Bengaluru: Two Australian cricketers — white-ball specialist Mitchell Marsh and opener David Warner — could start a bidding war in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Mega Auction, which could lead to some unprecedented sums being pocketed by the two players over the weekend.
The logic behind several IPL franchises, including the two new inductees — Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants — to go for them is simple: Their performance in the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE last year.
Warner, despite his patchy form for SunRisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2021, was a different cricketer altogether for his country, playing a huge role in Australia winning its maiden ICC T20 World Cup title, along with team-mate Marsh.
A report in the australian.com.au said that several IPL franchises had “checked in with their contacts in Australia about Marsh — man-of-the-match in the (ICC T20) World Cup final (in UAE) and the title winning star for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash (League).”
On the other hand, Warner, who is a free agent after being let go of by SRH following his below-par showing in both the India and UAE legs of IPL 2021, along with Test skipper Pat Cummins, is only one of 10 marquee stars up for grabs in the auction.
History also suggests that when there is a bidding war for the Australians, it goes the distance. Ahead of the IPL 2020 auction, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) emptied their pocket to buy Cummins for a mind-boggling sum of Rs 15.5 crore, as the quick emerged the third highest money grosser from an IPL auction in the history of the tournament.
Only South African all-rounder Chris Morris (bought by Rajasthan Royals in 2021 for 16.25 crore) and India’s Yuvraj Singh (bought by DC for Rs 16 crore in the 2015 auction) have earned more the Cummins so far and chances are the bidding war between Marsh and Warner could reset auction records.
Australian interim coach and long-time IPL coach Andrew McDonald was quoted as saying in the report that franchises will get attracted to the stars they watched win the ICC T20 World Cup against all odds in November last year.
“That will stick in people’s minds around that team performing so well. Guys like Mitch Marsh, David Warner and Matthew Wade and Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. It will be fascinating to watch,” McDonald said Saturday.
“It’s great to see Australian players at times headlining the IPL’s big contracts, it’s a great opportunity for them and they deserve what they get… I’d like to think we’d have a fair contingent there and that it will be a reward for the team’s success from the World Cup.
“I see it as opportunity for our players. Generally speaking, our Australian players get a window to play (in the IPL) and it doesn’t clash with international cricket. The only thing you’ve got to be mindful of with players is there’s a hell of a lot of cricket coming up,” said McDonald.
“Management of players when they’re playing the IPL (is an issue) but It’s going to benefit our own backyard, including the BBL (Big Bash League). It’s a great environment. There’s different ideas flying around and different conversations. Players get different coaches, different teammates so I see it as a positive as long as it fits in with the overall (Australian schedule) which has always been the discussion around it,” said McDonald.
