Adam Gilchrist in rain AP Photo/Aman Sharma
The IPL is a world away from the iron fences at Roseville Park and the white pickets at Waverley. It is a world where the owner of the Mumbai Indians, Mukesh Ambani has just built a mansion worth one billion US dollars. It is 27 storeys high and has three helipads and hundreds of rooms. He lives there with his wife, three children and a staff of 600.
This is a bit much for my middle-class sensibilities. To someone like him a team worth 20 million is a plaything. But at least his money is not tainted like Stanford’s.
James Sutherland is looking to make the KFC Big Bash a nice little revenue earner for Australian Cricket. It will never amount to much without Indian investors. Indian investors will not invest without a TV deal broadcasting into Indian lounges in prime-time. I am not sure if CA has worked out that matches would have to be played at 1am in the morning EST to make it attractive. Dream on Mr. Sutherland.
Other franchise owners have a penchant for Formula One teams and still others commission private yachts worth hundreds of millions.
The ten franchises had a total salary cap of 90 million dollars. Mumbai had retained four players including Tendulkar for half their salary cap. Chennai also retained Dhoni, Albie Morkel, Raina and Vijay.
Rajasthan retained Watson and Warne for a combined total of 3.1 million. Warne will probably get 1.8 and Watson 1.3. Dravid was also bought by Rajasthan for a bargain at $500,000. The big winner was Ross Taylor who was bought by the franchise for one million dollars. Why would he be interested in a Black Cap when he gets this for six weeks work?
Michael Hussey was bought for $425,000 by Dhoni’s team Chennai. His brother David was the Aussie in most demand and fetched 1.4 million from the Punjab franchise.
Cameron White the T20 captain was auctioned for a handsome $1.1. The “bad boy” of Australian cricket Symonds was snapped up by Mumbai for $850,000 and will have as his teammates both Harbhajan and Tendulkar. They can get up to millions of dollars worth of monkey business with the greenbacks.
So much for racial vilification and principles. It is all forgotten in the scent of money!
Adam Gilchrist ($900,000) will join David Hussey at Punjab and could end up captaining him. But David will have the bragging rights.
Shaun Marsh went for a reasonable figure of 400,000 and makes it three Aussies for Punjab.
David Warner at $750,000 joins Delhi and could form the most potent opening partnership in world cricket with Virender Sehwag. Sehwag was the only player retained by Delhi before the auction and may well be the highest paid in the league.
Warne’s franchise was outbid by Pune for Callum Ferguson and he went for $300,000 which was an accurate reflection on his current worth.
Aaron Finch was also bought by Delhi and gives them more firepower down the order. His price of $300,000 may well be the best bargain of the night.
Brett Lee went for a low $400000 to Kolkata and this is because of his recent injuries. All contracts are for two years and all the sums mentioned here are annual salaries.
James Hopes at $350,000 joined the Sehwag franchise and will perform whole-heartedly. Steven Smith went to Lawson’s team for $200,000 and Haddin joins Gambhir at Kolkata for $325,000. Tim Paine attracted $270,000 from Pune. Graham Manou failed to interest anyone.
Ryan Harris surprised by attracting a bid of $325,000 from Punjab and his new owners will be hoping he recovers in time.
The highest bids were for Gambhir (2.4 million) Yusuf Pathan (2.1mil) and both were bought by Kolkata. Irfan Pathan went for 1.9 million to Delhi and the Pathan family would be ecstatic as their father was from a very poor background.
Other major earners were Rohit Sharma (2 million to Mumbai) Robin Uttapha (2.1 million to Pune) Jayewardene (1.5 million) to the Lawson coached Kochi franchise and Kallis to the Kolkata mob for 1.1 million.
Sangakkara, the Sri Lanka captain, went to Deccan and only fetched 700,000(less than half) of his vice captain and less than the 950,000$ paid for Angelo Mathews. There may well be some friction in the Sri Lanka dressing room.
There were no bids for Mathew Prior, James Anderson and Luke Wright. Kevin Pietersen went for a surprisingly low 650,000 to Deccan but will be happy to play alongside Sangakkara.
Stuart Broad went to Punjab for $400,000.
Eoin Morgan goes to Kolkata for $350,000 and will have the Irish boys dreaming and the ECB frowning!
Bangladeshis would be ecstatic about Shakib Hasan fetching $425,000 but disappointed there was no bid for Tamim Iqbal who in my opinion is one of the most destructive batsmen in the Twenty20 format. The franchises missed a trick here.
Brian Lara, Gayle and Ganguly did not attract any bids. With Gayle it was because he would only be available for 2 weeks. Bravo went for a low $200,000 and would be regretting not signing the Windies board contract. He gambled and lost.
