SRH purchase Travis Head for $1.22 million while Steve Smith goes unsold

History was made in the IPL auction ahead of the 2024 edition of the tournament with Mitchell Starc becoming the most expensive player in the league as he was sold to KKR for 24.75 crores. It came only an hour after Pat Cummins had shattered the previous record of 18.5 crores. And not just those two, a couple of other Australian quicks had a bumper payday too. Some uncapped players earned huge paycheques as well, while international stars like Daryl Mitchell, Gerald Coetzee, Travis Head, Dilshan Madushanka who impressed in the World Cup received plenty of interest, along expected lines.

The aggressive southpaw, Travis Head, whose century was instrumental in Australia clinching the 2023 ODI World Cup by beating India, was picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 6.80 crore. Head had previously represented Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2016 and 2017.

After the first set of the auction, some big names remain unsold. South African batter Rilee Rossouw and Australian lynchpin Steve Smith have found no takers.