Glenn Maxwell hits million-dollar jackpot at IPL 6 auction

CHENNAI: Rising Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell stole the thunder from his illustrious compatriots, fetching a whopping one million dollars (Rs 5.3 crore), while Abhishek Nayar and RP Singh also invited unexpectedly high bids in the players’ auction for the sixth edition of the IPL on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Maxwell was bought by Mumbai Indians after fierce bidding war with new entrants Sunrisers Hyderabad in an otherwise low-key auction where 108 players went under the hammer.

“He is an upcoming youngster. He can bat, bowl and I think he is a great fielder. We had thought of some names before we came here and he was one of them,” said Mumbai owner Nita Ambani on the logic behind making such a high bid for the youngster who is just eight ODIs and nine T20s old in the international arena.

Currently playing against the West Indies in an ODI series, Maxwell was ironically out for a first-ball duck in the second ODI in Perth -- while franchises bid for him in Chennai.

Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayar, who performed consistently in the domestic arena, went to Pune Warriors for $675,000 (Rs 3.5 crore), a huge improvement on his base price of $100,000.  Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera also fetched Rs 3.5 crore from Hyderabad Sunrisers, while Indian pacer RP Singh managed to get a good deal from Royal Challengers Bangalore, who bought him for $400,000 (Rs 2.1 crore).

It was a surprise given that his base price was $100,000 and he has not done anything significant to merit such a high price tag.

South African all-rounder Johan Botha was bought by Delhi Daredevils for $450,000 (Rs 2.3 crore).

Australian captain Michael Clarke and his predecessor Ricky Ponting, both of whom were marquee players, did not generate much interest among the franchises. The two were sold on their base price of $400,000 (Rs 2.1 crore).

Maxwell made his debut for Australia against Afghanistan in a one-day international in the United Arab Emirates in 2012.

West Indies captain Darren Sammy was purchased by Hyderabad Sunrisers for $425,000 (Rs 2.2 crore), while Australian James Faulkner also had a good day at the auction with Rajasthan Royals shelling out $400,000 (Rs 2.1 crore) for him.

The all-rounders drew interest from the franchises with most of them getting decent packages but it turned out to be quite a dampener for all the wicketkeepers in the list as they went unsold.

South Africans Vernan Philander and Herschelle Gibbs, West Indian Darren Bravo, England’s Ravi Bopara, Australians James Hopes, Matthew Wade and Tim Paine were the prominent names who did not invite a single bid.

The contracts offered at this year’s auction are for just this season as all the players will go under the hammer next year.

Among those who got good deals were Australia’s Moises Henriques (sold for $300,000 to Royal Challengers Bangalore), temperamental New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder($260,000 to Delhi Daredevils).

As the auction progressed, there were more surprises in store as the likes of Sri Lankan mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis and forgotten Australian pacer Dirk Nannes triggered bidding wars which fetched them much more than their base prices.

Mendis was bought by Pune Warriors for $725,000 (Rs 3.8 crore). The bowler, who is no longer the formidable force that he was when he first broke into the scene, came to the auction with a modest base price of $50,000.

Nannes fetched a bid of $600,000 (Rs 3.1 crore) from the Chennai Super Kings, a massive hike from his base price of $200,00.

West Indies bowler Fidel Edwards was bought by Rajasthan Royals for $210,000 (Rs 1.1 crore), a good improvement from his base price of $100,000.

Indian pacer Sudeep Tyagi and Kiwi Nathan McCullum were roped in by Hyderabad Sunrisers at their respective base prices of $100,000.

The unsold list grew longer as the proceedings continued with Australian Doug Bollinger and Sri Lankan Rangana Herath joining the prominent names who failed to evoke the franchises’ interest.

The bizarre buying pattern at the auction continued with little-known Sri Lankan off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake going much beyond his base price of $50,000.

The prominent players who went unsold after the lunch break were New Zealand veterans Scott Styris and Jacob Oram, Australian pacer Clint McKay, Irish batsman Kevin O’Brien and Australian batsman Travis Birt.