Sharjah [United Arab Emirates], November 28 : Indian film director Srijit Mukherji has shared his thoughts on the recent 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) Mega Auction, praising several teams for their strategic purchases and retention of key players. According to Mukherji, the Sunrisers Hyderabad emerged as the standout performers in the auction.
"Sunrisers Hyderabad were the best performers of the IPL auction as they bought well-performing cricketers like Adam Zampa," said Mukherji to ANI.
Australia spinner Adam Zampa was sold to the Hyderabad-based franchise for Rs 2.40 crore. The Royals were bidding for the Aussie but it was SRH who got the player.
Zampa is considered one of the best white-ball bowlers in the world, with 297 wickets in 201 matches across both ODIs and T20Is. In his IPL career, he has played for Rising Pune Supergiants in the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
"They have a very good team," Mukherji added.
He also highlighted the strong position of Chennai Super Kings following their acquisition of Rachin Ravindra.
"Chennai Super Kings is in a very good position as they bought Rachin Ravindra," Mukherji noted.
"They have also managed to retain a lot of players," he added.
Mukherji commended the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for their efforts to maintain the core of their winning combination.
"Kolkata Knight Riders also ensured that the core of the winning combination is retained," he said.
Venkatesh Iyer, who became the fourth most expensive player in IPL history, bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for a staggering Rs 23.75 crore.
KKR secured his services after an intense bidding war with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
The director also expressed his admiration for Rishabh Pant, who made headlines as the most expensive player in the IPL auction.
"The story of Rishabh Pant is very inspiring," Mukherji remarked.
"This is nothing short of a fairy tale, he came into shape, I think he deserves everything good," Mukherji praised Pant because of his fast recovery from the car accident which he succumbed in 2022.
Mukherji's insights reflect the excitement and strategic manoeuvres that characterized the IPL 2025 Mega Auction, setting the stage for an exhilarating season ahead.