The two quickest men up for auction were Dale Steyn and Shaun Tait. These were the game changers and Steyn was the first to be auctioned. He went for 1.2 million dollars to Pietersen’s team, the Deccan Chargers.
Dirk Nannes was bought for $650,000 by Bangalore and was an attractive proposition as he is available for the duration of the IPL.
Lawson’s franchise Kochi was keen to buy Doug Bollinger and got into a bidding war with Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings who won the battle. . “Bolly”, as he is called by the Indians, would have been happy with the $700,000 buy price and, in a perverse way, could be thanking the boffins at CA for sending him to South Africa for the Champions League.
Lawson’s franchise had money to spend and bought Murali for 1.1 million. Not bad for a 38-year-old. Good things happen to good people. Graeme Swann was up for auction immediately after Murali and surprise, surprise gets no bids at the reserve of $400,000.
The world’s best ranked spinner is unsold. The slave trade is a funny business!
Lawson also bid vigorously for Brad Hodge and at $425,000 was one of the best buys of the night. Hodge, along with David Hussey, should be in both of Australia’s limited overs sides.
Though to be fair the start of the English summer clashes with the IPL and this would account for the low bid for Pietersen and the no bids for Prior and Swann.
Piyush Chawla the Indian leggie who cannot make the Test team goes for $900,000 to Punjab.
Still on the spinners. Ashwin, uncapped at Test level but a strong performer in the few ODI’s he has played, went to Chennai for $850,000. A quickish and accurate off-spinner he will balance the attack of Morkel and Bollinger.
In another surprise, Mendis, the mystery spinner from Sri Lanka was unsold. Owners were looking for proven performers and the money paid was an indication of market worth. By this reasoning both David Hussey and Bollinger should be playing Tests for Australia.
Tait will be up for auction on Sunday but the implications for CA are clear. Every Australian cricketer will want a slice of the IPL action and the administrators have to balance the needs of all three forms. They have not shown sufficient nous to date and must realize that Twenty20 is a totally different mindset to the 50 overs and Tests.
Administrators should not try to cannibalise any of the forms. The IPL is a domestic competition and there is no need to play too many Twenty20 Internationals. The Big Bash should not be allowed to get any bigger and the move to city-based teams with foreign equity is a recipe for disaster. An expansion can only come at the cost of the Shield and we know this leads to a number five ranking. There will be less scope for Australian players to break into the IPL if Australia is a low ranked Test playing nation.
You just have to see the no-bids for players from Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and the West Indies to realize this marketing fact.
The best of India’s young test players like Pujara and Badrinath were bought in excess of $700,000. The best of Australia’s young hopefuls like Ferguson, Smith, Paine and Finch for less than half that. The market place does not lie.
Australians were admired for their work ethic and athleticism but the current state of Australian cricket is not what anyone in the IPL is enamoured of. And, least of all, the Australian public.
Shane Warne retired three years ago but yet remains Australia’s highest paid player in the IPL. Closely followed by David Hussey and Cameron White. Is it just a coincidence that all three are Victorians?
Following were the players bought for $1 million or more on the opening day of the two-day Indian Premier League (IPL) auction in Bangalore on Saturday (read as name, country, amount, team):
The Twenty20 tournament starts on April 8.
Gautam Gambhir (IND)
$2.4 million
Kolkata Knight Riders
Yusuf Pathan (IND)
$2.1 million
Kolkata Knight Riders
Robin Uthappa (IND)
$2.1 million
Pune Warriors
Rohit Sharma (IND)
$2.0 million
Mumbai Indians
Irfan Pathan (IND)
$1.9 million
Delhi Daredevils
Yuvraj Singh (IND)
$1.8 million
Pune Warriors
Saurabh Tiwary (IND)
$1.6 million
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Mahela Jayawardene (SRI)
$1.5 million
Kochi
David Hussey (AUS)
$1.4 million
Kings XI Punjab
Dale Steyn (RSA)
$1.2 million
Deccan Chargers
Muttiah Muralitharan (SRI)
$1.1 million
Kochi
AB de Villiers (RSA)
$1.1 million
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Cameron White (AUS)
$1.1 million
Deccan Chargers
Jacques Kallis (RSA)
$1.1 million
Kolkata Knight Riders
Ross Taylor (NZL)
$1.0 million
Rajasthan Royals
Note: India’s Sourav Ganguly, the West Indies’ Brian Lara and Chris Gayle, and England bowlers Graeme Swann and James Anderson were among unsold players on the opening day of the auction.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
"not all of this is good for the people but then as humans we have a propensity to reject the wisdom of our parents" But the profoundly rapid, accelerating growth is a fact and its dynamic impact on things like cricket is the more difficult to understand because so few are alert to the size of what you've outlined above. We do live in blissful ignorance here. I smile at your second point - in my wife's remote island village I have sat and listened to elders (I speak the provincial dialect) who used come down from the jungle at night to slit the throats of invaders and then disappear as ghosts until they succeeded in driving them away. They are protected from consumer "progress", and indifferent when they see it (a decade ago electricity reached the village, more recently mobile phones - with reception!). Their clear and simple view of life and of what is truly important has been a marvelous education. What surprises me most is the continuing respect and regard of the young who go away, see the wider world and return to have it explained to them.
