Cricket experts Sunil Gavaskar and Sanjay Manjrekar anticipate that Pat Cummins, the victorious Australia captain in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and World Test Championship 2023, is poised to become a highly coveted asset in the much-anticipated IPL 2024 auction.
According to the former Indian cricket stars, Cummins is not only likely to command a substantial price for his outstanding cricketing abilities but also for his adept leadership.
Following Australia’s World Cup triumph, Cummins is expected to be among the most sought-after players in the upcoming IPL auction. With six IPL seasons under his belt, he has amassed 379 runs and claimed 45 wickets in 42 matches.
Notably, he was the most expensive acquisition in the 2020 IPL Auction, secured by Kolkata Knight Riders for a staggering 15.50 crores. Cummins last featured in the 2022 season, contributing 63 runs and taking seven wickets in five matches.
During India’s 2nd T20I against South Africa, Gavaskar expressed confidence that Cummins would attract significant interest from various franchises, citing his exceptional bowling and batting prowess, including achieving the fastest fifty during his tenure with KKR.
Manjrekar pointed out that teams in transition, like Punjab Kings and SunRisers Hyderabad, could benefit from Cummins’ inclusion, particularly on challenging pitches where his innovative thinking and X factor make him a valuable wildcard. Additionally, he suggested that Cummins’ recent leadership performance might catch the attention of teams like SunRisers Hyderabad with Aiden Markram and Punjab Kings with Shikhar Dhawan, although it remains unlikely.
“A couple of teams are in search of distinct leadership, SunRisers Hyderabad with Aiden Markram, Punjab Kings with Shikhar Dhawan. Pat Cummins’ recent performance as a leader might catch the attention of a few team owners,” said Manjrekar.
