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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 mini-auction shattered all kinds of records, with the franchises going berserk with a heavy purse and limited slots for their player of choice. With some high-quality players being up for grabs, the opportunity presented itself as a rare one, giving franchises the green light to pursue with no holds barred.
The tempo was set right from the word go, with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) making a staggering ₹7.4 crore bid for West Indies' Rovman Powell. The bids kept flowing in as the likes of Travis Head and Harry Brook also fetched decent amounts.
Fast bowlers were arguably the biggest winners at the 2024 IPL auction as they received precedented yet eye-boggling bids. While there were a few surprises with some players going well below their true worth, and on the other side of the coin, along expected lines, there were a few players who were sold for inflated amounts, largely due to the cruel auction dynamics.
On that note, let us take a look at the top five most expensive signings at the IPL 2024 auction.
#1 Mitchell Starc - KKR (₹24.75 crore)
The Australian seamer has been a highly desired commodity within the IPL setup, but he has been adamant about prioritizing international duty over the years now. Despite his last IPL appearance coming in the 2015 season, franchises were on high alert when Starc announced that he wished to partake in the 2024 IPL season.
The pacer views the IPL campaign as the ideal preparation avenue for the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the franchises are much obliged to grant him the opportunity. As a result, his name kickstarted a bidding war among four franchises, with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Gujarat Titans (GT) stretching things to the next level.
The 2022 IPL champions finally backed out after an intense back-and-forth trade-off with the two-time champions, resulting in Starc securing a record ₹24.75 crore deal.
Interestingly, he was part of the 2018 auctions as well, where KKR secured his services for ₹9.4 crore, but he could not play the tournament due to injury.
#2 Pat Cummins - SRH (₹20.50 crore)
The Australian skipper, who has had a landmark 2023 already, briefly held the record for the most expensive acquisition in the history of the IPL. He had breached the ₹18.25 crore record held by Sam Curran after attracting a bid worth ₹20.50 crore by the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on the auction floor.
Cummins was the most expensive acquisition in the past when KKR made a bid of ₹16.25 crores for his services in the 2020 auction. For a brief while, he was the most expensive pick at the 2024 auction as well, but the record was soon breached by his own teammate and bowling partner, Mitchell Starc, as mentioned earlier.
SRH marks the fourth franchise that the Australian pacer will represent in his career. He has played for the Mumbai Indians, Delhi Daredevils (now renamed as Delhi Capitals), and the Kolkata Knight Riders in the past.
#3 Daryl Mitchell - CSK (₹14 crore)
The New Zealand all-rounder recently had a stellar 2023 ODI World Cup campaign. His recent exploits coupled with his ability kickstarted a bidding war between the Delhi Capitals (DC) and the Punjab Kings (PBKS) initially.
However, it was the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) who had the last laugh with a winning bid of ₹14 crore. Mitchell becomes the fourth New Zealand player in the current CSK squad after Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner, and Rachin Ravindra.
Mitchell has played in the IPL for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 2022 edition. He made two appearances for the franchise, scoring 33 runs at a strike rate of 75, before being released.
#4 Harshal Patel - PBKS (₹11.75 crore)
The death-over specialist earned a higher bid than the last time at the 2022 mega-auction and is now part of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) outfit for the upcoming season, following a ₹11.75 crore bid by the 2014 IPL finalists.
The 2021 IPL Purple Cap winner did not have the best of seasons in 2023, leading to RCB releasing him. Gujarat Titans (GT) and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) also made an effort to secure Harshal Patel's services, but it was PBKS who made the final bid to stack up their bowling unit.
Harshal, who will be eager to bowl in Mohali, will also have the likes of Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran to share the responsibility in the final overs of the innings.
#5 Alzarri Joseph - RCB (₹11.50 crore)
The menacing West Indies pacer played a crucial role for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their title triumph in 2022. However, his 2023 season was not up to the mark as injuries as well as competition from Josh Little played a crucial role. He was ultimately released by the franchise ahead of the mini-auction.
Alzarri Joseph, who recently bowled a stellar spell against England in the ongoing T20I series, triggered a bidding war between RCB and LSG, with the former securing his services for ₹11.50 crore.
He has represented the Mumbai Indians in the past, claiming 20 wickets in 19 matches at an economy rate of 9.19.
Click here to get all the Live updates from the IPL 2024 auction.
Were the top picks at the 2024 auction worth their price? Let us know what you think.
