Big money moves at IPL auctions where franchise owners splash the cash to bag the best players for the season. But do they prove to be the moolah?s worth? We look at the top five buys from each of the past three editions to find out
Amid the raging controversies of match-fixing and betting miring the seventh edition of the popular Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, an extravagant players? auction held earlier in the week drew the best of the cricketing world, not to forget a whole lot of money. While flamboyant Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh bagged the highest bid of R14 crore from Vijay Mallya-owned Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Tamil Nadu wicket-keeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik came a close and surprise second at R12.5 crore, bought by Delhi Daredevils, which had decided not to retain a single player before the auction. Controversial batsman Kevin Pietersen, whose England career had come to an abrupt end after a disastrous Ashes campaign recently, fetched R9 crore, bought by Delhi Daredevils, the franchise he played for in the last season.
Just before the start of the star-studded auction, where Bollywood actors and business tycoons were present, IPL chairman Ranjib Biswal had said, ?It?s a grand affair and in every edition, IPL has grown bigger. The seventh edition would be no exception; it will be grander and more entertaining for the fans and franchises.?
However, as the saying goes, ?behind every successful story, there is a story?, IPL, too, has had its share of unpleasant moments. Since the inception of the popular T20 tournament seven years ago, the league has been mired in controversies, one after another.
Be it the suspension and consequent life ban of former IPL chairman Lalit Modi for
?alleged acts of individual misdemeanours?, the termination of the Kochi franchise in
2011 for breaching BCCI?s terms of agreement, the spot-fixing saga involving S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila, or the latest alleged role of BCCI president Srinivasan?s son-in-law and CSK team official Gurunath Meiyappan, IPL has traversed a long and difficult road so far.
Having said that, these issues could never impact the amount of money that went into the making of the big, fat cricketing jamboree that IPL has become today. From R4.8 crore going to the winning team in 2008, to R10 crore for the winning team in the last edition, the tournament has come a long way.
A similar story goes for the auctions with teams shelling out crores every year to bag the top players for the season. The question, however, is?do franchises make the right purchases? On the other side of the spectrum, do players provide value for the money spent?
We take a look at the top five buys in the last three editions of the IPL, and find out whether they were able to live up to the expectations of their respective franchises, at least when it comes to the hefty amounts spent on them.
IPL 2013
Ajantha Mendis
Team: Pune Warriors
Matches: 3
Wickets: 2
Ajantha Mendis suffered the embarrassment of being unsold in the 2012 IPL auction. It was a different story in 2013, with the Pune Warriors snapping him up for a handsome amount. However, he could not prove his worth, taking only two wickets in three matches.
Team: Mumbai Indians
Matches: 5
Runs: 83
Though Maxwell was the highest-sold player in 2013, he could not live up to the expectations of the team. With an average of 20.73 in five matches, he was plain mediocre. Luck is on his side this year, though, with Kings XI Punjab bagging him for a whopping Rs 6 crore.
Kane Richardson
Team: Pune Warriors
Matches: 3
Runs: 34
Though the right-handed batsman from Australia was one of the highest-sold players in IPL 2013, he just scored 34 runs in three matches with a meagre average of 17.
Abhishek Nayar
Team: Pune Warriors
Bought for: $6,75,000
Matches: 11
Runs: 66
With an average of 11 in 11 matches, Nayar was not up to the mark with his performance in 2013 IPL. With just 66 runs in all, he proved to be a mediocre purchase for Pune Warriors.
Thisara Perera
Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
Bought for: $6,75,000
Matches: 16
Runs: 233
Wickets: 19
With 233 runs and 19 wickets in 16 matches, the Sri Lankan all-rounder was a good buy for his team. He was among the top 10 bowlers and top 20 highest run-getters in IPL 2013.
IPL 2012
Ravindra Jadeja
Team: Chennai Super Kings
Matches: 19
Runs: 191
Wickets: 12
With his wicket-taking and big-hitting ability, Jadeja had the credibility to become the most expensive player in IPL 2012. Though he could not score more runs, his contribution to the team in the final overs was massive.
