Former India Cricketers Feel Pat Cummins Will Be One Of The Most Expensive Buys In The IPL 2024 Auction

Pat Cummins could be one of the most expensive purchases in the Indian Premier League 2024 auction, feel former India cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Sanjay Manjrekar. The cricketers-turned-commentators while speaking on Star Sports pointed out that Cummins might attract a lot of buyers not just for his ability with bat and ball but also for his tremendous leadership skills.

Pat Cummins has played in six seasons of the Indian Premier League in the past, amassing 379 runs while taking 45 wickets in just 42 matches. He was the most expensive player in the 2020 IPL Auction after being acquired by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping sum of INR 15.50 crores. He last played IPL in the 2022 season, where he scored 63 runs in five matches including a match-winning 14-ball 50 against Mumbai Indians, and also bagged seven wickets.

Sunil Gavaskar reckons Pat Cummins is a multi-dimensional player and will attract a lot of buyers as he mentioned while being on the sideline of India’s second T20I against South Africa.

“I think there will be tremendous interest in Pat Cummins. Don’t forget when he played for KKR, he got the fastest fifty at one stage. So he can play as a batter as well, apart from the fact that he’s one of the best bowlers that the game has seen. I think he would be the one that will attract the most interest from all the franchises,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

Punjab Kings Or Sunrisers Hyderabad Should Go For Pat Cummins, Says Sanjay Manjrekar

Former India cricketer, Sanjay Manjrekar, while speaking on the same panel suggested that teams like Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad can go for Pat Cummins to smoothen their transition phase since Pat Cummins is a great leader.

“Pat Cummins would be a great addition on a pitch with where, you know most bowlers struggle. He has got that X factor and out of the box thinking, you know, just something of a wild card,” Manjrekar said.

“A couple of teams looking for leadership, different leadership. SunRisers Hyderabad with Aiden Markram, Punjab Kings with Shikhar Dhawan. So Pat Cummins’ recent performance as a leader as well could maybe get the attention of a few team owners as well. Unlikely to happen, but can’t rule that out,” concluded the former cricketer.

The IPL 2024 auction will take place on 19 December, in Dubai. Teams like Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Royal Challengers Bangalore will be looking to get an overseas pacer. The Australian skipper has set his base price at INR 2 crores in the IPL 2024 auction. Apart from him, Mitchell Starc has also registered his name for the IPL 2024 auction with the same base price. Starc will be playing in the IPL after 2015.