Picking the best signing of each team at IPL 2024 Auction ft. Gerald Coetzee
Yet another edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction saw it shattering a ton of records. The 2024 edition witnessed the most expensive acquisition in the competition's history as well as several uncapped players going for record sums of money.
While every team did not walk out with their ideal choice of players, they have more or less covered all their bases ahead of the 2024 season. There were some surprising acquisitions while a few names being unsold came across as a shock as well.
On that note, let us take a look at the best signing of each team at the IPL 2024 Auction.
#1 Chennai Super Kings - Rachin Ravindra
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were touted as one of the franchises that will be in the hunt for all-rounder Rachin Ravindra. The New Zealand connection was only one of the few reasons that the defending champions entered the bidding war.
Although Ravindra has not featured much in T20s, he has shown his ability in white-ball cricket through a stellar ODI World Cup campaign for New Zealand recently. He may find it difficult to get into the playing XI at first, but looking at the big picture, the long run, and the price tag, it is the best signing that CSK made at the auction.
The other picks made by the franchise at the auction were also commendable, but considering the meagre price CSK paid compared to the projected cost, makes it a rare and prolific deal.
#2 Gujarat Titans - Shahrukh Khan
Gujarat Titans (GT) had a major task on their hands following Hardik Pandya's departure, leading them to have the highest purse in the entire auction. However, they could not execute their plans and bizarrely ended up with a hefty amount left in their purse after filling all their slots.
One of their priorities was to sort the lower-middle order, and they have made an excellent acquisition in Shahrukh Khan. While his stint with the Punjab Kings (PBKS) was far from perfect, he has shown an innate ability to score big at will, and that is a handy trait to have.
With GT's principle of trusting players and backing them, Shahrukh arguably could not have come to a better place. The franchise also made other solid picks like Spencer Johnson, Azmatuallh Omarzai, Kartik Tyagi, and Umesh Yadav among others, but considering the price, the importance of the role, and the scarcity of credible options, Shahrukh proves to be the best signing for GT, although not by a very long shot.
#3 Mumbai Indians - Gerald Coetzee
Mumbai Indians (MI) conducted a very shrewd piece of business by bagging Gerald Coetzee for just ₹5 crore. The franchise went overboard on overseas pacers following Jofra Archer and Cameron Green's departure and made successful bids for the likes of Dilshan Madushanka and Nuwan Thushara.
While the Sri Lanka pair come across as good signings, the Proteas pacer comes across as the pick of the lot for MI. Coetzee is arguably built to bowl at the Wankhede surface and can be part of the setup for a long time should things go well. MI have a tryst with overseas pacers, and Coetzee could join the list with a solid season.
The five-time champions also picked up solid backup players in the form of Shreyas Gopal and Mohammad Nabi along with some uncapped players, but none come close to beating Coetzee's quality as well as his price tag.
#4 Lucknow Super Giants - M. Siddharth
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) only had to polish off a few rough edges at the auction, and it was no surprise that they did not go for any high-profile players.
Their biggest acquisition came in the form of Shivam Mavi, but his price tag of ₹6.40 crore can be argued.
As a result, left-arm spinner M. Siddharth, who has been with the Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad, comes across as a solid pick.
The spinner will complement the likes of Ravi Bishnoi and Krunal Pandya on the slow Lucknow track and can prove to be a valuable addition to the LSG team.
#5 Rajasthan Royals - Shubham Dubey
Much like LSG, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) only had to fill limited slots in their squad. They spent the bulk of their budget on Rovman Powell, but their best signing, although a tad over-priced, comes in the form of Shubham Dubey.
Dubey comes in with a reputation for being a hard-hitting batter. RR were desperate to add some firepower in their lower-middle order which shows their aggressive pursuit of Rovman Powell and Dubey, with the latter roped in for ₹5.8 crore.
Furthermore, RR's acquisition of Abid Mushtaq for his base price of ₹20 lakh also comes across as an excellent deal. However, only time will tell how the uncapped players fare, and a lot of it depends on opportunities given by the franchise for the season.
#6 Royal Challengers Bangalore - Lockie Ferguson
In all fairness, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had an auction to forget. The resulting squad is far from what new coach Andy Flower or skipper Faf du Plessis desired, but they will have to make do with it.
From the puzzling bids for Pat Cummins to the all-out pursuit of Alzarri Joseph, it is hard to defend RCB's performance at the IPL 2024 mini-auction.
While there is no clear 'best signing' for RCB at the auction, Lockie Ferguson comes the closest, by picking the lesser of all evils. The New Zealand pacer was roped in for his base price of 2 crore and could potentially enjoy bowling at the Chinnaswamy pitch that has a bit of pace and bounce.
His only outing at the venue is far from ideal, but he could grow into the venue and turn out to be a valuable and underrated buy for the franchise.
#7 Kolkata Knight Riders - Mitchell Starc
KKR's signings for the season are dominated by one name - Mitchell Starc. Despite the astronomical amount (₹24.75 crore) they have paid for him, he presents himself as the best signing made by the franchise.
KKR are in desperate need to turn things around after two poor seasons, and they made a massive statement with Gautam Gambhir's appointment as mentor and now with the signing of Starc. The left-arm pacer will prove to be a handful for the opposition batters at either end of the innings, and his experience will also prove to be crucial for KKR.
KKR did make other low-profile but solid signings to bring in players like Chetan Sakariya, Mujeeb ur Rahman, KS Bharat, Manish Pandey, and Gus Atkinson among others, but it is Starc who leads the way in terms of impact.
#8 Punjab Kings - Harshal Patel
PBKS have credible death bowlers in Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran, but it was essential for them to add another name to the pack. They manage to rope in one of India's finest death bowlers to complete their bowling attack.
Harshal Patel had a tough 2023 season, but it largely stemmed from bowling at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which can be unforgiving for bowlers at times. However, the match between PBKS and Harshal is arguably ideal as he will be able to capitalize on the longer boundaries and be more proficient in the final overs.
PBKS also secured the signings of Chris Woakes and Rilee Rossouw, along with some uncapped Indian players to round up their squad. Although PBKS had to go a bit overboard for each of their big signing at the auction, Harshal can be worth it, if he manages to replicate his form from 2021.
#9 Delhi Capitals - Harry Brook
DC's most expensive acquisition at the auction came in the form of Kumar Kushagra. The wicketkeeper-batter's talent is evident, but it remains to be seen whether he can translate it into the highest level or not.
In the meantime, DC's best signing from the 2024 auction has to be Harry Brook, who came in for just ₹4 crore. Much has been said about his IPL 2023 form, but his current set of performances also needs to be considered equally. He is in scintillating form for England, and DC have got the perfect candidate for the middle order to complement the likes of Rishabh Pant and Mitchell Marsh.
DC made other smart signings in the form of Shai Hope and Tristan Stubbs, but Brook being one of the best young cricketers comes across as the best pick. So much so, that even DC were stunned at having roped him in for a meagre price.
#10 SunRisers Hyderabad - Travis Head
SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) tested out four different opening combinations by the halfway mark of IPL 2023, and it was evident that they needed reinforcement in the department. The franchise went hard and heavy for Travis Head and secured his services for ₹6.8 crore.
SRH, who have finished last twice in the last three seasons of the competition, also made a huge statement by roping in Pat Cummins for ₹20.5 crore. Cummins' shaky T20 credentials coupled with the price tag does not make it SRH's best signing by any means.
The franchise made a smart buy in the form of Wanindu Hasaranga, but despite his low price of ₹1.5 crore, it remains to be seen how he will fit into the side, and how his performance level will be after his injury.