Mitchell Starc took the cricketing world by storm with his whopping price tag at the IPL 2024 auction, currently taking place in Dubai.

Having played a key role in Australia’s World Cup 2023 triumph, the left-arm pacer was always going to be a big attraction at the auction.

After an intense bidding war, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) managed to secure his services for a hefty sum of INR 24.75 Crore, making him the most expensive buy in the history of IPL auctions.

Earlier, Australian skipper Pat Cummins fetched a huge pay packet of INR 20.50 crore from Sunrisers Hyderabad but an hour later Starc raised the bar when KKR made the humongous bid for him.

Following the historic deal, Starc expressed his excitement about joining KKR for the upcoming IPL season.

“Hey, KKR fans. I am thrilled to be joining the team for this year’s IPL and I can’t wait to get to the Eden Gardens to experience the home fans, the home crowd and the atmosphere. Look forward to seeing you then. Ami KKR,” said Starc in a video message posted by KKR on X.

Meanwhile, KKR CEO Venky Mysore has revealed the reason behind the team's record-breaking bid for Starc.

"Somebody told me just now before Starc's bid, they put up something like a historic bid. Very quickly history changed. IPL has changed and the salary cap has changed (laughs). Everyone comes with their own plans. This is my 14th auction - you know you win some and lose some. Starc was a proffered player from that skillset standpoint. We were not successful in some bids, so that favoured us. We were just happy to have him in our side," Mysore said.