The much-awaited IPL auction ahead of the 2023 season finally took place in Kochi on December 23rd where most of the teams were seen jostling for possession. The bidding war was raging as franchises were going at it hammer and tongs, desperate to retain top talent.
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Whilst some big names like Adam Milne (New Zealand), Rassie van der Dussen (South Africa) and Chris Jordan (England) remained unsold, there were quite a few players who managed to make it to the headlines.
The Zimbabwean origin English all-rounder Sam Curran; who is in the form of his life creates history by becoming the most expensive player in the history of IPL auction valuing around ₹18.5 crore followed by Chris Green of Australia (₹17.5 crore) and Ben Stokes of England (₹16.25 crore) respectively.
This auction clearly highlights the significance of all-rounders and showed how teams were ready to shell out a fortune in order to attract the best players.
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The presence of top-quality all-rounders is vital for any line-up, who on their day can turn things around by snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. All-rounders are known to add stability and depth to their side since they have the ability to consistently perform well with the bat and the ball in pressure situations.
Sam Curran (18.5CR Punjab Kings)
The 24-year-old English all-rounder turned out to be the highest paid IPL cricketer surpassing Chris Morris (₹16 crore) of South Africa. He returns to Punjab Kings who spent a staggering amount of ₹18.5 crore to seal his spot in the team.
Speaking on a show on Start Sports, Curran admitted that he was unable to believe his luck and is incredibly relieved to achieve such a feat. He understands the importance of this achievement and is determined to showcase his best game.
Besides, his performance in the international arena has been phenomenal in recent times after being crowned – player of the match and also the player of the tournament in the ICC T20 World Cup held in Australia this year.
He will surely be looking forward to maintaining his red hot form and dismantling the opposition like the way he did in the recently concluded T20 World Cup.
Cameron Green (17.5CR Mumbai Indians)
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green becomes the second most expensive player in the IPL 2023 auction after Mumbai Indians managed to secure him in closely contested bidding with Delhi Capitals.
Green surpasses Pat Cummings to become the most expensive Aussie players valuing ₹17.5 crore which is roughly more than 10 times his base price. His reaction after hearing the news was priceless as he simply could not believe his luck.
The hard-hitting all-rounder is having a dream run and has a reputation of scoring quick cameos in T20 internationals. He will be definitely be a good addition to the squad and can fill the vacuum created after MI saw a massive exodus of all-rounders ahead of the auction.
Ben Stokes (16.5CR Chennai Super Kings)
English all-rounder Ben Stokes was the 3rd highest signing of the IPL 2023 auction. Stokes was roped in by CSK for a whopping ₹16 crore. After a memorable test series win against Pakistan (3-0), the match winning all-rounder will be high on confidence.
He will be looking to seize this opportunity and continue on his winning form. After failing to acquire Sam Curran in a closely fought bidding war, CSK eventually succeeded in acquiring Stokes.
In a discussion with CSK CEO, Viswanathan revealed how happy MS Dhoni was after hearing this news and looks forward to welcoming him with open arms. He further hinted that at some point, Stokes is expected to take over captaincy roles from Dhoni at a later stage during the season.
