Before 2023 ended, the cricket scene was still as busy as ever, especially with the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. This was held on December 19, 2023, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
To some, it’s simply an event where the IPL franchises use their purses to sign new players. But for huge fans and people out there who enjoy betting on IPL, it’s a great preview of what the 2024 season might look like.
Let’s take a look at the key moments of the 2024 IPL auction that we know so far about the upcoming tournament.
IPL Auction Insights
At the 2024 IPL mini-auction, Gujarat Titans (GT) snared value picks like middle-order ace Shahrukh Khan for INR 7.4 crores and hard-hitting allrounder Spencer Johnson for INR 10 crores to fill key batting gaps.
GT’s smart investments provided quality backup for captain Hardik Pandya and the (David) Miller-Tewatia duo.
Meanwhile, five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) spent big on promising pacers Nuwan Thushara for INR 4.8 crores and Gerald Coetzee for INR 5 crores. They were also able to get GT’s former captain, Pandya, for INR 15 crore.
The duo’s raw pace could strengthen MI’s bowling abilities alongside ace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah as the franchise eyes fresh glory.
Seeking greater balance, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) secured capable allrounders Daryl Mitchell for INR 14 crores and a returning Shardul Thakur for INR 4 crores. CSK also boosted their hitting power recruiting New Zealand player, Rachin Ravindra for INR 1.8 crores.
Surprisingly, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) released players including Jaydev Unadkat and Daniel Sams. However, they invested INR 6.4 crores to acquire another all-round option – fiery pacer Shivam Mavi, besides taking a punt on the injury-prone Ashton Turner for INR 2.40 crore.
It’s worth noting that both CSK and GT invested in skiddy medium pacers – signing Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman (2 crores) and uncapped Indian talent Kartik Tyagi (60 lakhs) respectively to amplify bowling depth.
On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) mostly retained their solid lineup. They still have players like Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Mohammed Siraj, and last year’s most expensive player, Cam Green.
Captaincy Updates
No major leadership changes have been announced just yet by all 10 IPL franchises. RCB has confirmed Faf du Plessis will continue as skipper after an impressive debut season, quelling speculations over Kohli’s reinstatement.
MI has recently announced that Pandya will be the new captain of the team. He’ll be replacing Sharma after reports of him experiencing fatigue from leadership responsibilities not only on the IPL field but also in international cricket matches.
According to the head of the team, Mahela Jayawardene, it was a hard decision to replace Sharma this year.
Jayawardene said, “It was a tough decision. It was emotional, to be honest. It’s fair on the fans as well (to react). I think everyone is emotional, and we have to respect that as well. But, at the same time, as a franchise, you have to make those decisions.”
Since Pandya has already joined MI for 2024, GT will now be headed by Shubhman Gill. Meanwhile, KKR will be captained by Shreyas Iyer.
According to the director of GT, Vikram Solanki, “Shubman Gill will be leading a team that has an unparalleled combination of experience and youthful exuberance, which has been the hallmark of the Gujarat Titans.”
Here are the other team captains this year:
- Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni
- Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson
- Punjab Kings: Mayank Agrawal
- Sunrisers Hyderabad: Kane Williamson
- Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant/David Warner (in absence of Pant)
- Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul
Injury Reports
Concerns persist over Rohit Sharma’s fitness ever since he exited early from the Bangladesh ODIs in December with a broken thumb. Bumrah too continues rehabilitation post-return from a long-term back injury though MI remains optimistic about his participation.
However, it’s still worth noting that Pandya himself has dealt a major hurdle with a nagging ankle injury. Another player who might have issues regarding this is RCB’s Glenn Maxwell who was injured in a freak accident involving a golf cart last year.
Conclusion
The BCCI has slotted the 2024 IPL between March 29 to May 26, 2024. Where the matches will be held hasn’t been announced yet.
But we can expect that some of the matches will be held in venues including the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, and the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The 2024 edition of the IPL will be broadcast on Star Sports. You can also stream the matches live on Jio Cinema App.