Australian pace bowler Mitchell Starc made IPL auction history on Tuesday, securing the title of the costliest player at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured the seasoned left-arm pacer for an impressive sum of ₹24.75 crore.
Starc, aged 33, is a prominent figure among the top bowlers in international cricket across all formats. Notably, he played a crucial role in Australia’s victory in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, delivering impactful performances in both the semi-final and final matches.
The Australian bowler joined the IPL auction with a starting price of ₹2 crore. While many expected him to receive high bids in Dubai, not many foresaw him going beyond ₹24 crore. KKR hopes their investment in Starc pays off, or it could be a costly acquisition for them.
Assuming Starc participates in all 14 matches for Kolkata Knight Riders during the IPL 2024 league stage, delivering his full four-over quota in each game, he would bowl a total of 336 legal deliveries. If we calculate the cost per delivery to KKR in this situation, it amounts to roughly ₹7.36 lakh per delivery.
“Nothing that I could’ve ever imagined” – Mitchell Starc response to record-breaking pay
After being acquired for a substantial amount by KKR in the IPL 2024 auction, Starc expressed that the final figure took him by surprise. Nevertheless, he conveyed his immense excitement about being a part of the Kolkata-based franchise.
“I’m not sure any words would do it justice, really. Alyssa [Starc’s wife] was over there with the Australian team at the minute, so her coverage was slightly ahead of mine here in Australia.”
”So she sort of saw the numbers before I did, so I was getting the updates through her. But, yeah, a fair bit of shock, and certainly excitement with how it was all unfolding. But nothing that I could’ve ever imagined. Thoroughly thrilled to be joining KKR,” the left-arm pacer told Star Sports.
Starc’s most recent IPL appearance was in 2015, playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Across 27 matches in the T20 league, he has taken 34 wickets, boasting an average of 20.38 and an economy rate of 7.17.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
