In the IPL, with a cap on the number of overseas players and the paucity of Indian options in certain roles — notably that of the seam-bowling all-rounder and the fast bowler — it is only natural that certain cricketers should ATTRACT BIGGER BIDS than others. The 2017 auction was not a major one in relative terms: squads had only 77 slots remaining and the eight franchises had a total of Rs. 148.33 crore to spend. Teams had gaps to plug and arrived with specific players in mind.
It was clear, at the end of the first IPL auction in 2008, that those responsible for the event were delighted with their idea. “It is amazing drama,” I. S. Bindra, then a member of the tournament’s governing council, gushed afterwards. “The market is determining the price. That’s how a free market economy should flow.”
This free-market economy, with prices dictated by demand and supply, had valued David Hussey, a man who had played only one game of international cricket, higher than Ricky Ponting, who at that stage had 34 Test and 25 ODI hundreds to his name. Manoj Tiwary, who had made his ODI debut for India a fortnight before the auction, earned a greater sum than Anil Kumble.
Such comparisons, though, are not entirely fair, and it mattered that Hussey, a powerful striker of the ball, was seen as more suited to T20 cricket than Ponting, and that Kumble was closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
IN 2008, IPL franchise-owners and coaching staff were still coming to grips with the format and its demands, but it was clear that reputations counted for little. Teams had their ideas of what constituted a successful T20 unit and this they pursued. Over time, a template has emerged of the various roles in T20 cricket: the unfettered opener, the all-rounder at No. 6 who can clobber a 15-ball-40, the specialist death-overs bowler who can send down cutters and yorkers, the spinner who is difficult to pick, and the genuine fast-bowler.
In the IPL, with a cap on the number of overseas players and the paucity of Indian options in certain roles — notably that of the seam-bowling all-rounder and the fast bowler — it is only natural that certain cricketers should attract bigger bids than others.
This story is from the March 11, 2017 edition of Sportstar.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 11, 2017 edition of Sportstar.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Tokyo Marathon Cancelled For Amateurs On Coronavirus Fears
Organisers in Japan cancelled the amateur portion of the Tokyo marathon, affecting around 38,000 runners, on fears about the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan.
Right Criteria To Pick The Tennis GOAT
What should the criteria be? What weight should be attached to each criterion? And what should not be considered as valid criteria?
The making of a batting behemoth
If Steve Smith dominated the Ashes in England in a dramatic, blockbuster fashion then his like for like a replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, is the Next Big Thing after an exciting summer of run-glut.
WHEN ACES WERE REWARDED...
It was an evening of nostalgia and celebration when the Sportstar Aces awards were given away in Mumbai.
A question of recognition
After a week of awards, one wonders if it’s only a departed player that one will be named after.
Thinking straight, thinking right!
“A lot depends on when I am bowling and what is required from me. That’s something I do when I play for India and I try to follow the same thing in the domestic circuit,” says Yuzvendra Chahal.
The Big Three and the Next Gen
Though the Big Three are very unlikely to retire during the same year, Judy Murray, mother of Andy, echoed the sentiments of many fans worried about the impact of their departures.
WAKING UP TO MENTAL HEALTH
Sport at large and cricket specifically has taken an inordinately long time to address the elephant in the room — the dark abyss of depression.
Like sunshine in a gloomy dressing room
Bangladesh quick Abu Jayed Rahi is new in the red-ball arena, but his swing brings back old memories — of James Anderson on green tops.
The league of the masses
With traditional clubs locking horns with the hard-working nurseries of the game, the I-League will continue to keep the beating heart of Indian football alive despite official apathy.
