Cricket Fracas: AB de Villiers Queries Cummins, Starc Auction in IPL 2024
Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers has expressed skepticism over the Indian Premier League 2024 (IPL) bidding process, particularly regarding the record-breaking deals secured by Australian pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
During the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai, Starc and Cummins made headlines by clinching deals worth ₹24.75 crore and ₹20.50 crore, respectively, establishing themselves as the two most expensive purchases in IPL history.
In a recent Q&A session on his YouTube channel, De Villiers responded to a question about Mumbai Indians’ (MI) perceived shrewdness compared to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). He commented:
“I couldn’t agree more. Some very smart buys. Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and other successful teams in the IPL make intelligent purchases and avoid emotional decisions. Cummins and Starc, both incredible players, but really, for that price?” he questioned.
De Villiers pointed out that the high prices reflected the demand for fast bowlers in this year’s auction, emphasizing the direct correlation between demand and price in such situations.
On November 19, during the IPL 2024 auctions, Mitchell Starc became the most expensive player in IPL history after being signed by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹24.75 crore. The intense bidding war between KKR and Gujrat Titans for the Australian pacer concluded with KKR emerging victorious.
Starc surpassed his national teammate Pat Cummins as the costliest player in IPL history. Cummins, the 2023 World Cup-winning captain, was signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹20.5 crore after a fierce bidding war involving Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Hyderabad.
The IPL 2024 auction marked the first time the ₹20-crore barrier was broken in the history of the tournament.
