On December 19, in Dubai, the IPL 2024 auction came to a historic close with great enthusiasm. Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, two Australian fast bowlers who broke the Rs 20 crore mark for the first time in auction history, were the auction’s highlights.
Actual cricketing treasures often emerged from the shadows, purchased for a fraction of their potential value, while the IPL auction dazzled with extravagant price tags and celebrity names. These wise acquisitions, made by wise scouts and wise franchises, are the foundation of championship-winning teams.
Let’s look at the most sensible and economical purchases made in the IPL 2024 auction, stepping back from the glamour of the bidding war.
The following five stealth deals are from the IPL 2024 auction:
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1. Azmatullah Omarzai
Throughout the most recent ODI World Cup 2023, the Afghanistan all-around player dazzled everyone with his batting and bowling prowess. With a basic price of INR 50 lakh, Azmatullah Omarzai turned out to be a steal for the Gujarat Titans. Hardik Pandya, who chose to return to MI prior to the 2024 IPL season, left GT in need of a successor.
Hardik Pandya undoubtedly had an impact on the Titans’ inaugural title run. Their victory was largely attributed to his strong hitting, cunning bowling, and inspiring leadership. Although Omarzai offers a distinct and intriguing alternative, replacing him was never going to be simple given his developing skills and versatility.
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2. Gerald Coetzee
Gerald Coetzee is a fast bowler from South Africa that the Mumbai Indians acquired for a mere INR 5 crores. The Proteas firebrand pacer was supposed to cost the teams a lot of money, but MI was able to acquire him for a low price. They have a raw pacer that can bowl at 145 kph with ease and is a useful batsman later in the order at a very reasonable cost.
The Proteas bowler is a different kind of threat to take wickets in the MI camp because of his sheer pace, deceptive variations, and ability to cause uncomfortable bounce and skid off the field. As he has expressed before, he is thrilled to bowl alongside Jasprit Bumrah for MI, and the opposition will find it difficult to handle this combination.
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3. Wanindu Hasaranga
Wanindu Hasaranga was once acquired by RCB for more than INR 10 crores. He is currently one of the best and most productive spinners in white-ball cricket. RCB was compelled to release him prior to the IPL 2024 auction because to his injuries and availability concerns. At the auction, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) paid his basic price of 1.5 crores to get him.
Despite having missed the majority of 2023 due to injury, Hasaranga’s presence improved SRH’s spin department, which was lacking with Washington Sundar in charge. Sundar gives SRH a reliable wicket-taker and match-winner who can deceive hitters with his variations.
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4. Rachin Ravindra
Rachin Ravindra surprised everyone by scoring over 578 runs with three hundreds at the 2023 ODI World Cup. He also made useful contributions with the ball. Though he wisely kept his base price low to attract a buyer and have an IPL experience, Ravindra surprised many by not being among the most expensive purchases in the IPL 2024 auction.
Ravindra, who joins the Chennai Super Kings’ array of Kiwi players, was acquired for a mere INR 1.80 crores. This shows that CSK has moved past their father’s army tag and is preparing for life after Moeen Ali and other celebrities.
Travis Head may be a steal for the team in the IPL 2024 auction, but many would argue that he was acquired by SRH for INR 6.80 crore. Head is a versatile player who won Player of the Match honors for Australia in both the World Cup semifinal and championship games. He can take wickets and bowl some wicked off-spin in addition to being able to bat wherever in the batting order.
Head was considered one of the best deals for the 2024 Indian Premier League, and even with a competitive bidding battle, SRH was able to get Head without having to pay more than INR 10-crore for the left-handed hitter. With the recent announcement of his appointment as Australia’s Test co-vice captain and his continued success in white-ball cricket, he is also a strong contender for the captaincy at SRH.
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