The Great Indian Cricket Auction
Franchise owners spent lavishly in a player auction Wednesday for the new Indian Premier League, with India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni topping bids on a day that demonstrated the enormous financial power of the Twenty20 competition.
Spending on players nearly touched US$42 million. Already, US$1.026 billion had been paid for the initial television rights and $723.6 million for franchise ownership.
Chennai trumped Mumbai in the race for India's ODI captain Dhoni, with all team owners cheering the breaking of the US$1 million mark as the southern Indian team landed him on a three-year contract worth US$1.5 million per season.
Dhoni, currently in Australia for the limited-overs tri-series, was relaxed about being the most sought player for the league which begins April 18.
''I heard about it from my manager soon after the bid was held. The sum seems to be good and I'm happy, but I was never in any sort of tension about it, nor was I losing sleep over it,'' Dhoni was quoted as saying.
"In all 75 players were sold. We withdrew Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan) and Ashwell Prince (South Africa)," IPL chairman Lalit Modi said at the end of the closed-door auction that lasted for over eight hours.
Virender Sehwag was moved up to the 'icon' category. An 'icon' will get 15 per cent over the side's highest paid player.
A ringside view of the great Indian cricket auction, team by high-spending team.
Franchise owners spent lavishly in a player auction Wednesday for the new Indian Premier League, with India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni topping bids on a day that demonstrated the enormous financial power of the Twenty20 competition.
Spending on players nearly touched US$42 million. Already, US$1.026 billion had been paid for the initial television rights and $723.6 million for franchise ownership.
Chennai trumped Mumbai in the race for India's ODI captain Dhoni, with all team owners cheering the breaking of the US$1 million mark as the southern Indian team landed him on a three-year contract worth US$1.5 million per season.
Dhoni, currently in Australia for the limited-overs tri-series, was relaxed about being the most sought player for the league which begins April 18.
''I heard about it from my manager soon after the bid was held. The sum seems to be good and I'm happy, but I was never in any sort of tension about it, nor was I losing sleep over it,'' Dhoni was quoted as saying.
"In all 75 players were sold. We withdrew Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan) and Ashwell Prince (South Africa)," IPL chairman Lalit Modi said at the end of the closed-door auction that lasted for over eight hours.
Virender Sehwag was moved up to the 'icon' category. An 'icon' will get 15 per cent over the side's highest paid player.
A ringside view of the great Indian cricket auction, team by high-spending team.
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