Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore has explained the reason behind the selection of veteran Australian pacer Mitchell Starc in the recently concluded IPL auction. The World Cup-winning pacer was brought for a whopping 24.75 crores in the 2024 auction and would play for the two-time champions in the next season.
Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins made history in the IPL 2024 auction on Tuesday in Dubai, when the fast bowlers received massive paydays. The Left-arm pacer fetched Rs 24.75 crores during a bidding war between Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Titans, eventually being brought by Kolkata in a high-intensity bid battle.
Speaking to the media, KKR CEO Venky Mysore defended the record-breaking purchase of Mitchell Starc, saying that each team has its own approach to spending the complete quota of Rs 100 crore and was elated with the pick of Australian pacer in the auction. He believes that Starc has the ability to make a difference for the team in all phases of the innings
“Obviously, Mitchell Starc was a preferred player from a skill set standpoint. Initially, we were not successful in some of the bids. Maybe that worked in our favour, because we did end up having money to do this. So we’re just thankful that we were able to have him on our side,” Venky Mysore said.
“It shows the value of the player and the skill set he (Starc) possesses. He’s a fabulous player. Now it seems like wow, Rs 24.75. I was telling someone that the salary cap of a team when IPL started in 2008 was Rs 20 crore.
“So, things have changed. When the auction is over, all the 10 teams are going to walk out having spent 100 crores and each team decides to slice it differently,” Venky Mysore added.
Mitchell Starc became the most expensive player in IPL auction history. He broke Cummins’ record earlier in the day when SunRisers Hyderabad paid Rs 20.50 crore for the World Cup-winning captain.
The Australian fast-bowling duo shattered the record of Sam Curran, who was the most expensive buy in an IPL auction after Punjab Kings bought him for Rs 18.50 crore last year.
Mitchell Starc is one of the few generational players who has been away from the Indian Premier League (IPL) for several years as he prioritised the country over franchise cricket. The left-arm speedster has only played two seasons in the tournament and would be keen on coming good for Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 season.