IPL 2023 Auctions: ‘From Being Shunned As Evil…’-Iconic India Commentator’s Blunt Remark After England Players Rule the Roost

There was a time when England players were a strict no-go for IPL teams. The reason was their impossible cricket board who were unhappy with the league and it’s idea of cricket. Some of the former England bosses were the puritans of the game and didn’t like their players to play a league which was halfway down the world. Plus playing IPL would also mean missing out on the English summer which was non-negotiable.

Also Read: IPL 2023 Auction: Sam Curran Becomes Costliest Player in History, Bought by PBKS For Rs 18.5 Crore

But times have changed and how. Today, England are among the best white-ball teams with 2019 ODI World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup in the pocket. Moreover, its players are among the most sought-after in the world. Take for instance the three top players in the 2023 mini-auction and two were Englishemen.

England all-rounder Sam Curran became the highest-ever IPL buy when Punjab Kings broke the bank and brought him for Rs 18.50 crore. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings pulled off the Ben Stokes deal for Rs 16.25 crore.

Iconic India commentator rightly mentioned how the perception around England players have gone a 360-degree change.

“England cricket’s U-turn on the IPL is now complete. From being shunned as “evil” in its early days to this warm embrace now, it has been quite a change. And the English players will enrich the IPL even more,” tweeted Harsha Bhogle.

Earlier an “overwhelmed” Sam Curran on Friday said he endured a sleepless and nervous night ahead of the IPL mini-auction, where he became the most expensive player in the history of the T20 league’s auction after fetching a whopping Rs 18.5 crore bid from Punjab Kings here.

Also Read: IPL 2023 Mini Auction: Nicholas Pooran Owes Me Money, Says Chris Gayle

Curran witnessed an intense bidding with Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings raising their paddles frenetically to secure the services of T20 World Cup player-of-the tournament.

In the end, it was Punjab Kings that broke the bank to get Curran, who drew the highest-ever bid that bettered the previous best buy of Rs 16.25 crore that Rajasthan Royals had shelled out to grab South African all-rounder Chris Morris in 2021.

“I didn’t sleep much last night, was a bit excited, also nervous about how the auction was going to go. But yeah, absolutely overwhelmed and incredibly humbled that I managed to get what I did. I never had any expectations to receive that,” Curran said on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Live Auction Special’.

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