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Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar believes that Mitchell Starc is not worth the money Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) paid for the player ahead of the 2024 edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).
During the IPL 2024 auctions, two-time champions KKR had to overcome competition from the likes of Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, and Gujarat Giants.
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Earlier that day, Starc’s Australian teammate Pat Cummins had already broke the money records becoming the first-ever player in IPL history to go for at least INR 20 crore as Sunrisers Hyderabad splashed INR 20.25 crore on the Australian skipper.
That record didn’t last long as KKR went all-in on Starc, buying him for INR 24.75 crore. It surely raised a lot of eyebrows, given that the two-time World Cup winner had not played in the cash-rich league since 2015.
While Starc is indeed one of the greatest bowlers of the last decade, Gavaskar believes that no player was worth the money KKR paid to sign him.
MORE: Who were the most expensive players at the IPL 2024 auctions?
What did Sunil Gavaskar say about Mitchell Starc?
Speaking on Star Sports, Gavaskar opined that no player in IPL was worth the kind of fee Starc acquired at the auctions. However, he believes that KKR will have made the right decision spending outrageously if the 34-year-old left-arm quick can win games for the franchise on his own.
Over the top, to be absolutely frank. I don’t think anybody is worth that kind of money. If Starc can make an impact and win maybe four out of the 14 matches that he plays, then you can say money’s worth. Then if he makes contributions in the other games – absolutely fantastic.
He has got to bowl match-winning spells in at least four out of the 14 matches, and maybe the crucial matches against the Mumbai Indians, the Chennai Super Kings and RCB, because these three have top-class batting lineups. Bowl those teams out and you could even then say – money’s worth.
What next for Mitchell Starc?
Starc missed the white-ball leg against West Indies, but will return for the T20Is against New Zealand.
New Zealand will host Australia in a three-match T20I series starting from February 21.