Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar thinks that Mitchell Starc, the experienced Australian fast bowler, will need to perform exceptionally well to justify his hefty price tag in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL).
Notably, Mitchel Starc surpassed the record previously held by Australian skipper Pat Cummins in the 2024 auction. Starc received a massive bid from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), two-time champions of the IPL, for the upcoming season of the lucrative tournament.
Sunil Gavaskar Made A Bold Remark On Mitchell Starc’s IPL 2024 Salary
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) engaged in a fierce bidding war with Gujarat Titans before ultimately winning the auction and acquiring the services of the Australian pacemaker for a staggering Rs 24.75 crore.
Speaking on Starc’s move to KKR, Sunil Gavaskar said no player is worth that kind of money. He said: “Over the top, to be absolutely frank. I don’t think anybody is worth that kind of money. If Starc can make an impact and win maybe four out of the 14 matches that he plays, then you can say money’s worth. Then if he makes contributions in the other games – absolutely fantastic,”
The legendary batsman further commented that Starc will need to deliver outstanding performances against top teams such as Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Mumbai Indians (MI), and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to prove his worth. He added:
“He has got to bowl match-winning spells in at least four out of the 14 matches, and maybe the crucial matches against the Mumbai Indians, the Chennai Super Kings and RCB, because these three have top-class batting lineups. Bowl those teams out and you could even then say – money’s worth,”
Starc last played for RCB in IPL in 2014 and 2015. He joined KKR in 2018 but got injured and couldn’t play. Last year, he took 16 wickets in 10 matches as Australia won the ODI World Cup. He became the second player to breach the 20-crore mark in IPL 2024 auction. After eight years, he’s back in IPL. In 2014, he took 14 wickets in 14 matches. In 2015, he took 20 wickets in 13 matches with his best figures being 4/15.
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