A total expenditure of Rs 230.45 crore on 72 cricketers, with a few securing remarkable contracts, reflected the team-building skills of the ten Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises during the auction on December 19. However, the effectiveness of some teams stood out more prominently than others. In this piece, we will assess the standout performers and underachievers of the IPL 2024 auction with analysis of 4mely Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore & Punjab Kings.
IPL 2024 Auction – The Victorious Ones
Team 1: Mumbai Indians – IPL 2024
Gerald Coetzee (Rs 5 crore), Nuwan Thushara (Rs 4.80 crore), Dilshan Madushanka (Rs 4.60 crore), Mohammad Nabi (Rs 1.50 crore), Shreyas Gopal (Rs 20 lakh), Shivalik Sharma (Rs 20 lakh), Anshul Kamboj (Rs 20 lakh), Naman Dhir (Rs 20 lakh).
Despite a faction of their fanbase expressing dissent over Rohit Sharma’s removal from captaincy, excluding that discord, Mumbai Indians stand out as the most successful team at the auction table.
Upon arriving in Dubai with a budget of only Rs 17.75 crore— trailing only behind Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants in terms of available funds—it was crucial for Mumbai to exercise fiscal prudence and refrain from extravagant spending on groundbreaking deals.
Despite releasing Jofra Archer, Jhye Richardson, and Riley Meredith, Mumbai needed to secure three overseas pacers, a task they surprisingly accomplished for a total of Rs 14.40 crores.
Gerald Coetzee, South Africa’s top wicket-taker at the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, surpassing the likes of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, was enlisted for a modest Rs 5 crore. Similarly, Dilshan Madushanka, the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, was acquired by Mumbai for only Rs 4.6 crore.
Spending below the anticipated budget for Gerald Coetzee and Dilshan Madushanka allowed Mumbai Indians to make a substantial investment in Nuwan Thushara, securing his services for Rs 4.8 crore. With a bowling style reminiscent of Lasith Malinga and the ability to swing the ball, Thushara has proven to be a valuable asset in recent franchise cricket. Notably, in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, he claimed 13 wickets at an impressive average of 12.30, concluding as the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.
To bolster their pace department, which now appeared more formidable than that of any other team, Mumbai Indians sought an affordable overseas spin-bowling all-rounder to complement Piyush Chawla. This need was fulfilled with the inclusion of Mohammad Nabi. Despite being in the twilight of his career, Nabi continues to demonstrate his effectiveness in franchise cricket, evidenced by his recent performance of securing eight wickets in the Abu Dhabi T10 League.
Team 2: Chennai Super Kings – IPL 2024
Chennai Super Kings Auction Acquisitions: Daryl Mitchell (Rs 14 crore), Sameer Rizvi (Rs 8.60 crore), Shardul Thakur (Rs 4 crore), Mustafizur Rahman (Rs 2 crore), Rachin Ravindra (Rs 1.80 crore), Avanish Rao Aravelly (Rs 20 lakh).
As the reigning champions, Chennai Super Kings entered the auction with an already formidable squad capable of clinching titles. Despite having Rs 31.40 crore at their disposal, they focused on reinforcing specific positions that warranted additional strength.
Moeen Ali’s performance in IPL 2023 was commendable but not as exceptional as in the preceding seasons. Chennai now possesses the flexibility to replace him with either Daryl Mitchell or Rachin Ravindra. The duo, secured for a combined sum of Rs 15.80 crore, collectively amassed 1130 runs in the World Cup.
Given Mukesh Choudhary’s return from an extended injury hiatus and Tushar Deshpande’s tendency to be costly, Chennai found the necessity for a dependable Indian seamer, a role now filled by Shardul Thakur.
Although the all-rounder’s performance in IPL 2023 might not be etched in memory, the peculiar phenomenon of performing at his best under Dhoni’s captaincy seems to work in his favor. Thakur played pivotal roles in Chennai’s title victories in 2018 and 2021, amassing 16 and 21 wickets in those respective seasons.
Recognizing the limited time MS Dhoni has with the bat, Chennai super Kings sought an Indian power-hitter to fulfill the finisher’s role. Despite a cost of Rs 8.60 crore, they secured the services of the talented Sameer Rizvi. In the recently concluded 2023 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), Rizvi emerged as Uttar Pradesh’s top run-scorer, accumulating 277 runs with an impressive average of 69.25 and a strike rate of 139.89.
IPL 2024 Auction – Those Who Underperformed
Team 1: Royal Challengers Bangalare – IPL 2024
RCB Auction Acquisitions: Alzarri Joseph (Rs 11.50 crore), Yash Dayal (Rs 5 crore), Lockie Ferguson (Rs 2 crore), Tom Curran (Rs 1.50 crore), Saurav Chauhan (Rs 20 lakh), Swapnil Singh (Rs 20 lakh).
In retrospect, Royal Challengers Bangalore enthusiasts might find solace in the Cameron Green trade, as their auction purchases fail to instill much confidence. Despite possessing a budget of Rs 23.25 crore, they struggled to fortify their squad across various departments.
Originally intent on allocating a substantial portion of their funds to secure Pat Cummins, Bangalore eventually settled for Alzarri Joseph, surpassing Mumbai’s combined expenditure on Coetzee and Madushanka.
While Joseph has showcased notable performances for the West Indies, his IPL track record reveals an economy rate of 9.19 runs per over, with 20 wickets in 19 matches at an average of 28.80, offering limited justification for the figure. The addition of Lockie Ferguson and Tom Curran, two pacers known for their generosity in conceding runs in the IPL, further raises concerns. Ferguson’s economy rate for the season was 12.52 runs per over, while Curran conceded 10.84 runs per over in the 13 matches he played in the competition.
Royal Challengers Bangalore Investing Rs 5 crore in Yash Dayal appears perplexing, and although it may be unfair to assess the left-arm pacer solely on his last over against Rinku Singh, he emerged as the most expensive bowler for Uttar Pradesh in SMAT 2023, with an economy rate of 8.30 runs per over.
Compounding the pace-related challenges, Royal Challengers Bangalore failed to secure a frontline spinner, leaving them heavily reliant on Karn Sharma and Mayank Dagar.
Team 2: Punjab Kings – IPL 2024
Auction Acquisitions: Harshal Patel (Rs 11.75 crore), Rilee Rossouw (Rs 8 crore), Chris Woakes (Rs 4.20 crore), Tanay Thyagarajann (Rs 20 lakh), Vishwanath Pratap Singh (Rs 20 lakh), Ashutosh Sharma (Rs 20 lakh), Shashank Singh (Rs 20 lakh), Prince Choudhary (Rs 20 lakh).
Setting aside the Shashank Singh confusion – a matter clarified by Punjab Kings as an intentional signing and not an error – the decisions made by the Shikhar Dhawan-led team at the auction table raise questions.
With a budget of Rs 29.10 crore, Punjab Kings invested in eight players, but only one among them seems likely to secure a spot in the playing XI. Rilee Rossouw, the South African batter for whom Punjab spent Rs 8 crore, may face challenges in finding a place in a team already featuring Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone in the batting lineup. Similarly, given the presence of overseas pacers Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, and Nathan Ellis, the Rs 4.20 crore spent on Chris Woakes might be considered unnecessary.
The decision by Punjab Kings to acquire Harshal Patel for Rs 11.75 crore also invites scrutiny, especially considering his underwhelming IPL 2023 season, followed by a subpar SMAT 2023 performance where he secured only seven wickets in as many matches, maintaining an economy rate of 8.62 runs per over.
