IPL Auction: Yuvraj, Karthik go for record price

Bangalore, Feb 12 (IANS) India’s flamboyant all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for a staggering Rs.14 crore while Dinesh Karthik was bought by Delhi Daredevils for a whopping Rs.12.5 crore in the players’ auction for the seventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here Wednesday.

Yuvraj and Karthik fetched the highest price among the 16 marquee players, who were up for grabs in the first session of auction.

Besides Karthik, Daredevils, who didn’t retain any player, bought back maverick former England captain Kevin Pietersen for Rs.9 crore and India’s Test opener Murali Vijay for a handsome Rs.5 crore. Vijay, who was earlier with Chennai Super Kings, was the first cricketer to go under the hammer.

The second cricketer up for auction was Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene, who was the only one among the marquee players to go unsold.

Pietsersen was first sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs.9 crore but Daredevils used the Right to Match (RTM) card to buy him back.

Royal Challengers almost got Yuvraj for Rs.4 crore cheaper but auctioneer Richard Madley had to open the bidding again after he missed Knight Riders bid. What followed next was a close battle between Royal Challangers and Knight Riders and finally the Bangalore franchise sealed the deal.

Australia’s Ashes hero Mitchell Johnson was sold to Kings XI Punjab for Rs.6.50 crore while his compatriot David Warner went to Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs.5.5 crore.

India discard Virender Sehwag went to Kings XI Punjab for Rs.3.2 crore while Kolkata Knight Riders used their RTM card to buy back South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis for Rs.5.5 crore that was made by Chennai Super Kings.

In the next set of marquee players, Australia’s T20 captain George Bailey went to Kings XI for Rs.3.25 crore while Sunrisers used their RTM card to buy back West Indies Test and T20 captain Darren Sammy from Daredevils for Rs.3.5 crore.

Super Kings also used their only RTM card to buy back South African Faf du Plesis from Daredevils for Rs.4.75 crore.

Daredevils bagged Karthik for Rs.12.5 crore after a competitive bidding with Sunrisers and Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum went to Super Kings for Rs.3.25 crore.

Mumbai Indians bought Mike Hussey (Rs.5 crores) and Zaheer Khan (Rs.2.6 crore) while Sunrisers used the RTM card to buy back Amit Mishra (Rs.4.75 crore) from Daredevils.