"It was pretty outrageous"- Riley Meredith reacts after being signed by Punjab Kings
Uncapped Australian fast bowler Riley Meredith revealed he was in disbelief after being bought by the Punjab Kings for a whopping INR 8 crore at the IPL 2021 auction.
The 24-year-old went unsold in the previous auction after setting his base price at INR 40 lakhs. Unfazed, he set the same base price this time and was hopeful that a couple of teams would bid for him.
Speaking to India Today, Riley Meredith confessed he did not expect to be the subject of a full-blown bidding war between the Kings and the Delhi Capitals.
"It was pretty outrageous really, wasn't expecting too much going on. Was hopeful for a bid or two. It got a bit out of control, luckily enough a couple of teams doing a bit of bidding and it was pretty amazing to go that high,” Riley Meredith said.
Riley Meredith had an impressive 2021 BBL season for the Hobart Hurricanes, as he picked up 16 wickets from 13 games at a decent economy of 7.82.
Riley Meredith expected fast bowlers to be in demand at IPL 2021 Auction
Meredith revealed he expected the fast bowlers to dominate the IPL 2021 Auction. This is exactly what happened, as Chris Morris, Kyle Jamieson and Jhye Richardson were bought for INR 16.25 crore, INR 15 crore and INR 14 crore respectively.
With the Kings' most expensive acquisition, Richardson, in red-hot form, Meredith might be seen by the franchise as a backup option. However, the 24-year-old will be keen to make an impact whenever he gets the opportunity.
"There was a bit of talk before the auction about fast bowlers being in demand this year. It was a good time to not be allocated to a franchise. Bit of right place, right time. I'm sure it will be a learning curve and hoping to grab it with both hands,” Riley Meredith asserted.
It is safe to say that the Punjab Kings did justice to their large purse by making some smart signings at the IPL 2021 auction. Whether they have built a team that will finally end their long wait for an IPL title remains to be seen.