The IPL 2024 auction was held outside India for the first time ever. Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena was the venue for the event on December 19 and saw 333 players undergoing the hammer for 77 spots in IPL 2024 franchises.

Out of those, 72 players found takers, with all 10 teams splurging a jaw-dropping INR 230.45 crore. Mitchell Starc (INR 24.75 cr) and Pat Cummins (INR 20.50 cr) earned a combined sum of over INR 45 crore in the auction becoming the first players to break the barrier of INR 20 crores.

For the first time, the crowd was also present to witness the auction live in the arena and during one of the commercial breaks, someone in the rafters decided to give a message to MI owners Akash Ambani and Nita Ambani.

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In a fan video posted by MI on their X handle, the fan shouted: 'Rohit Sharma ko wapas lao' (Bring Rohit back as captain), to which Akash Ambani said: 'Chinta mat karo. Woh batting karega' (Don't worry, he will bat).

This was a reaction to MI’s decision to remove Rohit Sharma from captaincy and install Hardik Pandya as the new captain starting from IPL 2024 onwards. Rohit Sharma led MI to their first-ever trophy in IPL 2013 and then won four more titles with them, apart from Champions League T20 trophy wins.

On the other hand, Hardik Pandya won the IPL 2022 with Gujarat Titans and led the side to the final in IPL 2023 as well. He was traded in from GT by MI in a hefty movement ahead of the auction and one of the conditions made by Hardik reportedly was that he should be made captain.

MI fans have not liked the decision of Rohit Sharma being asked to leave MI captaincy for Hardik Pandya and showed their dissent on social media.