IPL Auction 2017: 5 Foreign players who caused a bidding war

Trent Boult (Base Price – INR 1.5 crore)

KKR knew that they need a quality international fast bowler, having released four foreign pacers and with Andre Russell’s one-year ban and that is why they went all out for New Zealand pacer Trent Boult. Even though they had to pay INR 5 crore to secure his signature and ward off an intense bidding war against Mumbai Indians.

After not even bothering to submit a bid for Kagiso Rabada, when Trent Boult’s name came out, their eyes lit up. Before too long, they were engaged in a furious bidding war with MI, who surprisingly, despite having Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah as death bowlers, wanted Boult.

Whether they wanted to complete a trifecta of Kiwi fast bowlers by signing him or whether they just wanted to raise the praise, MI seemed insistent on buying Boult and that made for an intense bidding war. Eventually, when the price reached 5 crore, they pulled out and that meant KKR had the pace spearhead they were looking for.