The mini-auction of IPL 2024 is going to witness some intense bids. English all-rounder Sam-Curran’s bid record can be breached.
The wait is almost over as the mini-auction of Indian Premier League 2024 is all set to take place today. For the first time since the inception of IPL, the auction is going to be held outside of India, at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai. The auction will commence at 11.30 AM local time (1.30 PM IST).
The mini-auction auction is going to be historic in more than one way this year. Mallika Sagar is going to become the first female auctioneer who will conduct the auction today. Last week, Sagar was seen conducting the WPL auction.
This year’s auction will experience a total number of 333 players going under the hammer. Out of the tally, 214 are Indians while 119 are overseas players. A total of 116 capped players are up for sale and 215 uncapped players are available, out of which two from Asian countries.
The 10 franchises already announced their retention and release for this year’s mini-auction. According to their declaration, there have been a total of 173 retained players leaving 77 slots to be filled in the mini-auction. King Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders will begin the auction with the maximum number of vacant slots among all the franchises. They have total 12 slots to be filled.
Money left in purse of each franchise
Each team owns a different size of purse depending on how many players they retain and release. With Rs. 38.15 crore remaining in its purse, Gujrat Titans will enter the mini-auction. Having traded Hardik Pandya out to Mumbai Indians, they have the biggest purse ahead of the auction.
The second slot of having maximum money left in the purse belongs to Sunrisers Hyderabad with Rs. 34 crore. Kolkata Knight Riders comes just behind them having Rs. 32.7 crore.
According to the list, Chennai Super Kings are next in the queue with the remaining ₹31.4 crore. The following teams are Delhi Capitals (₹28.95 crore), Punjab Kings (₹29.1 crore) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (₹23.25 crore). Rest of the franchises have a very tight budget left for the auction. With ₹17.75 crore, Mumbai Indians come next. Rajasthan Royals with ₹14.5 crore and Lucknow Super Giants with ₹13.15 crore are at the bottom of the table.
Expected big bids today
With a substantial budget of Rs. 262.95 crore in total, the mini-auction is going to witness some of the biggest bids. The cricketing world is abuzz with the auction news.
One of the biggest bids eye on Australian skipper Pat Cummins who missed the last IPL season. With the maximum base price of ₹2 crore, the World-Cup winning captain is predicted to be a big asset.
The English batsman, Hary Brook, with a reputation of versatility, can also be a lucrative bid. His top-notch batting performance across international formats makes him much worthy this time.
From South Africa, the 23-year-old Gerald Coetzee who emerged as one of the excellent bowlers in the recent World Cup will also be another attraction of the bid with a base price of ₹2 crore.
Apart from Coetzee, IPL 2024 includes big names of debut stars like Rachin Ravindra from New Zealand, Australian wicketkeeper batsman Josh Inglish and Kusal Mendis from Sri Lanka.
Difference between a mini-auction and a mega auction
The auction held last year was different from this year’s mini-auction. At the stage of mini-auction, the core part of a team goes almost unchanged as they focus on developing a good balance. Next mega auction will be held next year.
