The Aussie is the most expensive player in the history of IPL auctions after being bought by KKR for INR 24.75 crores last year.
Star Australian pacer Mitchell Starc will be one of the hot commodities in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) auction, slated to be held in a week’s time on November 24-25. The 34-year-old speedster, who became the most expensive player in the history of IPL auctions last year after being bought by reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a whopping amount of INR 24.75 crores, however, wasn’t retained by the three-time IPL winners ahead of the retention deadline.
Nevertheless, Mitchell Starc has always been a big-match player and will add tremendous firepower to whichever pace attack he joins for the next season.
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In the last season, Starc contributed with 17 scalps with five of them coming in the Qualifier and the final, serving a reminder about his ability to deliver the goods in clutch games.
Now, with the highly-anticipated IPL 2025 auction around the corner, let’s take a look at three franchises that might be eager to add Starc’s experience and speed in a bid to bolster their squad for the upcoming edition.
Mitchell Starc might make a comeback to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the upcoming season. The team has struggled with their bowling lineup in recent times, making Starc a valuable prospect. Ahead of the auction, RCB has retained key players such as Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal, with a budget of INR 83 crore still available. Given his prior stint with the franchise and his ability to lead the overseas pace attack, Starc appears to be an ideal fit for the team.
Starc previously represented the Bengaluru-based outfit for two seasons, in 2014 and 2015 and picked up a total of 34 wickets. The Bengaluru side is also in the hunt for a foreign pacer, given that they released Josh Hazlewood from the squad and with Reece Topley’s injury concerns, this is where the Aussie fits into the RCB setup.
The Punjab Kings have retained only two players—Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh, prior to the auction and can pursue Mitchell Starc aggressively with a high remaining purse value of INR 110.5 crores at their disposal. His ability to generate pace with both the new ball and the old makes him a valuable asset, particularly on the flat pitches of Mohali.
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With a significant portion of their budget still intact, this strategic reserve could allow PBKS to attract top-tier players like Starc. Given his proven track record in both IPL and international cricket, investing in Starc seems like a calculated and promising decision for the franchise, who are still on the lookout for their maiden IPL title.
The final team on the list is an obvious choice with KKR choosing to consider bidding for Mitchell Starc. He delivered an outstanding performance for them in the last IPL 2024 season and the Shahrukh Khan co-owned franchise might be motivated to bring him back, although it might be a difficult task given KKR has no remaining RTMs.
Starc is a proven match-winner capable of turning games around when in form. While KKR undoubtedly recognises his value, financial constraints might have influenced their decision to let him go.
Having had a memorable stint, Starc would also likely welcome a return to Kolkata but his fate can now only be determined by the auction dynamics.
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