Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore has explained why he chose Australian veteran pacer Mitchell Starc in the recently concluded IPL auction. The World Cup-winning pacer was sold for a whopping 247.5 million yen at the 2024 auction, and he will be playing for the two-time champions next season.
Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins created history at the IPL 2024 auction held in Dubai on Tuesday as the fast bowlers bagged a huge prize. The left-arm pacer fetched Rs 24.75 lakh during a bidding war betweenKolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Titans and was eventually snapped by Kolkata in a very intense bidding war.
Speaking to the media, KKR CEO Venky Mysore defended the record-breaking purchase of Mitchell Starc, saying that each team has its own approach to spending the complete quota of Rs 100 crore and was elated with the pick of Australian pacer in the auction. He believes that Starc has the ability to make a difference for the team in all phases of the innings
“From a skills standpoint, Mitchell Starc was clearly the preferred player. We initially had a few unsuccessful bids, but in the end we had the money and… Maybe that worked in our favor. So we’re just grateful to have him by our side,” Venky Mysore said.
“It shows the value of the player and the skills he (Starc) has.” He’s a great player. Now, wow, it looks like it’s 24.75 rupees. I told someone that in 2008, when the IPL started, the team’s salary cap was Rs 200 crore.
“The situation has changed. When the auction ends, all 10 teams will have spent 1 billion and then withdraw from the auction and each team will decide to distribute it differently ” added Venky Mysore.
Mitchell Starc has become the most expensive player in IPL auction history. He had broken Cummins’ record earlier in the day as his Sunrisers Hyderabad paid the World Cup winning captain his Rs 2.05 crore.
The Australian fast bowling duo broke the record for the highest bid in an IPL auction after Punjab Kings bought Sam Curran for Rs 1,850 crore last year.
Mitchell Starc is one of the few players of a generation who stayed away fromIndian Premier League (IPL) for several years as they prioritized their country over their cricket franchise. The left-arm speedster has only played 2 seasons in the tournament, but in the 2024 season he will be a Kolkata Knight and he hopes to do well for the Riders.
