Jadeja most expensive player at IPL auction

Feb 4, 2012, 10:56 GMT

New Delhi - Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja emerged as the most expensive cricketer in the Indian Premier League after being bought for more than 2 million dollars at a player's auction on Saturday.

Reigning champions Chennai Super Kings bagged the 23-year-old player following a hotly contested battle with Deccan Chargers, broadcaster NDTV reported.

Jadeja was the biggest draw among 146 players at the auction held in the southern city of Bangalore.

Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was the second most expensive player. He clinched a fee of 1.4 million dollars and will play for the Delhi Daredevils in the fifth edition of the tournament.

Jadeja and Jayawardene played for Kochi Tuskers Kerala last year but the franchise has been terminated after it defaulted on payment of annual fee to the organizers.

Other top draws included Indian pace bowler Vinay Kumar, who fetched 1 million dollars from Royal Challengers Bangalore. New Zealand's Brendon McCullum was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders for 900,000 dollars.

Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan went to Bangalore for 220,000 dollars while South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs (50,000 dollars) and Australian speedster Mitchell Johnson (300,000 dollars) were signed by Mumbai Indians.

Some top players including India's VVS Laxman, Britain's James Anderson and Graeme Swann found no takers and went unsold.

Earlier Saturday, the Sahara group withdrew its sponsorship of the Indian cricket team and also pulled out of the Pune Warriors team from the IPL, citing a 'one-sided emotional relationship' with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

It requested BCCI to pass on the franchise to some other group and did not take part in the auction.

Pune's withdawal will leave a total of eight teams to participate in the IPL, considered the world's richest cricket tournament. The IPL's fifth season will begin on April 4 and runs until May 27.

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