'Mitchelluva' lot of cash!

Mitchell Starc and at Cummins. Pics/Getty Images, AFP

Australia's World Cup-winning pacer Mitchell Starc emerged the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) when Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bought him for a whopping Rs 24.75 crore in the IPL Player Auction at Dubai on Tuesday.

And KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit reckoned that a cricketer of Starc's stature deserves this price. "There is no doubt that he has that calibre. We needed a match-winning bowler and he perfectly suits that position. He is known to bowl well in the Powerplay and is equally good in the death overs. Obviously, we have confidence in him," Pandit told mid-day from Dubai on Tuesday.

Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals showed interest in the left-arm pacer when Starc's name appeared at a base price of R2 crore. However, the real contest turned out to be between KKR and Gujarat Titans. Kolkata showed interest in the Australian cricketer for the first time while bidding for a purse of Rs 9.80 crore, but it went beyond Starc's Australia captain Pat Cummins's price of Rs 20.50 crore, spent on him by Sunrisers Hyderabad.

KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit looks on as CEO Venky Mysore makes a bid in Dubai yesterday. Pic/IPL

Meanwhile, Cummins, in a video posted by Sunrisers, said: "I have played in Hyderabad a few times and always loved it, so can't wait to get started."

Travis Head, a 2023 ODI World Cup colleague of Cummins and Starc, will play in the same team as his captain. Hyderabad bought the World Cup final man of the match for R6.8 crore.

KKR's strategy

Back to Starc. When asked about why KKR started bidding for Starc after the Rs 9 crore stage, Pandit revealed: "We did certain planning and we were targeting certain players who we wanted to have. Whatever targets we had in the first phase, we achieved them.

"Starc is a handy batter too and is very good in the fielding department. Overall, he is a very good package and he's worth it. He can be a threat in the IPL."
Starc, 33, has 73 dismissals in 58 T20Is for Australia.

Pandit, 62, the former

India wicketkeeper-batsman and accomplished coach, remarked: "Everyone bid for him and that's why he got that price. He showed in the auction that he is worth that."

Speaking about the franchise's strategy, Pandit, who entered the IPL coaching sphere only last season, said: "We backed our instincts and had faith in that player. We are spending that much on a player because we have that confidence in him and need to have him in our team. It's a game and anything can happen tomorrow. If we do not get results as per our expectations, it's not fair to regret [anything]."

Also Read: Huge price tag 'shock' to Mitchell Starc, pacer admits it will bring in pressure

Pandit, who has been the most successful coach in first-class cricket, has guided Mumbai, Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh to Ranji Trophy triumphs over the years.

Bharat found valuable

Pandit also explained why KKR bought wicketkeeper-batsman KS Bharat and young Mumbai batsman Angkrish Raghuvanshi for R50 lakh and R20 lakh respectively. "We have a good spin attack and for such an attack it is necessary to have an equally good wicketkeeper. Bharat is an experienced 'keeper, who has played for India and is very good. We can use him as a batter too.

"Raghuvanshi is a top talent with the ability to make it big. We have a lot of faith in him. I watched him during the season and I am convinced he has a bright future," Pandit remarked.

Top 5 buys

Rs 24.75 CR
Mitchell Starc Kolkata Knight Riders

Rs 20.50 CR
Pat Cummins Sunrisers Hyderabad

Rs 14 CR
Daryl Mitchell Chennai Super Kings

Rs 11.75 CR
Harshal Patel Punjab Kings

Rs 11.50 CR
Alzarri Joseph Royal Challengers Bangalore