Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble made a bold claim ahead of the auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He believes that the Rs 20 crore mark will not be crossed because if that happens, there will be a disparity.
There is just one day left for the IPL 2024 auction. The excitement over the event has taken its toll on the fans and it is fair to say that it will be one of the exciting things to look out for. The Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai will host the auction on Tuesday (December 19).
The most exciting thing about the upcoming IPL 2024 auction is that no one knows who will acquire whom. This time, all attention will be on the event because some of the big players are ready to go under the hammer.
333 cricketers will be part of the auction and among them only 77 slots will be filled, which in itself represents the type of competition that will be on the programme. The franchise owners, along with the talent of all the teams, will be under great pressure.
With the likes of Mitchell Starc, Travis Head, Rachin Ravindra, Harry Brook and others set to take part, it won’t be a surprise if some of the records are under threat. All teams lack balance in some sense and would be eager to acquire the services of some important players.
Anil Kumble, however, believes that the IPL 2024 auction will not see much higher bids. He stressed that franchises should spend only a third of their budget on foreign players. Speaking on Jio Cinema, he stated:
“No, I don’t think it will cross the Rs 20 crore mark. This is where I feel that in a team of 25 players, where there are eight foreign players, the purse should also be one-third for the foreign players. I think that’s something that should happen eventually.
“Otherwise, we will see a lot of disparity in the auction. “I know foreign fans won’t be happy with what I’m saying, but I think it’s important that you consider it as a reference point.”
IPL 2024 auction: “You will see this disparity of 50%, 60% of the team”, Anil Kumble’s opinion on the auction
Anil Kumble, emphasizing his statement, added that franchisees must have separate wallets for foreign players, otherwise a disparity of 50% and 60% of the team will be seen. He added that teams must think about closing this gap. He elaborated:
“You have a separate money bag abroad; otherwise you’re going to see this 50%, 60% team disparity where you have options for only four players. With eight Indian players now part of the XI, that will help them, especially in these smaller auctions. There will be a challenge to close this gap and you will invariably turn to foreign players.”
214 Indian players will be in the IPL 2024 auction of 333 cricketers. 119 will be foreign players, including two from partner countries. There will be 116 international players on the roster along with 215 non-internationals, in addition to the two players from the associate nations.