IPL Auction 2024: Mitchell Starc And Gerald Coetzee Can Trigger A Bidding War Between Two Former Champion Teams Reckons Eoin Morgan

IPL 2024 Auction is scheduled on Tuesday, December 19, in Dubai. A total of 332 players will go under the hammer and ten teams will indulge themselves in the biggest bidding war of the sport’s history. Players from Australia’s World Cup-winning team will attract a lot of buyers, especially the likes of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.

Mitchell Starc will return to play IPL after the 2015 season. He represented Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2015. Starc has had a decent World Cup 2023 where he took 16 wickets in ten games at an average of 33. He has been Australia’s go-to new-ball bowler in every format. Mitchell Starc has played 27 IPL matches in his career and has taken 34 wickets.

Former England skipper Eoin Morgan thinks that Mitchell Starc and South African pacer Gerald Coetzee can trigger a bidding war between Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Titans. He said that KKR and GT need good overseas pacers at the moment as Pat Cummins has been released by KKR and Gujarat lacks an established top-ranked overseas pacer.

“I think Mitchell Starc alongside Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and probably Gerald Coetzee as overseas bowlers will be the most sought after. KKR and GT need good pacers at the moment,” Morgan said.

Gerald Coetzee Moves From The Uncapped Category To Capped In IPL Auctions

Gerald Coetzee was yet to be a capped player for South Africa when he registered for the IPL 2024 Auction. However, he completed the criteria after the recently concluded three-match series against India and was moved to the capped category in IPL auctions with a revised base price of 50 Lakhs. Coetzee has played all formats for South Africa making his debut this year itself. He impressed everyone with his performance in the ODI World Cup 2023 where he took 20 wickets in eight games.

Eoin Morgan feels Coetzee and Mitchell Starc can attract a lot of buyers in the auctions. Mitchell Starc also recorded an 18.50 crore purchase in the mock auctions when Mike Hesson bid for him to play for his former team. The IPL auctions will see 332 players go under the hammer and a lot of them hoping to play the IPL for the first time.

Eoin Morgan has captained Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2021 where he took the team to the finals. He has suggested that KKR should go for one overseas pacer which could be anyone amongst Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins or Gerald Coetzee. Kolkata Knight Riders released Lockie Ferguson and Pat Cummins ahead of the IPL auctions and now they lack an overseas pacer in the squad. They have retained the services of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine.

Mitchell Starc has been predicted by many experts to be the most expensive purchase of the IPL 2024 auctions as he has returned after a long gap of nine years. Starc last played in the 2015 season for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. It will be interesting to see who will get the services of Australia’s star left-arm pacer whereas Gerald Coetzee will also attract a lot of bids.