Roarchild
Roar Guru
I still think it's pretty great money just that the NBA is better :) And probably the best in the world as a lot of the NFL deals are unguaranteed. Golf and Tennis perhaps? While only playing say 8 mins it is an 82 or so game season with a lot of hard training and travelling....the IPL is 6 weeks and must be up there as the cosiest gig in sport.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
It should also be noted that the money being paid to IPL sportsmen isnt that great. For example, a warm-body grade New Zealand big man is getting minimum wage this year in the NBA. USD$700k for a probable eight minutes of court time a game http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/4523293/Marks-retained-by-Blazers-for-rest-of-NBA-season
Bob
Guest
Wasn't much use when the series was there to be won in Melbourne. You have low satndards.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Mick, I wrote a piece for the advertiser before IPL 1 which was almost three years ago and this rationalised the big money that broadcasters and corporates were willing to throw around. This was all predicated on India's burgeoning middle-class..now estimated at 300 million. Let me give you an example. Reliance,owners of the Mumbai Indians (Tendulkar's team) unveiled a plan in 2008 to build 400 mega malls. Each one twice as big as anything in australia. This were to be built in a four year period. Underlying all this is the fact that cricket is the vehicle through which you grab "eyeballs" Nothing is released from Bollywood during the IPL...it simply cannot compete. Now in these malls you find everything from consumer electronics to Canadian salmon and Australian apples. And dare I say cheaper than what we pay here. India consumes more of its output at home than china. India is fuelled by its own consumption...not consumption in an overseas market. Indian government and corporates are scouring the world for energy related businesses. They own coal mines in NSW and possibly Qld. There are 12-15 domestic airlines offering fares as low as $50 for a sector like Sydney/Brisbane. Business class is full. A down market 5 star hotel will ost $300 a night. The franchise owners in the IPL have businesses that make cement,build infrastructure(roads,airports,ports) make movies( Shah Rukh owner of Kolkata gets 10 million a movie and makes six or seven a year) own breweries and airlines and all have strong political connections. The IPL is made for India and its future is assured for the next decade. There is no escaping that. Mick,not all of this is good for the people but then as humans we have a propensity to reject the wisdom of our parents. My dear mother,now in her mid 80's and suffering from Parkinson,still has the lucidity to tell me " I produced lions and you have become donkeys" And in that there is a profound message.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
dr paul, I believe the australia vs Australia A was scrapped on a vague notion of divided loyalties when it may actually have been a case of the incumbents being shown up by the young 'uns.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Fisher,I may not agree but that is a great line: "IPL IS ANTI-CRICKET''
Colin N
Guest
Cheers Vinay. Panesar I'm not surprised about, but Lumb and Yardy would have been good buys.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
I cannot agree that sportsmen be a target for conspicuous compassion payments. Flood recovery is the business of insurers and government. The latter thieves enough money to allocate funds to necessary, rather than politically devious, community works. A brilliantly successful young accounting graduate doesn't automatically pick up an obligation to community when he moves on to partner's remuneration. On that reasoning, jamesb, fit young footballers on $225,001 pa or more ought to be sending a bob to Rotary so it can complete its exceptional campaign to eradicate polio, F1 drivers to hospital accident wards and jockeys to tall people with osteoperosis. I've watched the AFL get hijacked by the sustainable green mantra du jour, culminating in "no pie shall be made or transported more than 573 metres distance from the MCG" at last year's Grand Final (or something similar) so the feeble minded could fantasise about a polar bear breathing cleaner air 15,000 miles away.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
More of your excellence, Vinay and thank you. I know little of IPL and you have informed me wonderfully well with this. For that reason I disagree with the estimable Kersi Meher-Homji's response, in part. I agree with him IPL is not cricket - as we used know it. Living with a foot in each of two cultures (my wife is from Asia) I understand the regions a little better than most. I see what so few of my countrymen realise, surprisingly, that Australia's economic future is there. Listening to Lee Kuan Yew put me on to it decades back. The preponderance of Asian students in the top 10% high school performances here reminds me every year. Within 8 hours flying time from Brisbane there are 1.4 billion people in SE Asia; another hour or so and one can access another 1.5 billion, in Eastern Asia, almost all closer to here than to London and another 1.5b in Southern Asia. They're compelling facts (and we make sure the young adults in our extended family get it.) I say all of that to agree "Yes, the size of transactions there and the enormous wealth of the wealthy is breathtaking, relative