Mitchell Starc shatters Pat Cummins's record; sold to KKR for ₹24.75 crore

• Mitchell Starc became the most expensive buy at IPL Auction 2024, fetching ₹24.75 crore from KKR
• Pat Cummins briefly holds the record with a ₹20.50 crore deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad
• Franchises engage in intense bidding wars for players like Daryl Mitchell, Harshal Patel, and Alzarri Joseph.

At the IPL Auction 2024 in Dubai, the record books were rewritten as Mitchell Starc shattered Pat Cummins's brief hold on the most expensive buy record. Starc was snapped up by KKR for a staggering ₹24.75 crore, surpassing Cummins's ₹20.50 crore deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad just minutes earlier. The auction, although a mini version compared to the mega auctions, saw intense bidding wars, with Daryl Mitchell going to CSK for ₹14 crore, Harshal Patel to Punjab Kings for ₹11.75 crore, and Alzarri Joseph to Royal Challengers Bangalore for ₹11.50 crore.

The event showcased the return of Travis Head to the IPL, as he was acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹6.80 crore. The cumulative spending by the 10 franchises, fueled by hefty purses, promises an intriguing 2024 IPL season.

The franchises flexed with Gujarat Titans leading the pack with a purse of ₹38.15 crore, closely followed by Sunrisers Hyderabad with ₹34 crore. Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings also boast significant war chests, each exceeding ₹30 crore. The auction, overseen by the first female auctioneer in IPL history, Mallika Sagar, involves filling 77 slots from a pool of 213 Indian and 116 foreign players. Notable absentees include England's Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, along with Shakib Al Hasan and Joe Root.

The anticipation for IPL 2024 is heightened by significant developments, such as Hardik Pandya captaining Mumbai Indians for the first time and MS Dhoni's farewell season. With Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant returning as captains, and Gautam Gambhir mentoring KKR, the stage is set for a grand IPL season, tentatively scheduled to commence on March 22, 2024.