The IPL 2024 auction happened smoothly on Tuesday at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai. This was the first time that an IPL auction was staged outside India, and also the first time it included spectators inside the auction arena.
Mitchell Starc (INR 24.75 crore) and Pat Cummins (INR 20.5 crore) were the biggest earners in the IPL 2024 auction, with the 20 crore barrier getting breached for the first time in IPL auction history.
There were some players who previously had huge contracts – say, over 7-8 crore – but this time in the IPL 2024 auction went for less than 2 crore, which highlighted their decrease in performances and hurt reputation as players.
3 former IPL millionaires who were now sold for less than 2 crore in IPL 2024 auction:
Wanindu Hasaranga – 10.75 crore to 1.5 crore
Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga was bought for only 1.5 crore by SRH in the first round. Fans were surprised how other franchises let Wanindu Hasaranga go for such a cheap price. Wanindu Hasaranga was with RCB in the last two seasons and was on a contract of INR 10.75 crore! His new contract with SRH is less than 10 times his previous salary at RCB.
Manish Pandey – 11 crore to 50 lakh
Senior batsman Manish Pandey had gone unsold in the first round in the IPL 2024 auction. He was then picked by Gautam Gambhir’s KKR in the accelerated round toward the end of the day. Pandey was with when they won the title under Gambhir in 2014. His stocks boosted and then he was bought for INR 11 crore by SRH in 2018 and stayed there for four seasons. He was with LSG last season. Pandey’s performances in the IPL have diminished, and hence this low price of 50 lakh in IPL 2024 auction.
Jaydev Unadkat – 11.5 crore to 1.6 crore
Jaydev Unadkat once had the most expensive IPL price for an Indian seamer when Rajasthan Royals shelled out INR 11.5 crore for Unadkat in the 2018 auction. Unadkat couldn’t live up to that price and was released but bought back by RR, and this process happened once again. Now, he has been bought for INR 1.6 crore by SRH.
