Amid the Ind VS England 4-match Test, IPL 2021 auction began today with fanfare in Chennai with 292 players to go under the gavel. The day was filled with interesting moments, some players seeing all franchises fighting to have them on board while some missing the attention of the players. Let’s take a look at the highlights of IPL 2021 auction.
Chris Morris steals the thunder and takes it home
South African all-rounder Chris Morris saw almost each franchises clash in a bidding frenzy in the IPL 2021 auction. Initially, the player was targeted by IPL 2020 winner Mumbai Indians. The defending champions seemed to be willing to spend almost all of their remaining total for the player. But the Rohit Sharma-led team saw Morris’s former team Royal Challengers Bangalore competing for him. MI and RCB battled it out for the South African player. During the 10-crore mark, RCB called it quits on the player’s bidding and RR soon swooped in and fought with Kings X! Punjab. But it was RR who finally clinched the final bid for Morris at the Rs. 16.25 crore mark. Morris set the record of being the most expensive player ever bought in the IPL. He broke the record of the previous most expensive player in the IPL auction record, Yuvraj Singh.
Riley Meredith grabbed by Delhi Capitals
Australian youngster, Riley Meredith was another surprise on the IPL 2021 bidding war. Meredith got the opening bid from the Delhi Capitals. Punjab soon joined the party and the bidding crossed Rs. 1 Crore. Delhi and Punjab kept battling it out and the bid crossed a whopping 6 crore mark without either of the teams pulling the plug on the bidding. Delhi finally pulled out of the deal on Rs. 8 crore.
Not a single taker for Harbhajan Singh
Veteran-indian Harbhajan Singh spinner who did not play in the last edition of the IPL was not bid upon by any of the franchises and remained unsold. Singh was one of the only India players with a base price of Rs. 2 crore, a fact which must have rubbed salt on the wound of the spinner.
Umesh Yadav remains unsold
Indian pace-expert Umesh Yadav who is cleared to play the next two Tests against England also went under the gavel in the auction. The player saw no interest initially by any of the franchise, but the Delhi Capitals soon opened the bid at the Rs. 1 crore base price and brought the bowler as no other team showed interest in buying him.
Mumbai Indians fight for Coulter-Nile
Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile saw defending champions Mumbai Indians and rivals Delhi Capital battle it out for him for his base price of Rs. 1.5 crore. The bid reached to Rs. 3.8 crore but DC upped the ante and bid Rs. 4 crore. As the moments progressed, Nathan Coulter-Nile was finally sold to Mumbai Indians for Rs. 5 crore.
Jhye Richardson turns up the heat
Australian pacer Jhye Richardson also had IPL franchises locking their heads. Richardson came under the auction gavel with a base price of Rs. 1.5 crore which soon went up to Rs. 5 crore with Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore competing. DC later backed out as the bidding went pass the Rs. 7 crore mark. The bidding soon heated up with RCB and Punjab Kings taking Richardson’s price to Rs. 12 crore. Finally, at the Rs. 14 crore mark, RCB backed out and Richardson was included in the Punjab Kings’ playing 11.
CSK and PK tussles for Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali, who gave the 8 IPL franchises an auction of what he is capable of came under the gavel with a base price of Rs. 2 crore. Punjab Kings opened the bid up and soon CSK raised the bid to Rs. 2.2 crore. The tussle between Punjab Kings and CSK continued and finally, at the Rs. 7 crore mark, the player was sold to CSK.
KKR fights for Shakib Al Hasan, loses to Punjab
Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan started his bidding at the base price of Rs. 2 crore. Initially, none of the teams showed interest to buy the Bangladeshi skipper. Soon though Punjab Kings got the ball rolling and soon bought Hasan for Rs. 3.2 crore.
Glen Maxwell fought for by KKR, RCB
Australian batsmen Glen Maxwell has always fascinated the IPL franchises despite his inconsistent performance. With a base price of Rs. 2 crore, RR started the bid and KKR soon joined the action. The bid reached to the Rs. 4 crore mark with RCB backing out at Rs. 4.4 crore mark. The bidding frenzy continued with CSK surprising everyone and within moments the bid rose to Rs. 7 crore. The bidding continued and the bid price crossed the Rs. 10 crore mark. None of the teams wanted to skip on Maxwell and ultimately after a deep discussion, RCB raised the bid to a whopping Rs. 14.25 crore. No other teams were willing to spend more and thus, RCB ended up spending Rs. 14.25 crore for Maxwell.
