2019 IPL Auction: 5 Deals that Shocked the World

The 2019 IPL Auction got underway in the Pink City on Tuesday afternoon. More than 350 players had put their names in the auction hat with the expectation of getting bought by any of the eight franchises.

With the 2019 edition of the auction coming a year after the ‘mega auction’, most teams were rather subdued and sprang into action only when their desired player’s name came out of the hat.

With approximately 70 slots to fill, the franchisees bought the majority of their players in the first half of the auction. Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Capitals arrived with the highest kitty and thoroughly enjoyed themselves at the auction.

The tag of being the highest paid player went to Jaydev Unadkat and Varun Chakravarthy with the pair being sold for INR 8.4 Crore each.

However, there were several high-profile players like Yuvraj Singh and Brendon McCullum who failed to attract a bid in the first phase.

Like every year, there were several deals through the auction that caught everyone off guard. Through the lens of this article, we would take a look at those deals that shocked the world.

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Mohit Sharma (Bought by CSK for INR 5 Crore)

The speedster from Haryana was released by Kings XI Punjab after a sub-standard season in 2018. Yet, at the 2019 Auction, Chennai Super Kings splashed out INR 5 Crore for his services.

Mohit initially burst onto the scene as a promising youngster under the tutelage of MS Dhoni while playing for CSK. Capable of extracting movement with the new ball, the pacer developed enough variations to make him a tricky proposition to handle in the shortest format of the game.

However, for a couple of years, Mohit has looked out of sorts in the IPL with several batsmen finding joy batting against him. Moreover, his pace has dropped and he doesn’t look the threatening bowler that he once was.

CSK arrived at the auction with only a couple of spots to fill and INR 8.4 Crore in the bank. Thus, their decision to invest INR 5 Crore in a worn down fast bowler like Mohit raised eyebrows.

Mohit can still silence all his doubters by helping CSK retain their title but the amount of money CSK paid despite having better options makes his deal a certainty on our list.

Hence, he slots straight into our list.

#4 Jaydev Unadkat (Bought by Rajasthan Royals for INR 8.4 Crore)

Unadkat was sold for an enormous amount, again.

The left-arm fast bowler was again bought by Rajasthan Royals months after letting him go. Thus, getting him for a cheaper amount may seem like a masterstroke on Rajasthan’s part yet, there is evidence to suggest that they could’ve just overpaid for the pacer.

Despite being around the domestic circuit for a number of years, Unadkat has only had one good IPL season in 2017. The 2017 season was sandwiched between mediocre seasons.

Moreover, the pacer failed to inspire last season after the Royals paid an absolute fortune for him.

Additionally, another similar left-arm pacer like Sran going for only INR 3.4 Crore makes Royal’s purchase even more bewildering. The Royals are hardly the finished product and there are several areas where they need to improve. Yet, they spent a major chunk of their purse on a single bowler who hasn’t set the world ablaze on most occasions.

Hence, the deal left everyone shocked and while the Royals could yet be vindicated by the end of the season, it still represents one of the most puzzling deals of the auction.

No surprises then as he makes our list.

#3 Lasith Malinga (Bought by Mumbai Indians for INR 2 Crore)

Malinga will turn out for the Mumbai Indians in 2019

The Sri Lankan speedster was bought by the Mumbai Indians at his base price of INR 2 Crore. Having served as a mentor for them in 2018, he returns to their fold as a player this time.

Despite making a comeback to international cricket recently, it is not a hidden fact that Malinga is not the same bowler he once was. Though he can produce a sublime spell every now and then, he is highly unreliable in terms of injuries.

With INR 2 Crore in the bank, Mumbai could’ve gone in for bowlers like Viljoen and Ferguson. However, they decided better of it.

Thus, the decision by Mumbai to bring him on board seems to lean towards sentimental reasons rather than cricketing reasons. The Sri Lankan has served Mumbai for years and the franchisee could just be wanting to give him a proper send-off.

Whatever the case maybe, the deal for Malinga left everyone surprised in the room and hence, it comes as no surprise that he makes our list.

#2 Prayas Ray Barman (Bought by RCB for INR 1.5 Crore)

Prayas captured everyone's imagination with his brand of leg-spin

The 16-year-old leg spinner from Bengal made history as he became the youngest player to breach the INR 1 Crore mark at the auction. After impressing at the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season, RCB decided to take a gamble on the leg-spinning prodigy.

Prayas has played nine List A matches throughout his career and has bagged 11 wickets. Despite being only 16, he already has a four-wicket haul to his name in India’s domestic circuit.

After initially being looked upon as whipping boys, the leg-spinners have slowly become the most useful commodity for any team. RCB lacked a leg-spinner going into the auction and thus, went in for Prayas.

At only 16 years of age, the lad from Bengal would be thrust straight into the action when the IPL comes around. Thus, the RCB think tank would have to be careful in how they nurture the young prodigy.

In the long run, RCB could well look back on the INR 1.5 Crore spent as a bargain but as of now, the deal surely shocked everyone witnessing the auction.

Therefore, he makes our list.

#1 Prabh Simran Singh (Bought by Kings XI Punjab for INR 4.8 Crore)

Kings XI bought the keeper for INR 4.8 Crore

The aggressive bidding for the uncapped wicket-keeper left everyone stunned. Having played at the U-19 level for India, Prabh Simran has played only a handful of List A games and no T20 games.

The lad from Patiala made headlines in June of this year when he smashed a sensational 298 in the Punjab U-23 Inter-District Cricket Tournament. His knock was laced with 29 fours and 13 sixes.

Mere days before the knock, he had been ignored for the Indian U-19 team and he, like all good batsmen let the bat do the talking. The wicketkeeper, who terms Gilchrist as his inspiration, is also very safe behind the stumps and was a part of the NCA wicket-keeping camp under Kiran More.

Simran could well go on to achieve great things for Kings XI Punjab while also putting himself on the map for a national call-up. However, Kings XI going all out for an unknown entity and spending close to INR 5 Crore certainly ruffled many a feather in the auction room.

Thus, he makes our list.