Knights find their number one

Mitchell Starc's dexterity over the new and old ball was pivotal in Australia lifting their sixth World Cup crown earlier last month. On Tuesday, it was also pivotal in boosting his bank balance. So much so that the three-time World Cup veteran described his incredulity at watching his own price shoot up and up at the IPL auction.

"It was a shock, of course. Nothing I could have dreamt of. But no doubt, there will be some pressure that comes with the territory. But having the extra experience I have from my last IPL, hopefully, helps," Starc told Jio Cinema.

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His new franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) also seemed motivated as much by scepticism as faith in the money they put on him. After all, their winning bid for the Australian quick in 2018 bore no fruit after he missed the season due to a fracture of his right tibial bone. After sparking an intense bidding-battle among top IPL franchises at a swish multi-purpose venue in Dubai on Tuesday, Australia's beloved ‘Starcy' went back home Rs 15 crore richer five years later, and rather unfathomably, with his reputation, as one of his side's marquee match-winners, intact.

In fact, his IPL 2024 salary cap surpassed Sam Curran's from last year when Punjab Kings splashed out an exorbitant amount of INR 18.50 cr for the capricious all-rounder. With the 33-year-old Starc hitting red-hot form with the ball and Kolkata lapping him up for a record deal, the happiness in the KKR cavern knew no bounds. Their mentor Gautam Gambhir, unable to contain his palpable joy, had his smile touching the corners of his mouth and playing in the laugh lines beside his eyes.

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Moreover, the upcoming edition will bear more significance than ever with the T20 World Cup lurking around the corner. With the roadmap for next year's World Cup being underway around the same time, players will strive to be at their finest to make the most of the 20-over contests in the cash-rich league.

On a day that quickly established itself as the most lucrative on the cricket calendar, Starc's teammate and Australia's Test and ODI skipper Pat Cummins fetched an equally handsome INR 20.05 cr from Sunrisers Hyderabad, which comes to a whopping INR 44.80 cr when combined together with Starc's payout. Notably, this amount is only INR 2 cr lesser than the entire prize purse for teams in the league's last edition. The total purse for teams in IPL 2023 was INR 46.50 cr, with the winning team likely to have won INR 20 cr, while the runners-up received INR 13 cr, according to a Sportstar report. The third-placed team received INR 7 cr, while the team in fourth place were paid INR 6.5 cr.

But is the big paycheck a just commitment or an outcome of strategic planning?

"This was, of course, a decision backed by the officials and other staff, including Gautam. With him back in the purple colours, we are expecting to take the contest by storm this IPL. And what can I say about Starcy? He is a complete asset and we needed to strengthen our pace. In times of crisis, the team can rely on this one man to win the match due to his varied experience. Not just Starcy, look at Patty (Pat Cummins), he was a core member of our team in the past, pretty amazing stuff going back in there. He is with Hyderabad now, fans have high hopes on these two. Interesting to see how this edition turns out (sic)" a source privy to developments at KKR told Mid-Day. Those able to handle death overs, that is at least 120-150 balls bowled between 18 and 20 overs to be specific, are always looked on with favour. And this is where both Cummins and Starc play a crucial role.

At 33, Starc's tearaway pace remains a big threat to many a batsman around the world in white-ball formats. His overall economy of 7.63 across 58 matches in the 20-overs format is enough to justify his potency. Capable of generating enormous swing with the new or old ball, Starc's ability to help hold an inning at deadly pace makes him a cut above the rest. The Gambhir-headed side will bank on him to get their mojo back in this edition, thus overcoming two seasons of mediocrity.

KKR have done their bit by sparing no expense, it is now up to ‘Starcy' to prove them right.