BANGALORE (TIP):
A total of 154 players sold, including 50 overseas players, as the two-day IPL auction ended in Bangalore on February 13, with Yuvraj Singh ending up as the top-earner, bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for a whopping Rs. 14 crore. After a spending spree on the first day, the franchises were more frugal in their purchase on the concluding day, with only 84 being sold out of total players going under the hammer. Karan Sharma and Rishi Dhawan hit the jackpot on the second and of the auction as they were bought for a mammoth Rs 3.75 crore and Rs 3 crore by Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kings XI Punjab respectively.

Sharma played a key role in Hyderabad’s campaign last season of the IPL as the franchise managed to reach the last four of the competition. Rishi, Ranji Trophy’s top wicket-taker this season, was signed by Kings XI Punjab using their ‘Right to Match’ after the bowler was bought by the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Also, Kedar Jadhav, Ranji Trophy’s topscorer this season, went to Delhi Daredevils for Rs 2 crore after intense bidding. Delhi also used their ‘Right to Match’ after he was initially taken by Hyderabad. Rishi is primarily a fast-bowling allrounder who bats in the middle-order.

The 23-year-old has played for Kings XI Punjab in the 2008 IPL and was signed by the Mumbai Indians last season. The 26-year-old Jadhav has had a splendid domestic season and has also shown glimpses of his talent in the IPL. He was with the Royal Challengers Bangalore development squad to start with before being signed by Delhi Daredevils in 2010. Former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor, who had surprisingly gone unsold on the opening day, finally found a buyer as Delhi snapped him for his base price of Rs. 2 crore.

However, stalwarts like former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene, West Indian allrounder Marlon Samuels, Australian allrounders Cameron White and David Hussey and New Zealand batsman Martin Guptill were once again snubbed by the franchises despite being requested back into the auction pool after being unsold on February 12. The other big winners were Rajat Bhatia (Rs 1.70 crore, Rajasthan Royals), Manish Pandey (Rs 1.70 crore Kolkata Knight Riders), Aditya Tare (Rs 1.60 crore, Mumbai Indians), K L Rahul (Rs 1 crore, Sunrisers Hyderabad), Ishwar Pandey (Rs 1.50 crore, Chennai Super Kings), Gurkeerat Singh (Rs 1.30 crore, Kings XI Punjab), Dhawal Kulkarni (Rs 1.10 crore, Rajasthan Royals and Parveez Rasool (Rs 95 lakh, Sunrisers Hyderabad). Also getting decent deals were allrounders Jalaj Saxena (90 lakh, Mumbai Indians) and Akshar Patel (Rs 70 lakh, Punjab), left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (Rs 85 lakh, Hyderabad) and batsman Karun Nair (Rs 75 lakh, Rajasthan Royals).

Allrounder Rasool, meanwhile, scored 594 runs from seven matches at an average of 54 including two centuries in the last Ranji season. He also took 33 wickets at an average of 18 with three five-wicket hauls. The 25-year-old had become the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to be a part of the IPL when he bagged a contract with the now-discarded Pune Warriors last season. Promising pacer Jasprit Bumrah was bought by his previous team Mumbai for Rs 1.20 crore. The 20-year-old has played 11 Twenty20 matches, taking 13 wickets. Allrounder Mandeep Singh, former vicecaptain of the Indian Under-19 team, was grabbed for Rs 80 lakh by Punjab through the ‘Right to Match’ provision. The 22-yearold had been a part of the franchise earlier as well.

Among the foreigners, most of whom went unsold, it was South African pacer Beuran Hendricks, who triggered a bidding competition among the franchises. In the pool at a base price of Rs 30 lakh, Hendricks was bought for Rs 1.80 crore by Punjab. The 23-year-old was the fifthhighest wicket-taker in the South African first-class cricket last season when he grabbed 35 scalps for Cape Cobras at a brilliant average of 17.74. After the uncapped players, the ones who were unsold on Wednesday got another chance at finding a buyer when the franchises gave their preferred names to be called back into the auction pool.

In the first round of re-bidding, 41 batsmen, 37 bowlers and 24 allrounders went under the hammer. But surprisingly, very few of them found any takers. One such lucky player was promising Australian batsman Chris Lynn, who came in with a base price of Rs 50 lakh. He was snared by Kolkata Knight Riders for a rather handsome purse of Rs 1.30 crore. Another Australian to find a good deal was pacer Patrick Cummins (base price Rs 1 crore).

Cummins was bought by KKR for the base price in the final round of re-bidding. Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha, who had also gone unsold yesterday, was more lucky today with Hyderabad buying him at his base price of Rs 50 lakh. Some of the other Indian uncapped players such as Apoorv Vijay Wankhede (Rs 10 lakh, Mumbai Indians), Ricky Bhui (Rs 10 lakh, SRH), Tanmay Mishra (Rs 10 lakh, RCB), and Milind Kumar (Rs 10 lakh, DD) found buyers in the second round.

THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLAYERS

Yuvraj Singh Rs14 crore to RCB
Some may say he’s gone for a lot of money, but Vijay Mallya seems happy about the inclusion of another marquee T20 player who will add to the talents of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, Ravi Rampaul and AB de Villiers. The World Cup and World T20 winner with India will add more allround ability to the team — however, the price tag will be a burden.

Dinesh Karthik Rs 12.5 crore to Delhi
Proven customer in the tournament and a match-winner as he showed last season. It was slightly surprising that Mumbai Indians didn’t retain him and Mitchell Johnson or used their Right to Match card — but Karthik’s not losing out on anything — not money at least. With 1741 runs in 92 IPL games, he may be worth it too.

Kevin Pietersen Rs 9 crores to Delhi
KP is cricket’s latest mercenary and he doesn’t have to care about the international calendar anymore. His presence in the batting lineup is unsettling enough for bowlers — but now they’ll have to contend with a fit and available Pietersen for the whole season.

Mitchell Johnson Rs 6.5 crore to Kings XI Punjab
Mitchell Johnson is fast, fearsome and in insane form. Enough said.

Glenn Maxwell Rs 6 crore to Kings XI Punjab
He went for a million dollars last time out too and his poor showing didn’t deter Kings XI from coughing up the cash. He’s out to prove a point and justify the dollars doled out — so probably worth it. And yes, he can do everything — the perfect T20 player.

Jacques Kallis Rs 5.5 crore to KKR
He’s 38 but that didn’t stop KKR from knighting him again. He has a whopping 2276 runs in 90 IPL matches and a strike-rate above 100. Add to that 61 wickets. 5.5 crores? Oh yes, ka-ching!

David Warner Rs 5.5 crore to Sunrisers Hyderabad
Last year’s surprise package have added loose-cannon Warner to their side. They’ll be happy to see that side of him on the pitch though, rather than off it. When he’s in the mood, he can devour the opposition bowlers. Also, he had a cracking IPL 6 – scorign 410 runs in 16 matches. His strike-rate was 126.93.

Robin Uthappa (KKR), Murali Vijay (DD), Michael Hussey (MI) and Mitchell Starc (RCB) Rs 5 crore
Uthappa’s value has come down a bit but he’s still handy with that bat and a reliable customer. Vijay’s permanent place in the Indian team guarantees quality and we’ll go with the cliche for Huseey. As for Starc, a good fast bowler will always cost good money.