Report card of all 10 teams after IPL 2024 mini-auction

New price records were set in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction that took place at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on December 19. All ten franchises splurged a combined total of INR 230.45 crore to sign as many as 72 players for the upcoming season. However, the two Australian stars Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins stole the show by earning Rs 24.75 crore and Rs 20.5 crore respectively.

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The auction witnessed several good buys and bad acquisitions. While several franchises were able to strike some good deals by acquiring the players they wanted at reasonable prices, others had to spend huge sums. In this article, we've assessed how each team fared in the auction and awarded points out of ten. 

Chennai Super Kings - 9/10

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The five-time champions have done well in the auction, re-strengthening the squad with all-rounders. The highlight was the return of Shardul Thakur and they got young sensation Rachin Ravindra at an affordable price. Acquiring the services of Daryl Mitchell and Sameer Rizvi was also a brilliant move. They have adequate backups and are probably the best side with quality all-rounders. 

Mumbai Indians - 8.5/10

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Hardik Pandya's comeback has already strengthened Mumbai Indians for the 2024 season. They entered the auction intending to bolster their bowling unit and they did it well by acquiring some of the best available in the market. MI got 2023 World Cup standouts Gerald Coetzee and Dilshan Madushanka in steal deals. However, not having a veteran leg-spinner along with Piyush Chawla might hurt them a bit.

Kolkata Knight Riders - 7/10

Kolkata Knight Riders grabbed attention by making Mitchell Starc the most expensive player in IPL history. While KKR's spin attack has never been a concern, their pace bowling has been shaky and this time it will depend on one player - Starc. However, overall, with Shreyas Iyer back as their captain, the two-time champions look in good shape.

Rajasthan Royals - 5/10

The only notable signing of Rajasthan Royals was West Indies power-hitter Rovman Powell. They acquired him for a huge sum to strengthen their middle order, which already have the presence of Shimron Hetmyer. The Sanju Samson-led team lacks quality all-rounders and dependable pacers alongside Trent Boult.

Sunrisers Hyderabad - 6/10

With acquiring some of the big names like Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Wannindu Hasaranga, Sunrisers Hyderabad was in the limelight at the auction. There is no doubt that SRH is loaded with top-class players but the concern is that most of them are foreign players. Head can be an ideal replacement for Harry Brook, but the lack of talented domestic players will surely hurt them. 

Royal Challengers Bangalore - 2/10

With a dangerous batting line-up already on the roster, RCB went for the auction to strengthen their bowling department. They released Josh Hazelwood, Wannindu Hasaranga and Harshal Patel ahead of the auction. However, they failed to make impressive signings and instead spent heavily on Alzarri Joseph. 

Delhi Capitals - 5/10

Delhi Capitals managed to acquire some good players but still have concerns about their team balance. They got Harry Brook and Jhye Richardson for a reasonable price. With the potential return of Rishabh Pant, DC will be stronger than last year.

Punjab Kings - 3/10

Unlike previous editions, Punjab Kings did not engage in a bidding war. They spent over 11 crores for Harshal Patel and bought Chris Woakes and Rilee Rossouw. However, it is not certain whether these signings have solved their problems.

Gujarat Titans - 8/10

After Hardik Pandya's blockbuster trade, Gujarat Titans entered the auction with a huge amount. They made some good buys in Azmatullah Omarzai, Kartik Tyagi, Spencer Johnson and Shahrukh Khan. Their new captain Shubman Gill will get ample support from veteran Kane Williamson, who was ruled out in the last season due to injury. 

Lucknow Super Giants - 5/10

LSG had the least purse and their biggest signing was Shivam Mavi at 6.4 crore. They have talented players in the squad and have managed to enter the playoffs in the last two seasons.