R Vinay Kumar
Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Matches: 15
Wickets: 19
With an average of 25.26, Kumar was one of the best bowlers RCB had. Apart from taking wickets at regular intervals, he did well in the final overs with his bowling attack.
Mahela Jayawardene
Team: Delhi Daredevils
Matches: 16
Runs: 335
With an average of 27.91 runs in 16 matches, the Sri Lankan opener was the second-highest run-getter from Delhi Daredevils. However, it did not prove enough for the team.
Brendon McCullum
Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
Bought for: $9,00,000
Matches: 12
Runs: 289
With an average of 24.08 in 12 matches, the New Zealand captain was not in his best of forms that season. He just scored one half-century.
Sunil Narine
Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
Bought for: $7,00,000
Matches: 15
Wickets: 24
With 24 wickets in 15 matches, at an average of 13.5, the west Indian off-spinner was one of the most acclaimed players of 2012 IPL. He was also the second-highest wicket-taker of the season.
IPL 2011
Gautam Gambhir
Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
Matches: 15
Runs: 378
The left-handed opening batsman, who plays domestic cricket for Delhi and captains Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, was the most expensive player in IPL 2011. Though Gauti scored well, with an average of 34.36 in 15 matches, it was not considered enough for the team.
Robin Uthappa
Team: Pune Warriors
Matches: 14
Runs: 264
Though Pune Warriors could not make a mark in the IPL that year, the right-handed batsman from Karnataka was the highestrun-getter for the team. He often gave the team the much-needed start early in the innings.
Yusuf Pathan
Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
Matches: 15
Runs: 283
Wickets: 13With an average of 28.3 in 15 matches and 13 wickets, the big hitter was a good buy for Kolkata Knight Riders. He was also one of the most valuable all-rounders during the season. Shortly after the IPL, he was picked in India?s squad for the World Cup.
Rohit Sharma
Team: Mumbai Indians
Bought for: $2 million
Matches: 16
Runs: 372
With an average of 33.81 runs in 16 matches, the middle-order batsman from Maharashtra was one of the most prolific batsmen from Mumbai Indians. He was the third-highest run-getter from the team, after Sachin Tendulkar and Ambati Rayudu.
Irfan Pathan
Team: Delhi Daredevils
Bought for: $1.9 million
Matches: 14
Runs: 150
Wickets: 11
The former left-hand medium pacer and left-hand batsman from Team India was one of the best all-rounders that season. He not only took wickets at regular intervals, but also scored big for Delhi.
VALUE FOR MONEY
If the huge amounts spent on some high-profile players went against their worth, there were a few purchases that exceeded expectations. Here are three such cases
Paul Valthaty
Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2011
Matches: 14
Runs: 463
Highest score: 120 not out
Average: 35.61
Strike rate: 136.98
Valthaty never looked the player he was in his teens?until IPL 2011. Little known until then, he outshone the likes of Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh by blazing away at the start of the innings. He even went on to score a century, which put
him in an elite league of players, who
have notched up three-figure scores
in the IPL.
Kevin Cooper
Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2012
Matches: 6
Wickets: 10
Runs: 38
Strike rate: 190
He did not expect to be here. Before
the IPL 2012 began, the 23-year-old
all-rounder from Trinidad & Tobago
was just hoping he would get a game
with Rajasthan Royals. But after picking up seven wickets from his first two matches, he was also the Purple Cap holder for a few days. He was sold at his base price of $50,000.
James Faulkner
Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2013
Matches: 16
Overs: 63.1
Wickets: 28
Average: 15.25
Best bowling: 5/16
The all-rounder from Australia was the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2013, behind Dwayne Bravo?s 32. But Faulkner took two of the three five-for?s in the tournament. His two five-for?s, both against Sunrisers Hyderabad?5 for 16 in Hyderabad, and 5 for 20 in Jaipur?are the two best bowling performances of the tournament.
