Australia's Cameron Green and Todd Murphy before the start of the fifth test.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Bengaluru: Australian all-rounder Cameron Green lived up to his blue-chip stock status, emerging as the most expensive foreign purchase ever at the IPL mini-auction in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, but the ones who headlined the bidding process on a highly calculated day of trading were nano caps Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma.
Green, who had two impressive IPLs in 2023 and 2024 for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru respectively before missing out last year due to a lower back injury, was picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping Rs 25.20 crore, making him the third highest purchase ever behind Rishabh Pant (Rs 27 cr) and Shreyas Iyer (Rs 26.75 cr).
The 26-year-old Green’s stock soaring through the roof was a given considering he is one of the hottest properties in world cricket, but what set the tongues wagging was Chennai Super Kings splurging Rs 14.20 cr each on relatively unknown commodities Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma — a bold decision that was made by the seasoned think-tank at the table possibly based on the inputs from their talent scouts.
Sitting on the second highest purse of Rs 43.40 crore going into the auction, five-time champions CSK, who failed to qualify for the playoffs the last two seasons, didn’t blink twice in going after Veer and Kartik following intense bidding wars with neighbours Sunrisers Hyderabad on both occasions.
Moment Veer’s name came up for auction, Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants kickstarted the bidding to acquire the 20-year-old left-arm spinning all-rounder from Uttar Pradesh, who was first noticed in the UP T20 League before rising to prominence in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy.
CSK, looking at him as a potential like-for-like replacement for Ravindra Jadeja, entered the fray at Rs 1.4 cr. LSG backed out at Rs 4.4 cr when Rajasthan Royals, generally known for picking such unheralded talents at moderate prices, joined the war. But they too backed off when his prize surged past the Rs 6 cr mark. Sunrisers jumped into the picture at Rs 6.8 crore and they went toe-to-toe with CSK before the latter signed him.
A similar pattern followed for Rajasthan’s 19-year-old big-hitting sensation Kartik. MI and LSG started off with the bidding before the former exited and were joined by KKR. CSK then jumped in by offering Rs 3 cr, but KKR too were interested in signing the finisher whose lusty hitting has impressed the likes of Kevin Pietersen and R Ashwin. CSK and KKR, like in the case of Green, kept raising the paddle alternately until the Purple bench stopped at Rs 13 cr. Watching all the action unfold silently, Sunrisers made an entry at 13.20 cr, but CSK held strong until signing the teenager for Rs 14.20 cr.
Another uncapped Indian, a category which probably witnessed the most activity, who finally realised his long-time dream of being picked up by a franchise was Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi Dar. Having improved his death-bowling skills, which was his deterrent earlier, Auqib was strongly pursued by SRH and Delhi Capitals before the latter won the battle by roping him for Rs 8.4 cr.
Meanwhile, Green, who incidentally was listed in the batters’ groups that allowed him the luxury of coming up in the opening set, set the tempo for a high-octane day. MI and RR kicked off the proceedings, KKR, who had the deepest pocket with Rs 64.30 cr, entered at Rs 2.80 cr. RR and KKR went on till CSK joined in at Rs 13.80. At that stage itself, it was clear the two would go all-out and they did so until CSK stopped raising the paddle when KKR offered Rs 25.20 cr.
KKR also roped in Sri Lanka’s slinging fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, dubbed ‘Baby Malinga’, for Rs 18 cr. Unlike in the case of Green, where they made their intention clear at the start itself, they were spectators for most of the bidding war, deciding to throw their hat in the ring only at Rs 16 crore. DC backed out at that stage, but LSG stayed on until pulling out of the race when KKR splurged Rs 18 cr.