crores.
Fans expressed their reactions to KKR's record-breaking bid for Mitchell Starc at the IPL 2024 auction by sharing hilarious memes on social media platforms. Here are some of the best memes on the matter:
"We're happy that it worked out"- KKR CEO Venky Mysore after signing Mitchell Starc at the IPL 2024 auction
Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore expressed satisfaction after winning the bid for Australian pacer Mitchell Starc at the IPL auction on Tuesday. Speaking to the broadcasters, Venky said:
"The cutoff could have been the remaining purse (laughs). We don't talk or think about the price because as I've been saying every team has the same purse of 100 crores. Each team slices it up differently. If you're spending 100 how you slice it is dependent on your strategy, the combination of the team."
He continued:
"We're happy that it worked out but what's important is having got a player of that caliber. It's very important for the side. That was the view of the think-tank - GG, Chandrakant Pandit and Abhishek (Nayar) all felt that. The 'Starcs' also have to align sometimes (laugh). Now we have Starc who brings leadership with him. Everyone will learn from him. Couldn't be happier."
Former KKR pacer Pat Cummins bagged the second-highest bid in the history of the league after the SunRisers Hyderabad signed him for ₹20.50 crore earlier today.
Do you think KKR made the right decision? Sound off your opinions in the comments section.
