(Image Source: BCCI)
[Saba Sports News] Ahead of the IPL 2024 Auction, the Mumbai Indians experienced a significant change in leadership, with Hardik Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma as captain, ending Sharma’s long tenure. During the auction, a concerned fan questioned Rohit Sharma’s role in the team, prompting a response from MI owner Akash Ambani in a video shared by the franchise. Ambani reassured, “Chinta mat karo woh batting karega (Don’t worry, he will bat),” sparking curiosity about Sharma’s future role.
The auction itself was notable, especially with Australian pacer Mitchell Starc joining Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a record Rs 24.75 crores, surpassing Pat Cummins’ Rs 20 crore deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the highest bid in IPL history at that point. These developments followed the previous year’s record, where Sam Curran was bought by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for INR 18.50 crore.
The auction in Dubai featured 333 players from 13 countries. Interestingly, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) didn’t use their full quota, selecting 23 and 22 players, respectively. Overall, 72 players were chosen, filling all 30 international player slots.
The 2024 auction highlighted the ’20 crore club’, led by Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, with other players like Daryl Mitchell, Harshal Patel, Alzarri Joseph, and Spencer Johnson also fetching high bids of ten crore or more.