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Alyssa Healy and Mitchell Starc (Source: Twitter)
The mini auction for the 17th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) made history with notable bids, including the acquisition of Australia's premier pacer Mitchell Starc by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Starc is poised to join the KKR camp for the 2024 IPL season, having been acquired by the franchise for a record-breaking INR 24.75 crore during the player auction held on Tuesday, December 19.
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Citing Starc's IPL acquisition, his wife Alyssa Healy who is presently in India with the Australian women's cricket team for a one-off Test against the Indian Women's team, asserted that it justifies his eight-year IPL break. She also emphasized that it the reward for his dedication and commitment in prioritizing the representation of his country over franchise cricket.
"Look, it is what it is. It is an amazing moment for Mitch. It is a great justification for the hard work he has put in and (for) probably some of the choices he has made over the last eight years to put his country first," Healy told the media as quoted by India Today.
Starc's most recent IPL appearance dates back to 2015 when he played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ranchi. Throughout the years, he has prioritized national team commitments. However, given a less demanding international schedule and the upcoming T20 World Cup, Starc has chosen to experience the highly watched franchise league in world cricket once again.
He is an X Factor: Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir who is currently serving as the mentor for KKR has provided a rationale for the significant acquisition of Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc in the IPL 2024 auction. The former India opener characterized Starc as possessing an X-factor, emphasizing his role as the leader of the team's bowling attack. Starc set a new IPL auction record as the highest-priced player, with KKR investing a substantial amount in his acquisition. He even surpassed his Test and ODI captain, Pat Cummins, who had been earlier bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for ₹20.50 crore.
"He (Starc) is an X-factor, there is no doubt about that. Someone who can bowl with the new ball, bowl in the death overs and more importantly, someone who can lead the attack. He is going to be of massive help to our two domestic bowlers because both of them are very talented and you need someone to help them out in the middle and Starc covers those bases. It is not only about his bowling but also about leading the attack and helping all guys around him. So, somebody will have to pay for it," Gambhir said speaking to JioCinema.