Jan. 8: If the IPL is the shortest format of the game, it has also become the shortest route to becoming millionaires. And that too overnight!
On the first day of the two-day auction in the city, 15 cricketers, already rich playing the game, turned millionaires as franchisees spent mind-boggling amounts to pick up the players. If Gautam Gambhir topped the list with $2.4m followed by Yusuf Pathan and Robin Uthappa at $2.1m each, Saurabh Tiwary was a surprising entry into the elite list picking up a cool $1.6m for his ability to whack the living daylights of the cherry.
There was a distinct tilt towards batsmen and all-rounders as 12 of the lot moved into the million-zone as opposed to just three bowlers. Dale Steyn, understandably was the pick of the bowlers, netting $1.2m as the Deccan Chargers fortified their bowling arsenal. The million-mark was breached with stunning regularity as the owners used up their money to garner the top players.
A surprising fall from the category was England’s Kevin Pietersen, who, having commanded the joint highest price of $1.5m in the previous auction, went for a relatively lower $650,000 to the Chargers but that probably owed itself to the fact that Pietersen may not be available for the entire duration of the IPL.
Irfan Pathan, who was picked up by Kings XI for $925,000 in the first auction in 2008, added that and a million dollars more to his account with Delhi Daredevils snaring him for a big price.
P.V. Vanchi, director of GMR Sports, shot down suggestions that they had gone overboard in paying the younger Pathan a huge amount.
“It is subjective. Irfan brings two sets of skills with him, batting and bowling and we think he is a match-winner,” said Vanchi.
Doubts, if any were cleared by Preity Zinta, who was involved in a furious war of bidding for Irfan. “(Don’t think), he’s definitely a match-winner and a great guy. Having him around the team for three years, we know,” said Preity, slowly digesting the fact that Irfan won’t be in her team any longer.
“The consolation is that he is in a North side,” said the actor. True, Irfan remains in the North and a millionaire at that!