Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes veteran Australian pacer Mitchell Starc will have to do an awful lot to justify his price tag in the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Shattering Pat Cummins’ record set by the Australian skipper in the 2024 auction, pace ace Starc received a bumper bid from two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the next season of the cash-rich league.
World Cup 2023 winner Starc was roped in by Shah Rukh Khan co-owned KKR franchise for a whopping sum of NR 24.75 crore at the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai. The Starc deal surpassed Cummins’ eye-watering bid of INR 20.50 crore at the IPL 2024. While KKR signed Starc by placing a record bid, Cummins was acquired by former champions Sunrisers Hyderabad at the same auction last year.
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I don’t think anybody is worth that kind of money: Gavaskar
Speaking to Star Sports about KKR’s ultra-expensive signing, Gavaskar opined that no player is worth Starc’s price tag in the IPL. “Over the top, to be absolutely frank. I don’t think anybody is worth that kind of money. If Starc can make an impact and win maybe four out of the 14 matches that he plays, then you can say money’s worth. Then if he makes contributions in the other games – absolutely fantastic,” Gavaskar said.
‘He has got to bowl match-winning spells’
Starc will make his return to the IPL next season. Before KKR opted to break the bank, the Australian pacer last featured in an IPL auction in 2018. He was sold for INR 9.4 crore. However, the pacer didn’t play in the IPL at the time. Starc last played an IPL match in 2015. “He has got to bowl match-winning spells in at least four out of the 14 matches, and maybe the crucial matches against the Mumbai Indians, the Chennai Super Kings and RCB, because these three have top-class batting lineups. Bowl those teams out and you could even then say – money’s worth,” Gavaskar added.
