‘Shock and excitement’: Mitchell Starc reacts on record ₹24.75-crore deal with KKR

In the recent IPL auction at the Coca-Cola Stadium in Dubai, Australian star player Mitchell Starc was sold to the Kolkata Knight Riders. He became the most costliest player in the history of IPL with KKR’s record-breaking bid of Rs 24.75 crore. Starc leaves a message for the KKR fans in Bengali after the fire auction.

“Hey KKR fans! I’m thrilled to be joining the team for this year’s IPL and I can’t wait to get to the Eden Gardens and experience the home fans, the home crowd and the atmosphere. Look forward to seeing you then. Aami KKR,” he said in a video.

Starc, who has not played in IPL for the past 8 years, must play a single T20I in India. A video of Healy celebrating Starc’s record buy with a beer hit the internet, and Mitch’s reaction is like the icing on the cake.

“Yeah, it was a shock if you call it. My wife is actually in India with the women’s team and I think their coverage was slightly ahead of ours here in Australia. I was pretty surprised but happy to be back and excited to be joining KKR,” Starc said while speaking to Jio Cinema during the auction break.

Starc wasn’t the only expensive player. Along with him, Pat Cummins became the first player in history to earn Rs 20 crore or more at the auction. But his record lasted about an hour as Starc beat him to it.

IPL 2024 Auction: Unbelievable, Mitchell Stac become most expensive player as KRR spens INR 24.75 cr, Pat Cummins to SRH for Rs 20.5 cr

“I’m not sure any words will do it justice, really,” Starc said of the auction result.

“Alyssa’s over there with the Australian team at the minute so I think her coverage was slightly ahead of mine here in Australia so she sort of saw the numbers before I did.

“A fair bit of shock and certainly excitement with how it was all unfolding, but nothing I could have ever imagined.

“It’s a Christmas full of cricket as usual but it’s certainly one with a nice little cherry on the cake,” he added.

“Your heart starts to pump a little bit, as you see the paddles going up,” the 32-year-old told New Zealand media.

“But having been through the auction before and going unsold, it was a pretty special night last night to experience that.”

Mitchell played an important role in New Zealand’s run to the recent World Cup semifinals in India, and also celebrated his daughter’s birthday on Wednesday, the day after the auction.

“She’s got a pretty good present, waking up to that – not that she understands what’s going on,” he said.

“But that’s the whole thing about these situations – it helps set up your family in many ways so that they can grow up and enjoy the things they love.”

“Plenty of excitement. It was a tournament that I hadn’t been to for several years. I am excited to be back in the IPL and the number of amazing players in it. So that is first and foremost, secondly, in recent times, the Australian group has spent a lot of time in India and also with the ODI World Cup and has some fond memories there. Certainly, a competition, I can’ wait to be back in and the T20 World Cup serves as extra motivation,” added Starc.

“No doubt, there will be some pressure on the territory. But no doubt having the experience behind me now than when I was last in the IPL, can hold me in good stead. I have had a few ups and downs along the years, but as I said the territory and money, I have to embrace and be as successful as I can.”