The IPL’s 2023 auction kicked off with a bang on Friday night, with cricket’s biggest spenders laying down huge sums of money for the game’s premier T20 stars.
Teams are expected to exceed last year’s A$100 million spent on contracts as the competition prepares for its 16th year as the world’s hottest short form circuit.
A long bidding war over English batsman Harry Brook opened proceedings, as the heavyweights of the competition pushed him over the $2 million (AUD) mark. He was eventually scooped up for 13.25cr (A$2.38 million) by Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Joe Root — arguably the world’s most consistent batsman — was passed over in the first round of bidding, baffling many on social media following along live.
Cameron Green and Travis Head firmed as frontrunners in the Australian camp to secure big bucks from the Indian league.
Green — who is still one of the most exciting prospects in world cricket as a towering all-rounder with power to spare — clearly impressed the right people in the lead-up to the auction.
The Aussie all-rounder was picked up by the Mumbai Indians for 17.50cr (A$3.15 million), falling just short of an all-time record.
English bowling all-rounder Sam Curran took that honour, securing a whopping 18.50 crore (A$3.33m) with the Punjab Kings.
Green’s contract — as The Slips Cordon noted, roughly $787,000 per limb — makes him Australia’s highest-paid star to ever be picked up by an Indian team.
“I’m pinching myself that this has all happened. It’s such a weird feeling watching an auction for yourself. I can’t believe how nervous I was and I was shaking like anything when the final call was confirmed,” Green said via ESPN.
“I’ve always been a huge fan of the IPL and it’s going to be so cool to be a part of it. The Mumbai Indians are one of the powerhouses of the competition so I feel very humbled to be joining them. I can’t wait to get there next year.”
Ben Stokes was sold to the Chennai Super Kings for 16.25cr (A2.97m) shortly after, proving his worth in recent months with a stellar World Cup run and fine form captaining England in their recent Test series against Pakistan.
West Indies keeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran was also in the money, locking in a 16cr (A$2.8 million) contract with the Lucknow Super Giants — adding serious firepower to the emerging franchise.