IPL Auction 2018 - Doubts Raised Over Mitchell Starc's Ability To Deliver

The 2018 edition of the IPL Auctions had a lot of buzz in store, as several high profile names were traded in the first few hours of the event. There was aggressive bidding on all fronts as the franchises wanted to acquire the very best to stand out at the auction table.

A name under scanner much before the auction was that of Australia’s star pacer Mitchell Starc. The tall left-arm pacer has simply been a menacing sight for batsmen across the globe, with his sheer pace and hostility. Having emerged as one of the best T20 and limited overs bowlers around, it was evident that Starc would go for plenty at the IPL auctions.

That is how exactly things panned out, as there was aggressive bidding for the New South Wales pace icon. The Man of the Series of the 2015 ICC World Cup saw several franchises vying for his services for the upcoming edition of the IPL.

Ultimately, it were the men from Kolkata who were successful in roping in Starc in the auction. Quoting him at a whopping Rs. 9.4 cr, the Knight Riders got the answer to their pace department woes as they found an able candidate in Starc to spearhead the bowling attack.

However, given Starc’s woes with several injuries and his habit of breaking down, questions were raised over Knight Riders’ move to rope in the pacer. Former New Zealand batsman and current analyst Scott Styris was a little amused at Starc getting such a high amount, given his recent spat of injuries.

“KKR taking a huge risk paying a fortune for Mitch Starc. You can’t trust he is going to turn up. If he does he is without question a match winner. #IPLAuction,” tweeted Styris.

Follow the links below, to stay updated on more developments from the IPL Auction room:

KKR taking a huge risk paying a fortune for Mitch Starc. You can't trust he is going to turn up. If he does he is without question a match winner. #IPLAuction

— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) January 27, 2018