Bangalore, Feb 12: India’s flamboyant all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for a staggering Rs.14 crore whereas Dinesh Karthik was bought by Delhi Daredevils for a humongous Rs.12.5 crore within the players’ auction for the seventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here Wed.
Yuvraj and Karthik fetched the best price among the 16 marquee players, who were up for grabs within the first session of auction.
Besides Karthik, Daredevils, who did not retain any player, bought back maverick former England captain Kevin Pietersen for Rs.9 crore and India’s test opener Murali Vijay for a handsome Rs.5 crore. Vijay, who was earlier with Chennai Super Kings, was the primary cricketer to travel below the hammer.
The second jock up for auction was Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene, who was the only one among the marquee players to travel unsold.
Pietsersen was initial sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs.9 crore but Daredevils used the correct to Match (RTM) card to buy him back.
Royal Challengers nearly got Yuvraj for Rs.4 crore cheaper however auctioneer Richard Madley had to open the bidding once more once he missed Knight Riders bid. What followed next was a detailed battle between Royal Challangers and Knight Riders and finally the Bangalore franchise sealed the deal.
Australia’s Ashes hero Mitchell Johnson was sold-out to Kings XI Punjab for Rs.6.50 crore whereas his subject David Warner visited Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs.5.5 crore.
India discard Virender Sehwag visited Kings XI Punjab for Rs.3.2 crore whereas Kolkata Knight Riders used their RTM card to shop for back South African all arounder Jacques Kallis for Rs.5.5 crore that was created by Chennai Super Kings.
In the next set of marquee players, Australia’s T20 captain George Bailey visited Kings XI for Rs.3.25 crore whereas Sunrisers used their RTM card to buy back West Indies test and T20 captain Darren Sammy from Daredevils for Rs.3.5 crore.
Super Kings also used their only RTM card to buy back South African Faf du Plesis from Daredevils for Rs.4.75 crore.
Daredevils bagged Karthik for Rs.12.5 crore once a competitive bidding with Sunrisers and Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum visited Super Kings for Rs.3.25 crore.
Mumbai Indians bought mike Hussey (Rs.5 crore) and Zaheer Khan (Rs.2.6 crore) whereas Sunrisers used the RTM card to buy back Amit Mishra (Rs.4.75 crore) from Daredevils.
