Dhoni tops IPL auction
India one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds attracted the highest bids in the Indian Premier League player auction.
Chennai paid US$1.5million for Dhoni early on, while Symonds became the most expensive overseas player in the third round of bidding when Hyderabad forked out $1.35m for his services.
The pair were the only players to cost over US dollars 1million, with Sri Lanka all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya - a $975,000 purchase by Kolkata - falling just short of that mark.
India duo Ishant Sharma and Irfan Pathan were both snapped up by Mohali for $950,000 and $925,000 respectively, along with Australia paceman Brett Lee, who cost $900,000.
Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene will also play for Mohali.
Scott Styris was a bargain for Hyderabad at the auction Buy this photoSouth Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis also went for $900,000 to Bangalore, but it was the Indians who continued to command the majority of the big-money moves.
Hyderabad made a successful bid of $875,000 for RP Singh, while spinner Harbhajan Singh went to Mumbai for $850,000.
Retiring Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist attracted a bid of $700,000 from Hyderabad, who acquired South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs and Pakistan spinner Shahid Afridi for $575,000 and $675,000 respectively.
They also snapped up New Zealand’s Scott Styris for just $175,000.
Former Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath and Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf were among the players put in a reserve pool with no takers initially willing to meet their valuations. They were both bought in the second round of bidding.
IPL chairman Lalit Modi was surprised by the lack of interest in some players.
Andrew Symonds was top with Dhoni of the bids Buy this photoHe said: “I haven’t had the opportunity to really judge player value before, but some of the players have gone so well, while some have gone for much less than I expected.
“Players like MS Dhoni and Andrew Symonds were bid aggressively (for) by all the tables.
“I must tell the Australian public and the Australian media, like I promised, Andrew Symonds was always (going to be) here and he will be here.”
Sri Lanka star Muttiah Muralitharan will line up alongside Dhoni at Chennai after a bid of $600,000, while fellow spinner Shane Warne was bought by Jaipur for $450,000.
Kolkata’s acquisitions included Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar ($425,000), Australia skipper Ricky Ponting ($400,000), New Zealand wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum ($700,000) and West Indies captain Chris Gayle ($800,000).
Other signings included South African all-rounders Albie Morkel, who joined Chennai for $635,000, and Shaun Pollock, who cost Mumbai $550,000, while Proteas wicketkeeper Mark Boucher was $450,000 signing for Bangalore.
Each of the eight franchises had a total of $5m to bid at the auction, which took place electronically in Mumbai.
India wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni © Getty Images
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