Before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Auction, the Mumbai Indians took an unexpected turn and were the talk of the town—not just for their smart player purchases but also for a big leadership transition. The team’s ten-year captaincy under Rohit Sharma came to an end recently when Hardik Pandya assumed the role.
During the auction, a passionate fan expressed concerns about Rohit Sharma position on the squad, which heightened the buzz around the Mumbai Indians camp. In a social media video that MI owner Akash Ambani posted, the franchise replied to the fan.
“Chinta mat karo woh batting karega (Do not worry, he will bat),” Akash said. Fans were concerned about Rohit’s potential role on the field after Ambani’s statement introduced a sense of mystery to the team’s dynamics.
𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘵 𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘩 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢 💙#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/fNWLiWpgJS
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) December 19, 2023
Mitchell Starc, an Australian pacer, struck an incredible agreement with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the IPL 2024 auction, bringing in an incredible Rs 24.75 crore. This action followed his colleague Pat Cummins, who became the most expensive player in IPL history (after Starc) after breaching the Rs 20 crore mark after joining Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
The record for most expensive player was previously held by Sam Curran of England, who sold for INR 18.50 crore to Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the previous year’s auction. 333 players from 13 different countries participated in the Dubai-based auction.
Surprisingly, only the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) chose not to use all 25 of their players—23 and 22, respectively—instead of using their full allotment. After the bidding process, 72 individuals were chosen, occupying all thirty spots reserved for foreign players.
With Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins at the forefront, the IPL 2024 auction demonstrated the rise of the 20 crore club. A few other players commanding premiums of at least ten crore were Daryl Mitchell (to CSK for Rs. 14.00 cr), Harshal Patel (to PBKS for Rs. 11.75 cr), Alzarri Joseph (to RCB for Rs. 11.50 cr), and Spencer Johnson (to GT for Rs. 10 cr).
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