Australia’s fast-bowling cartel has sparked an insane bidding war in a historic Indian Premier League auction, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc both breaking the record for the biggest purse in league history across the night.
Australian Test captain Cummins will take home a staggering $3.67 million after Sunrisers Hyderabad went on an Aussie-buying spree.
It was the record until Starc hit the market, the towering quick breaking his teammates’ mark, set to take home $4.43 million with the Kolkata Knight Riders.
The news wasn’t so good for Perth Scorchers wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, who went unpurchased despite having struck an equal-record fastest T20 century in India last month.
It was already a historic night for the auction as Mallika Sagar became the first female auctioneer in the IPL’s 16-year history.
Chennai’s hot bidding hand shot up at 2Cr as soon as Cummins hit the market before Mumbai made their first move.
Royal Challengers Bangalore pushed the price to 5Cr, but the Super Kings couldn’t be deterred as the price surpassed 6Cr.
However, as the asking price reached just under 8Cr, Chennai pulled the pin, only to be replaced by the Sunrisers.
The Sunrisers brass were involved in intense discussions, while Bangalore was quick with its raises.
The crowd applauded as the price reached 20Cr, but at a then record-breaking 20.50 Cr, the Royal Challengers folded, Cummins landing at Hyderabad.
Fellow fast-bowling cartel member Mitchell Starc sparked another frenzy as four teams battled for the Aussie left-armer.
The bids came steady and fast, with the total hitting 20Cr in a flash.
Silence descended over the room as the Gujarat Titans and Knight Riders went back and forth before Kolkata finally saw off the competition with 24.75Cr.
As Travis Head’s name came up, Ooos went around the room, but the Australian superstar was nearly left on the table.
His base price started at 2Cr, and after an age of waiting, the Sunrisers finally put in a bid before the Chennai Super Kings got the competition underway in earnest.
Head eventually landed at Hyderabad for 6.80Cr ($1.22m).
Steve Smith was left on the table after no team jumped at his starting price of 2Cr, while Josh Hazlewood was also snubbed.
West Indian Rovman Powell landed at the Royals to open the night, going for 7.40 ($1.32m) Crore after intense bidding between Kolkata and Rajasthan.
After a magnificent World Cup performance, New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra attracted a flurry of murmurs from the crowd before Dehli and the very active Super Kings entered a bidding war.
The Kiwi doubled his base price as Gujarat and Punjab entered the fray.
But Chennai wore the biggest grins as Ravindra landed with the franchise for 1.80Cr.
Fellow Kiwi Daryl Mitchell gave Cummins a run for his money, sold to the Super Kings for 14Cr ($2.5m).