Mitchell Starc was bought by KKR in IPL 2024 auction for INR 24.75 crores.
KKR shockingly released their IPL 2024 winning captain Shreyas Iyer, along with Venkatesh Iyer and pacer Mitchell Starc.
KKR broke the bank in the IPL 2024 auction to get the services of Mitchell Starc, paying him INR 24.75 crores in the auction. This made Starc the most expensive player sold in any IPL auction ever.
Starc's comeback to the IPL 2024 after a nine-year absence that was motivated by a desire to prioritize his fitness for Australian team's international obligations.
Despite a less-than-stellar season last year, in which the Australian pacer took 17 wickets in 13 matches, Starc was instrumental in KKR's title victory, earning Man of the Match honors in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Speaking about his release by the KKR club, Starc admitted that such things happen in the franchise cricket world and that all Australian players, with the exception of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) combo of Pat Cummins and Travis Head, will be auctioned off at the forthcoming IPL 2025 mega auction.
Mitchell Starc was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph: “I still haven’t heard from them. It is what it is; that’s franchise cricket, so all barring the Hyderabad boys (Pat Cummins and Travis Head) will be in the auction.”
Times of India reported that Shreyas Iyer was considering a substantial retainer fee, but it would need the two sides to engage in timely conversations, which did not occur. KKR was always looking at Andre Russell (Rs 12 crore) and Sunil Narine (Rs 12 crore) as first choices.
Rinku Singh had the highest retention at Rs 13 crore, while uncapped players Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh were retained at Rs 4 crore apiece. Varun Chakaravarthy was the other capped player retained by KKR.
KKR CEO, in an interaction with the team's official website, maintained they "engaged in conversations" but the latest revelation by Starc and the Iyer episode suggests otherwise.
"First and foremost, I think our approach has always been to maintain transparency and have proper conversations with everyone. I've not only had conversations with the six we have retained, but I have also engaged in conversations with the ones we couldn't retain. Obviously I am aware of some of the narratives that have been going around. It’s sufficient to say that, we always engage in talks with everyone and most people understand our position," Mysore was quoted by KKR.in.
KKR will go into the IPL 2025 mega auction with INR 51 crores in their purse.