"Really? Such a Price?" AB de Villiers questions Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins' IPL price tags

The IPL 2024 auction witnessed historic bids as Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins breached the Rs 20 crore mark, prompting varied reactions. AB de Villiers expressed amusement at the staggering prices.

In the recently concluded IPL 2024 auction, the Rs 20 crore mark was surpassed twice for the first time, with Mitchell Starc securing Rs 24.75 crore with Kolkata Knight Riders and Pat Cummins fetching Rs 20.50 crore with SunRisers Hyderabad. The responses to these record-breaking salaries were diverse, leaving some to ponder whether such high bids were justified. South African and Royal Challengers Bangalore legend AB de Villiers expressed amusement at the staggering prices.

"Some very shrewd purchases. Teams like Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, known for their success in the IPL, excel not only on the field but also in making astute auction decisions. Cummins and Starc, undoubtedly exceptional players, but really, for that price? (smiles) It underscores the high demand. This year's auction revealed a significant demand for fast bowlers, driving up their prices," remarked AB De Villiers in a recent Q&A session.

De Villiers commended the Mumbai Indians for their strategic acquisitions, singling out Nuwan Thushara, Dilshan Madushanka, Mohammad Nabi, and Shreyas Gopal as standout purchases for their respective prices. He also expressed excitement about emerging bowlers like Coetzee, Madushanka, and Thushara, especially highlighting Gerald Coetzee's prowess.

Having faced Coetzee six to seven years ago, De Villiers recalled the young bowler's impressive performance. Despite being auctioned for a significant Rs 5 crore to the Mumbai Indians, De Villiers deemed it a steal when compared to other players.

RCB star Dinesh Karthik, retained ahead of the IPL 2024 auction, raised concerns about the trend of foreign players exploiting mini auctions for inflated paychecks. Karthik emphasized the need for the BCCI to address this issue, proposing solutions in a recent video for @cricbuzz.

Karthik expressed his reservations, stating, "I'm not a big fan of players entering MINI auctions directly. Foreign players and their agents seem to exploit this cleverly, capitalizing on perceived loopholes. I believe the BCCI can take measures to curb this problem, and I've outlined a couple of solutions in my recent video for @cricbuzz

Highlighting the unhealthy trend, Karthik noted that mini auctions witness players and agents strategically bringing themselves in, resulting in absurd and unprecedented prices. He cited examples from the previous year, such as Cameron Green and Sam Curran, and pointed out this year's instances with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. While acknowledging that these players prioritise their national commitments, Karthik urged a halt to the tactic of bypassing the main auction to exploit mini auctions for exorbitant contracts.