What happened the last time KKR signed Mitchell Starc in IPL 2018?

Australia's star left-arm speedster Mitchell Starc earned a massive payday at the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction on Tuesday, December 19. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) broke the bank to acquire Starc's services, shelling out a whopping ₹24.75 crore to win an intense bidding war.

With the record-breaking deal, Starc became the most expensive player in the history of the IPL. He leapfrogged Aussie teammate Pat Cummins, who earned a ₹20.50 crore contract from the SunRisers Hyderabad earlier in the day.

It is worth mentioning that Mitchell Starc has played just two IPL seasons so far. The Kolkata-based franchise invested big moolah to sign him at the auction ahead of the 2018 season, shelling a whopping ₹9.40 crore.

However, the left-arm pacer did not participate in the season due to an injury in the right leg. The Knight Riders later roped in English speedster Tom Curran as Starc's replacement.

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"Price becomes most immaterial after the hammer comes down" - KKR CEO Venky Mysore on spending ₹24.75 crore for Mitchell Starc

Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore expressed his delight over the signing of Mitchell Starc at the IPL 2024 mini-auction.

Explaining the reason behind going all-out for the Australian bowler, he said to the host broadcaster:

"Trying to catch my breath. Once the hammer comes down. I asked somebody what was the price because it doesn’t matter. At the end of the auction, all 10 teams are going to walk out spending their purse. We are delighted that we have the player we wanted. Price becomes most immaterial after the hammer comes down."

"We missed Starc in 2016 but injuries are part and parcel of an athlete’s career. We are delighted to have him back. He is more accomplished across formats, he will fit in very well for us," he added.

Mitchell Starc will make his much-awaited IPL return in 2024. He last featured in the competition in 2015, where he finished with 20 wickets from 13 outings for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).