3 moments from the IPL 2023 Auction that created a buzz

The much-hyped Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 auction concluded in Kochi on Friday, December 23. On the expected lines, there was plenty of action, quite a few bidding wars, and some confusion as well. In the end, though, most of the franchises walked away reasonably satisfied with what they had managed to achieve.

Out of the 405 players who had been shortlisted for the mini-auction, 80 players ended up being sold, with 29 of them being overseas cricketers. A combined amount of ₹167 crore was spent by the three franchises at the IPL 2023 auction.

England’s T20 World Cup-winning all-rounder Sam Curran created history by becoming the most expensive player in the Indian T20 league after being purchased by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for ₹18.50 crore.

It was a memorable auction for England players as Ben Stokes was bought by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for ₹16.25 crore, thus becoming the franchise’s most expensive signing in history. Young batter Harry Brook, who had a spectacular Test series in Pakistan, was sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for ₹13.25 crore.

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IPL Auction 2023: 3 moves that set off a debate

As with any IPL auction, there were diverse opinions over some of the moves made by the franchises.

In this feature, we analyze three moments from the IPL 2023 auction that created a buzz.

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#3 LSG going all out for Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran has a poor IPL record. Pic: BCCI

One of the most debatable moves of the IPL mini-auction on Friday was made by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). They had a purse of ₹23.35 crore remaining going into the auction. They spent a whopping ₹16 crore on former West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran.

The Windies keeper-batter is a great talent but hasn’t demonstrated it in the Indian Premier League as of yet. And it’s not like he hasn’t had his chances.

Pooran has already played 47 matches in the T20 league, but has only 912 runs at a poor average of 26.06. However, he has an impressive strike rate of 151.24. The southpaw had a disastrous IPL 2021 campaign for the Punjab Kings (PBKS), scoring only 85 runs in 12 games.

The 27-year-old had an excellent Abu Dhabi T10 campaign, which ended earlier this month. He smashed 345 runs for Deccan Gladiators and was named Player of the Tournament.

Still, not a lot of people weren't convinced by LSG’s purchase. West Indies legend Chris Gayle hilariously trolled his former teammate and joked, “Nikki P, the money that I lend you, can I get it back please.”

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#2 Who is Vivrant Sharma?

Young J&K cricketer Vivrant Sharma. Pic: Twitter

Every year during the auction, there are a few heartwarming stories of little-known Indian players bagging a big deal.

There was plenty of curiosity around Vivrant Sharma, who went into the IPL 2023 auction at a base price of ₹20 lakh and ended up being purchased by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for ₹2.6 crore. The obvious question on most Indian cricket fans’ mind was - who is Vivrant Sharma?

A 23-year-old all-rounder from Jammu and Kashmir, Vivrant scored 128 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 145.45 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 competition in October. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he smashed 395 runs in eight innings at an average of 56.42 and a strike rate of 94.72. He also claimed five wickets with his leg spin.

There is a touching story of sacrifice here. Vivrant’s elder brother Vikrant also wanted to become a cricketer but gave up the ambition to manage the family's chemical business following the death of their father in 2020.

After bagging an impressive IPL deal with SRH, Vivrant told ESPNcricinfo:

"My cricket would have come to a halt but Vikrant ensured that it continued non-stop as he took over the family business and started living his dreams through me. It's all because of my brother's sacrifice. I would not have been here otherwise. I was not good at studies, but Vikrant ensured I continued to focus on cricket and kept making progress.”

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#1 Mumbai's 'Go Green' mission

Australian all-rounder Cameron Green. Pic: Getty Images

After his batting exploits during the white-ball tour of India earlier this year, Australian all-rounder Cameron Green was expected to be among the big buys at the IPL 2023 auction.

It wasn’t surprising that he was in great demand after his name was announced at the auction. However, Mumbai Indians’ (MI) decision to literally break the bank for him did lead to some bewilderment.

The five-time champions went into the auction with a purse of ₹Rs 20.55 crore. Out of it, they spent ₹17.50 crore to purchase Green! While there were mixed reactions from MI fans, former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer expressed surprise at the Aussie being sold for a bigger price than Stokes.

Jaffer opined on Twitter:

“Must say I’m surprised that Cam Green has gone for more than Ben Stokes. Purely because Ben Stokes is already the player one expects Cam Green to be later in his career. Plus Stokes offers leadership option as well. #IPLAuction.”

The man himself was pinching himself in disbelief. Reacting to the mega deal, Green was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia (CA):

“I’m pinching myself that this has all happened. It’s such a weird feeling watching an auction for yourself. I can’t believe how nervous I was and I was shaking like anything when the final call was confirmed."

Whether MI’s massive risk at the IPL 2023 auction pays off, only time will tell.

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