Sealed deals
The intense bidding war at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Stadium, extending over eight hours, was an appropriate prelude to the three-month long cricketing bonanza that will unfold in March next year and end in May. As price tags were attached to fresh talents and experienced players, the IPL auctions, on the expected lines, manifested as a glamorous market for cricketing prowess. Recency bias, which has been a trademark of this opulent annual event, couldn’t have been more stark in visibility. The ODI World Cup winners found prominent spots in auctions as franchises loosened their purse to acquire them. Otherwise an average all-rounder who earned repute for his match-winning ultra-slow strike rates in a few of World Cup matches, Australian captain Pat Cummins ironically became the first player in the IPL history to cross Rs 20-crore mark. Not an hour had lapsed that his own teammate, and one of the finest pacers of this generation, Mitchell Starc broke his record to become the most expensive player in the history of the league, grabbing above Rs 24 crore. Travis Head, the real hero of the World Cup final, was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad at Rs 6.8 crore. However, beyond this glare of recency and prominence, there was much to look out for in the IPL auctions. It was the promising bidding for uncapped and emerging players that caught the attention of cricket experts. This is where a very remarkable value of the IPL auctions comes into play. It not just ascribes prestige to those who are considered most valuable and prominent in the game, it also serves as a launching pad for emerging Indian cricketers. Chennai Super Kings bought top-order batsman Sameer Rizvi at a staggering Rs 8.4 crore. Delhi Capitals bought Kumar Kushagra for Rs 7.2 crore, and Rajasthan Royals bought Shubham Dubey at Rs 5.8 crore. Besides Kushagra, Delhi Capitals also bought Ricky Bhui and Sumit Kumar. These names might be new for many, and this is where the relevance of IPL auctions lies — making such names potential heroes. Going for a team-wise analysis, one is always curious to watch out for Mumbai Indians, the most successful team in the IPL history, which is known for securing a balanced team composition through well-researched bids while also being economical. This time around, they have secured a formidable pace attack with not so glamorous names like Jason Behrendorff, Dilshan Madushanka, Gerald Coetzee, Nuwan Thushara besides, of course, the world-famous Jasprit Bumrah. Chennai Super Kings managed its purse well in finding replacements for crucial players like Ben Stokes and Ambati Rayudu. It loosened its purse for New Zealand’s World Cup heroes Daryll Mitchell at Rs 14 crore and Rachin Ravindra at a mere Rs 1.8 crore. The franchise also got Shardul Thakur back for Rs 4 crore. Royal Challengers Bangalore, known for having a star-studded team always, had limited financial headroom after the Cameroon Green deal. The franchise badly wanted Cummins or Starc to secure its bowling attack, but their high prices and its limited purse won’t allow for the same. However, Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, and Tom Curran are notable additions to the team. With Pat Cummins, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Travis Head being a few remarkable additions to the already stable team, Sunrisers Hyderabad will enter the league tournament with promising prospects. Gujarat Titans, who will now have to play without star all-rounder Hardik Pandya, had a strong purse. It went after Mitchell Starc but eventually settled in for Spencer Johnson at Rs 10 crore and Umesh Yadav at Rs 5.8 crore. It also bought a promising power-hitter in the form of Shahrukh Khan at 7.4 crore. With players like David Miller, Shubman Gill, Matthew Wade, Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, Abhinav Manohar, B Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan etc., Gujarat Titans is truly a team to look after. For Rajasthan Royals, the IPL auction was more of an ordeal, as it couldn’t even fill its bench of 25 players. Their limited purse, with a lot of gaps to fill, must have left them in an unsatisfactory position. A similar story unfolded for Lucknow Super Giants whose small purse after the Paddikal deal had left little room for strengthening its vulnerable bowling attack. Delhi Capitals has had an average auction experience, leaving the franchise with a team where batting depth could be a cause of concerns. At the same time, Punjab Kings have made some confusing choices that are hard to comprehend. Everything said and done, the business part of the IPL 2024 is done now, and one is keen to see how cricket unfolds next year.
