The glittering world of cricket is abuzz as the Indian Premier League (IPL) gears up for its highly anticipated 2024 auction. Scheduled to unfold within the grand setting of Dubai’s Coca Cola Arena on December 19, the auction is set to begin at a 2:30 PM IST start. Cricketers from all around the world are holding their breath, with 10 franchises gearing up to battle it out for their desired players among a shortlist that boasts 333 names—consisting of 224 Indian and 109 overseas players.
Since inception, the IPL auction has offered cricketers the opportunity to be signed up for staggering amounts, with the top bracket famously pegged at INR 2 crores. This year, four Indian players stepped into the fray, valuing themselves at this elite base price. Alas, one of them, Kedar Jadhav, fell short of making the cut, his name conspicuously missing from the list of shortlisted players. This notable exclusion comes in light of Jadhav’s falling reputation ever since he lost his place in the Indian team following the 2019 World Cup.
Jadhav’s base price of 2 crores, ambitious perhaps in reflection of his past contributions to the tournament, was not met with interest from the franchises, a clear indication of his dwindling stock in the commercial clout of IPL. The preceding year hadn’t been kind either, with no takers in the auction, which led him to swap his bat for the commentator’s microphone, delivering insights in Marathi during the live broadcasts. However, a call from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to replace an injured David Willey saw Jadhav return mid-season, albeit briefly, contributing a modest 12 runs across two appearances.
Jadhav’s IPL journey, spanning over a 95-match career, has seen him don the jerseys of Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite accumulating 1208 runs at a commendable strike-rate of 123.14, it seems the Maharashtra-born cricketer might have to confront the reality of not securing a spot in the next season.
As for the other Indian entrants holding fast to the INR 2 crore base price, Shardul Thakur, Harshal Patel, and Umesh Yadav have made it to the shortlist, though it remains to be seen if they manage to find buyers when the auction hammer goes down. Crossing over to the international domain, notable exclusions were also seen. Angelo Mathews and Tom Banton, both of whom carried the coveted 2 crore base price tag, were not shortlisted for the auction, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the IPL’s high-stake bidding wars.
To highlight the players facing the snub despite their considerable base price:
– Angelo Mathews
– Tom Banton
– Kedar Jadhav
The forthcoming IPL auction is not merely about who gets sold or for how much; it encapsulates the dynamics of value, form, and future potential that franchises weigh keenly. From seasoned veterans on the lookout for a glorious resurgence to young talents aiming to etch their names in cricket’s rich tapestry, the auction promises drama, surprises, and strategic maneuvering as teams seek to build the ultimate squad.
The run-up to the IPL 2024 auction has kept the cricket fraternity on tenterhooks, as it does every year. With Travis Head and Manish Pandey featuring in the first shortlist, and Delhi Capitals likely to see the return of Rishabh Pant as captain, there’s also the talk of Virat Kohli being Google’s ‘Most searched cricketer’ over its 25-year history. With so much at stake and so many stories unfolding, the countdown to the auction has indeed begun, leaving fans and players alike in eager anticipation of what’s to unfold.