IPL 2021: Report cards of all the teams after the end of the auction
Chennai Super Kings
Krishnappa Gowtham – Rs 9,25,00,000
Moeen Ali – Rs 7,00,00,000
Cheteshwar Pujara – Rs 50,00,000
Delhi Capitals
Tom Curran – Rs 5,25,00,000
Steven Smith – Rs 2,20,00,000
Umesh Yadav – Rs 1,00,00,000
Ripal Patel – Rs 20,00,000
Vishnu Vinod – Rs 20,00,000
Lukman Hussain Meriwala – Rs 20,00,000
M Siddharth – Rs 20,00,000
Kolkata Knight Riders
Shakib Al Hasan – Rs 3,20,00,000
Sheldon Jackson – Rs 20,00,000
Punjab Kings
Jhye Richardson – Rs. 14,00,00,000
Riley Meredith – Rs.8,00,00,000
Shahrukh Khan – Rs.5,25,00,000
Moises Henriques – Rs.4,20,00,000
Dawid Malan – Rs.1,50,00,000
Sunrisers Hyderabad
J Suchith – ₹30,00,000
Rajasthan Royals
Christopher Morris – Rs.16,25,00,000
Shivam Dube – Rs.4,40,00,000
Chetan Sakariya – Rs.1,20,00,000
Mustafizur Rahman – Rs.1,00,00,000
K.C Cariappa – Rs.20,00,000
Mumbai Indians
Nathan Coulter-Nile Rs 5,00,00,000
Adam Milne – Rs 3,20,00,000
Piyush Chawla – Rs 2,40,00,000
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Kyle Jamieson – Rs 15,00,00,000
Glenn Maxwell Rs 14,25,00,000
Sachin Baby – Rs 20,00,000
Rajat Patidar – Rs 20,00,000
Mohammed Azharudeen – Rs 20,00,000
Complete List of All the Sold and Unsold Players
1) Karun Nair – Unsold
2) Alex Hales – Unsold
3) Jason Roy – Unsold
4) Steve Smith – Delhi Capitals – Rs.2.2 Crore
5) Evin Lewis – Unsold
6) Aaron Finch – Unsold
7) Hanuma Vihari – Unsold
8) Glenn Maxwell – Royal Challengers Bangalore – Rs.14.25 crore
9) Kedar Jadhav – Unsold
10) Shakib Al Hasan – Kolkata Knight Riders – Rs.3.2 Crore
11) Moeen Ali – Chennai Super Kings – Rs.7 crore
12) Shivam Dube – Rajasthan Royals – Rs.4.4 crore
13) Chris Morris – Rajasthan Royals – Rs.16.25 crore
14) Dawid Malan – Punjab Kings – Rs.1.5 crore
15) Glenn Phillips – Unsold
16) Alex Carey – Unsold
17) Sam Billings – Unsold
18) Kusal Perera – Unsold
19) Adam Milne – Mumbai Indians – Rs.3.2 crore
20) Mustafizur Rahman – Rajasthan Royals – Rs.1 crore
21) Jhye Richardson – Punjab Kings – Rs.14 crore
22) Nathan Coulter-Nile – Mumbai Indians – Rs.5 crore
23) Sheldon Cotrell – Unsold
24) Umesh Yadav – Delhi Capitals – Rs.1 crore
25) Adil Rashid – Unsold
26) Rahul Sharma – Unsold
27) Mujeeb Ur Rahman – Unsold
28) Harbhajan Singh – Unsold
29) Ish Sodhi – Unsold
30) Piyush Chawla – Mumbai Indians – Rs.2.4 crore
31) Qais Ahmad – Unsold
32) Himanshu Rana – Unsold
33) C Hari Nishaanth – Unsold
34) Sachin Baby – Royal Challengers Bangalore – Rs.20 lakh
35) Rahul Gahlaut – Unsold
36) Rajat Patidar – Royal Challengers Bangalore – Rs.20 lakh
37) Himmat Singh – Unsold
38) Vishnu Solanki – Unsold
39) Atit Sheth – Unsold
40) Ripal Patel – Delhi Capitals – Rs.20 lakh
41) Shahrukh Khan – Punjab Kings – Rs.5.25 crore
42) Ayush Badoni – Unsold
43) Venkatesh Iyer – Unsold
44) Vivek Singh – Unsold
45) K Gowtham – Chennai Super Kings – Rs.9.25 crore
46) Vishnu Vinod – Delhi Capitals – Rs.20 lakh
47) Sheldon Jackson – Kolkata Knight Riders – Rs.20 lakh
48) Kedar Devdhar – Unsold
49) Mohammed Azharuddeen – Royal Challengers Bangalore – Rs.20 lakh
50) Avi Barot – Unsold
51) Mujtaba Yousuf – Unsold
52) Ankit Rajpoot – Unsold
53) Lukman Meriwala – Delhi Capitals – Rs.20 lakh
54) Chetan Sakariya – Rajasthan Royals – Rs.1.2 crore
55) Kuldeep Sen – Unsold
56) Riley Meredith – Punjab Kings – Rs.8 crore
57) Tushar Deshpande – Unsold
58) M Siddharth – Delhi Capitals – Rs.20 lakh
59) Karanveer Singh – Unsold
60) Jagadeesha Suchith – Sunrisers Hyderabad – Rs.30 lakh
61) KC Cariappa – Rajasthan Royals – Rs.20 lakh
62) Sandeep Lamichhane – Unsold
63) Midhun Sudhesan – Unsold
64) Tejas Baroka – Unsold
65) Rovman Powell – Unsold
66) Shaun Marsh – Unsold
67) Corey Anderson – Unsold
68) Devon Conway – Unsold
69) Darren Bravo – Unsold
70) Rassie van der Dussen – Unsold
71) Cheteshwar Pujara – Chennai Super Kings – Rs.50 lakh
72) Martin Guptill – Unsold
73) Pawan Negi – Unsold
74) Kyle Jamieson – Royal Challengers Bangalore – Rs.15 crore
75) Ben Cutting – Unsold
76) Tom Curran – Delhi Capitals – Rs.5.25 crore
77) Gurkeerat Singh – Unsold
78) Marnus Labuschagne – Unsold
79) Moises Henriques – Punjab Kings – Rs.4.2 crore
80) Varun Aaron – Unsold
81) Oshane Thomas – Unsold
82) Mohit Sharma – Unsold
83) Billy Stanlake – Unsold
84) Mitchell McClenaghan – Unsold
85) Jason Behrendorff – Unsold
86) Naveen Ul Haq – Unsold