to our economy and Australia's wealthy." I met a most modest Indian businessman in a fine Nusa Dua resort in '93-ish who had just bought a business in Sydney that was widely reported here for the size of the transaction, who mused, as an aside over dinner "I hope to get there in the next 6 months to have a look at it." $45m (2011 dollars) sight unseen as an incidental expansion of his portfolio. (There is a big difference in that there are many individuals with wealth whereas here we have shifted over 35 years to institutions with wealth and a small proportion of individuals). Even with that background I'm with sheek when he says "The sums of money being thrown around are fit inducing." I cannot do the sums and understand how it works - 10 teams playing over 6(?) weeks paying up to $90m to players alone. Where do they make their legitimate profit? Is the TV advertising in the home city and other national centres as lucrative as to attract massive payments for televising the games, in which they share? Is the consumer class in India growing to such a critical mass that retailers can justify paying big money for TV advertisements during the competition? I'm not seeking that you do my research for me - I'm just letting my logical business thinking flow after reading your piece. I need to do some reading on it. I've read Kersi's further comments but I say what you have written here is important. Cricket is so much more now a part of international business rather than sport. I'm about where you are in my interest - "I am more interested in the IPL as a social phenomena and how the middle class Indians have taken to it. & PM and households must watch on TV." You say "If you do anything to death the consumer will tire." Many of us will be surprised at One Day cricket now stumbling around as if lost late on Friday night, such a short time after it enjoyed enormous popularity. Alvin Tofler wrote 40 years back about the increasing rapidity of change, in Future Shock, and the confusion it will bring. He was right on middle stump with that ball. You're making my brain hurt already, mate, then I see you will be setting me more homework with another article shortly!
Betty B
Guest
tar Brett
dr paul
Guest
those guys won't play here...what is in it for them?doubts over the quality of shield cricket are now being aired however if the test [players don't play domestically then how can talent be judged?at least there should be an Australia vs Australia A game to gauge younger talent or evan a peoples choice 11 to take on the Test side
jamesb
Guest
yes Vinay, absolutely, whether its sport, business or mangoes theres always commission involved. Whats happening in qld certainly puts a perspective on things. Australia losing the ashes certainly makes it insignificent
Whiteline
Guest
Yes Vinay, I too think Smith has the ability, no doubt...but whether he does the work (or needs to..... if his destiny is to make heaps of 20/20 cash) remains to be seen. None of us know the future but I guess as a young fella it would be very tempting to be comfortable earning so much for so little. I guess only those who are driven by excellence will be great at all forms.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
jamesb,from this season,I believe,10% of the players contract is paid to the board,so it really should be Cricket australia who should donate to the flood appeal. Someone at the markets is making money on the Lychees and mangoes. have you noticed the cost of them?
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
whiteline,I have come around to your way of thinking on smith....but I still think he can become a very good cricketer...needs more work. We will never know about Warner till he gets a spot in the NSW side. He wants to play shield and considered moving interstate. But who knows with young kids when they see the easy money.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Rob,simply put to be attractive to the IPL,an aussie with a baggy green will command bigger bucks. Watson for example is on 1.3 million. If Ponting and Johnson were to play they would both command in excess of Watson. Even in india the weighting for indians that have played ODIs or Ranji is higher. India for its seeming callousness for test cricket actually values it highly...even the broadcasters...but that might be only for iconic series against australia...yes even though australia is ranked 5 India values the series against them. The last batch of ODI's were also sell outs. Balance is the key.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Sylvester,I would have targetted DV as captain if i was one of the new franchises. He is worth the proverbial million. I am not sure how much NZ's foray into USA has influenced IPL managers. Perhaps it clashes. This is where players and managers have to be careful they do not become too mercenary. Greed kills.
jamesb
Guest
Maybe some of our cricketers on IPL money should donate some of that to the floods of qld.
Sylvester
Guest
Exactly Vinay, spin is now a T20 weapon. Even average spinners can prosper in this format. Vettori at one stage had the best international T20 record for all bowlers. I thought that, combined with his experience, leadership, batting and fielding (in that order) would have made him a more attractive proposition. Speaking of Kiwis, no bidding frenzy for McCullum either. I guess the issues he had at KKR must have been off-putting - his form at international level hasn't really waned.