Sunrisers Hyderabad have splurged on Australian talent at the IPL auction, taking captain Pat Cummins for a record-breaking $3.6 million and snaring Travis Head for a seven-figure sum as well.
They competed with Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore for Cummins at the auction.
The bidding for Cummins, who sat out the IPL last year, went back and forth until Sunrisers and RCB took it past the $3m mark before the Hyderabad franchise won out, making the 30-year-old the most expensive player in the history of the IPL.
It was more than 10 times his base price of around $350,000.
Pat Cummins. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Earlier, Head was rewarded for his match-winning efforts in India at the World Cup by going for $1.2 million after SRH and Chennai Super Kings entered into a bidding war, driving up his price to more than triple his base price entering the auction.
It’s been a remarkable year for Head, who was recently appointed a vice-captain in the Australian Test team.
Head helped power Australia to the 50-over World Cup title in India, smashing a classic 137 in Sunday’s final to propel Australia to their sixth ODI World Cup crown.
The South Australian missed the first half of the tournament with a fractured hand but exploded with a century in his first game against New Zealand.
In Head’s six matches, he scored 329 runs at 54.83, standing up when it mattered most to be named player of the match in Australia’s semi-final and final victories.
Australian teammate Steve Smith was also in the first set of players up for bids at the auction, with a base price of around $350,000, but there were no takers for his services.
England rising star Harry Brook was scooped up by the Deccan Chargers for $700,000 after they outbid Rajasthan Royals.
CSK made up for the disappoinment on missing out on Head’s signature by landing Kiwi young gun Rachin Ravindra for only $320,000.
The second set of players in the auction include Pat Cummins, Rachin Ravindra, Gerald Coetzee, Wanindu Hasaranga, Daryl Mitchell, Shardul Thakur, and Chris Woakes.