Retired from Test cricket, Shane Watson is enjoying a good beginning to 2016. First a T20I century for Australia on his comeback and now a lucrative, Rs. 9.5 crore Indian Premier League (IPL) contract from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). If the trend continues, a magnificient ICC World T20 awaits the allrounder from Down Under.
On Saturday, Watson became the most expensive buy of the 2016 IPL Players' Auction and will appear for the Vijay Mallya-owned Bangalore franchise led by Virat Kohli and including the likes of Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers.
Following Watson was an unexpected name but one who, like Watson, is enjoying a fortune in the New Year - his name is Pawan Negi, an uncapped Indian who has also been picked for the T20I series against Sri Lanka, the Asia Cup and the ICC World Twenty20.
Delhi Daredevils, who splashed Rs. 17 crore to buy 10 uncapped players, spent Rs. 8.5 crore on the allrounder from the Capital city. Negi led the three-man brigade of uncapped players in top 11 most expensive buys, besides the unknown M Ashwin (Rs. 4.5 crore) and Deepak Hooda (Rs. 4.2 crore) - both bought by Rising Pune Supergiants.
Negi was followed at No. 3 by Yuvraj Singh, who will appear for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Yuvraj actually got a pay cut compared to his last pay package. Hyderabad paid Rs. 7 crore to bag the star India allrounder, which is Rs. 9 crore less than what Delhi paid for him at the last auction.
On No. 4 and 5 were two more surprising names. South African allrounder Chris Morris, who was bought for Rs. 7 crore by Delhi, and Indian medium pacer Mohit Sharma, who will don the Kings XI Punjab jersey for a salary of Rs. 6.5 crore.
Here are the top 11 buys of this IPL that total a whopping Rs. 65.9 crore and dominated by 7 Indians:
1. Shane Watson (AUS) - Rs. 9.5 crore - Royal Challengers Bangalore
2. Pawan Negi (IND) - Rs. 8.5 crore - Delhi Daredevils
3. Yuvraj Singh (IND) - Rs. 7 crore - Sunrisers Hyderabad
4. Chris Morris (SA) - Rs. 7 crore - Delhi Daredevils
5, Mohit Sharma (IND) - Rs. 6.5 crore - Kings XI Punjab
6. Ashish Nehra (IND) - Rs. 5.5 crore - Sunrisers Hyderabad
7. Mitchell Marsh (AUS) - Rs. 4.8 crore - Rising Pune Supergiants
8. Murugan Ashwin (IND) - Rs 4.5 crore - Rising Pune Supergiants
9. Carlos Brathwaite (WI) - Rs. 4.2 core - Delhi Daredevils
10. Deepak Hooda (IND) - Rs 4.2 crore - Rising Pune Supergiants,
11. Sanju Samson (IND) - Rs. 4.2 core - Delhi Daredevils
Write
a comment ...
