The IPL mega-auction has been paused after the auctioneer running the event collapsed, falling off stage in terrifying scenes.
The IPL’s mega-auction has been left stunned after auctioneer Hugh Edmeades collapsed off the stage in terrifying scenes.
Millions of dollars had already been spent and one of the hottest bidding wars of the event was taking off as Sri Lankan Wanindu Hasaranga’s price creeped to 10.75 crore ($A2m).
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As the teams were discussing their next bids as the money crept higher and higher, a commotion happened off camera as Edmeades collapsed, with the camera seeing him sprawled on the ground as the podium appeared to fall over.
The coverage cut as the IPL auction went to a pause.
The cricket world, which was keeping an eye on the mouthwater money being handed out, was left stunned by the horrifying scenes.
Reports quickly emerged that he was alright after the fall.
While it was a heavy fall, he was reportedly just dizzy, however, he has been taken to hospital.
Aussie’s shock snub, skipper’s $2m pay cut
It’s been an Aussie firesale in the IPL auction as Pat Cummins and David Warner went for half price while Steve Smith went unsold.
Smith, who’s T20 abilities have been under question in recent years, has scored 2285 runs at an average of 34.51 and a strike rate of 128.09 but it wasn’t enough for any takers as the world’s fourth ranked Test batsman stayed on the table.
On the ICC rankings, Smith is ranked 95 in the world, a spot below Nepal’s Gyanendra Malla, but is the sixth ranked Australian batter behind Aaron Finch (6th), Mitchell Marsh (13th), Glenn Maxwell (26th), David Warner (31st) and Matthew Wade (70th).
However, there was still plenty of shock.
Cummins will take a nearly $2 million pay cut for the next Indian Premier League, selling for 7.25 crore or around $1.35m in Australian dollars.
While that’s not a bad pay cheque for the best part of two months work between April 2 and June 3, it’s a large haircut for the Aussie quick, who stunned the world in the 2020 IPL when he sold for a massive 15.5 crore or $A3.2 million.
Cummins will return to his club of the Kolkata Knight Riders and will be joined by Indian star Shreyas Iyer, who earned a 12.25 crore ($A2.29m) bid.
But with each team bringing
Despite the paycut, Cummins was quick to respond.
“Absolutely pumped to be back with Kolkata,” Cummins said via a video message.
“Thanks to Venki, Baz, SR, KJ, the whole team, just absolutrely pumped. Season can’t come around quick enough. Thanks for making me part of the Galaxy of Knights for the upcoming season. Can’t wait.”
David Warner, who was another marquee player, also took a pay cut, having had a $2.3m deal with the Sunrisers Hyderabad before he was unceremoniously dropped during the last IPL.
Having been deemed a marquee player for the IPL after being named player of the tournament at last year’s T20 World Cup, Warner still copped a bit of a pay cut for the next IPL.
Indian legend Harbhajan Singh said it was a “great pick at almost peanut price for a great player. Big Match Winner”.
Cummins and Warner were part of the first 10 players to go under the hammer as marquee players.
Other players including India’s Shikhar Dhawan (to Punjab Kings for $A1.53m), Mohammad Shami (Gujarat Titans, $A1.34m), Ravichandran Ashwin (Rajasthan Royals, $A927k) and Iyer, South Africa’s Faf du Plessis (Royal Challengers Bangalore, $A1.3), Kagiso Rabada (Punjab Kings, $A1.71m) and Quinton de Kock (Lucknow Super Giants, $1.25m), and New Zealand’s Trent Boult (Rajasthan Royals, $A1.48m)
The IPL mega auction comes as $100 million is on the table as the IPL expands from eight teams to 10 teams
Glenn Maxwell (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Marcus Stoinis (Lucknow Supergiants) are the only two players who started the day on a team with 47 more Aussies to be considered.
New franchises the Lucknow Super Giants and Ahmedabad Gujarat Titans joined established franchises Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
590 players from around the world will be considered for the auction including 370 Indian players and 220 from overseas.
Aussies in the auction
Pat Cummins – 7.25 crore ($1.34m) — Kolkata Knight Riders
David Warner – 6.25 crore ($1.15m) — Delhi Capitals
Unsold
Steve Smith
Still to be sold
200 lakh (approx. A$375,000) – Mitch Marsh, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ashton Agar
150 lakh (approx. A$280,000) – Aaron Finch, Chris Lynn, Usman Khawaja, Kane Richardson
100 lakh (approx. A$186,000) – Marnus Labuschagne, Daniel Sams, Andrew Tye, Moises Henriques, Riley Meredith, James Faulkner, D’Arcy Short, Josh Philippe
75 lakh (approx. A$140,000) – Nathan Ellis, Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott, Billy Stanlake, Ben Cutting
50 lakh (approx. A$93,000) – Ben McDermott, Kurtis Patterson, Wes Agar, Jack Wildermuth, Joel Paris, Hilton Cartwright
40 lakh (approx. A$75,000) – Tim David, Chris Green
30 lakh (approx. A$57,000) – Ben Dwarshuis, Matt Kelly
20 lakh (approx. A$38,000) – Hayden Kerr, Tanveer Sangha, Alex Ross, Jake Weatherald, Nathan McAndrew, Tom Rogers, Liam Guthrie, Liam Hatcher, Jason Sangha, Matt Short, Aidan Cahill