At IPL 2023 mini-auction in Kochi on Friday, there were some uncapped cricketers who received enormous financial offers from various franchises in addition to overseas players who received fat paychecks.
Shivam Mavi became the most expensive uncapped Indian player on Friday when Gujarat Titans paid him INR 6 crores for his IPL and domestic experience. They also acquired Gujarat cricketer Urvil Patel for INR 20 lakh and wicketkeeper-batter K.S. Bharat for INR 1.2 crore from other parties.
Delhi Capitals noticed Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar’s consistency with Bengal and India ‘A’ and call-up for India’s ODI team against South Africa in October and acquired him for INR 5.5 crore.
Suresh Raina, a former cricketer for Chennai Super Kings and India, expressed his happiness at the IPL contracts received by many uncapped players and counselled them to use the money as an investment in their own personal development as players. “It is so good to see players coming from a small town and making it big in the Indian Premier League. That’s what the Indian Premier League is meant to do for Indians.”
“This is a springboard for them to grow personally and professionally. These players can go on and play for India, buy houses for their families, and spend the money on looking after their bodies, so much so that the teams don’t think of starting without them and are retained not just for the coming season but for a long period,” said Raina.
Vivrant Sharma, an all-rounder from Jammu and Kashmir who made his Ranji Trophy debut this year was gathering his strength on Friday following the team’s crushing defeat to Gujarat in Ahmedabad.
However, teams competed to sign him at the IPL auction and IPL champions in 2016 Sunrisers Hyderabad paid INR 2.6 crore to secure his services for the 2023 season. The franchise knew what they were going into as Sharma was a net bowler with them in the 2022 season and will join his fellow J&K teammates Umran Malik and Abdul Samad in the side.
Hyderabad also picked Himachal Pradesh left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar for INR 1.8 crores. Raina’s former India and Chennai Super Kings team-mate Robin Uthappa too agreed with the same. “They need to invest this money in themselves and keep getting better,” he added.