Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc is the most expensive player in IPL history. AFP/Michael Sheehan
Christmas came early for some of the world’s top cricketers yesterday as owners of the Indian Premier League (IPL) splashed the cash at the auction for next year’s competition.
It obviously helps when you win the T20 and one-day international World Cups as franchises broke the bank to acquire two of Australia’s star bowlers.
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Mitchell Starc, making a return to the IPL for the first time in eight years, broke the record for highest IPL auction fee when the Kolkata Knight Riders paid a whopping R55.12 million for the left-arm fast bowler.
His national captain Pat Cummins had earlier held the record for a few moments after Sunrisers Hyderabad purchased him for R45.69 million.
Both bowlers went past the previous record of England all-rounder Sam Curran, bought for R41.25 million last year by the Punjab Kings.
South Africa’s big winners of the day were Rilee Rossouw, who was snapped up for R17.2 million by Punjab Kings, and rookie bowling sensation Gerald Coetzee, who was bought by the Mumbai Indians for R11.14 million.
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The hard-hitting Tristan Stubbs came in a lot lower at R1.1 million, while fast bowler Nandre Burger also went for R1.1 million to the Rajasthan Royals.
Not a bad payday without bowling a ball or hitting a six. Let’s hope our boys can perform on the big stage next year.
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