IPL 2024 auction: R Ashwin predicts big bids for Starc, Cummins and Shahrukh Khan

Ravichandran Ashwin, sharing his insights ahead of the IPL 2024 Auction, predicts substantial bids for Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Shahrukh Khan. The cricketer also foresees competitive bidding for other players, providing a glimpse into the potential dynamics of the upcoming cricket auction.

Ravichandran Ashwin has predicted that the Australian pace duo of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc could command prices exceeding INR 14 crore in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Auction. The Rajasthan Royals cricketer, taking to social media, shared his auction predictions, anticipating significant bids for Cummins and Starc following their success in the Cricket World Cup 2023 on Indian soil. Additionally, Ashwin foresees all-rounder Shahrukh Khan, released by Punjab Kings, entering a bidding war with a price range between INR 10 and 14 crores.

In his predictions, Ashwin estimated bids for Rachin Ravindra to fall between INR 4 and 7 crores, while Harshal Patel and Gerald Coetzee were placed in the INR 7 to 10 crore bracket. Rovman Powell, according to Ashwin, is expected to secure bids ranging from INR 4 to 7 crores. However, the spinner surprised many with a prediction that World Cup hero Travis Head might not fetch a price higher than INR 4 crores. On the other hand, Ashwin anticipated veteran Indian fast bowler Umesh Yadav to attract bids in the range of INR 4 to 7 crores.

In another cricketing context, Ashwin congratulated Australian spinner Nathan Lyon for reaching the milestone of 500 Test wickets during the Australia vs. Pakistan Test in Perth. Lyon became the eighth bowler and the second off-spinner in history to achieve this remarkable feat. Ashwin, currently nearing the 500-wicket mark himself, acknowledged Lyon's achievement on social media, highlighting their parallel journeys as modern-day rivals in Test cricket.