MUMBAI: The players’ auction for VIVO Indian Premier League 2021 kicked off at 3 pm on Thursday, with 292 cricketers up for grabs.
Eight teams are bidding to build their teams for the T20 cricket extravaganza this year.
At 4:04 pm, South African all-rounder Chris Morris became the most expensive buy in IPL history, going to Rajasthan Royals for a mind-boggling Rs 162.5 million, after a long drawn bidding war with Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Morris entered the bidding with a base price of Rs 7.5m. But MI and RCB went hammer and tongs at each other to get him on board. The bid kept rising – MI was in the lead at Rs 50m… RCB took it back at Rs 60m… MI regained lead at Rs 80m… And again MI regained lead at Rs 100m. It was here that RR entered the battle with a Rs 107.5m bid, after which RCB seemed to have backed out, but MI continued going hard. RR regained the lead at Rs117.5m. MI again in the lead at Rs130m, with RR their adversary now. out of the blue came Punjab Kings at Rs135m. Bidding then crossed Rs150m! RR regained the lead at Rs155m. PK took it to Rs160m. RR upped it to Rs162.5m. After this it was going, going, gone to the Rajasthan Royals!
The previous record in an IPL auction had stood with Yuvraj Singh, who was picked up by Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) for Rs 160 million in IPL 2015.
A total of 164 Indian players, 125 overseas players and 3 players from Associate Nations are up for grabs. Eight franchises – Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Delhi Capitals (DC), Punjab Kings (PK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Mumbai Indians (MI), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) were bidding.
Details of franchises, funds at their disposal, foreign players, team sizes
Chennai Super Kings: Rs 19,90,00,000, 7, 19
Delhi Capitals: Rs 13,40,00,000, 5, 17
Kolkata Knight Riders: Rs 10,75,00,000, 6, 17
Mumbai Indians: Rs 15,35,00,000, 4, 18
Punjab Kings: Rs 53,20,00,000, 3, 16
Rajasthan Royals: Rs 37,85,00,000, 5, 16
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Rs 35,40,00,000, 5, 14
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Rs 10,75,00,000, 7, 22
Top 5 buys of the Auction
1. Chris Morris – Rs 162.5m (Royals)
2. Kyle Jameison – Rs 150m (RCB)
3. Glenn Maxwell – Rs 142.5m (RCB)
4. Jhye Richardson – Rs 140m (Punjab Kings)
5. K. Gowtham – Rs 92.5m (CSK)
