Former Indian Opener Aakash Chopra was surprised about the Gujarat Titans (GT) not going the full distance to buy Australian Left Arm Pacer and the Most Expensive Player Mitchell Starc in the IPL 2024 auction. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra had questions for the Gujarat Titans for not going the extra distance to buy Starc.
Aakash Chopra felt that Gujarat Titans could have easily bought Mitchell Starc as they had the highest purse in the IPL Auction. Gujarat Titans went for Starc until 24Cr when the Kolkata Knight Rider outbid them to buy Starc for a whopping ₹24.75 crore at the auction. The IPL 2022 champions then spent ₹10 crore to purchase Australian Youngster Spencer Johnson to strengthen their overseas seam-bowling attack.
Aakash Chopra feels the Gujarat Titans could have acquired Gerald Coetzee for a cheaper price than the amount they spent to buy Spencer Johnson. GT had ₹38.15 crore purse to buy a maximum of eight players, including two foreigners, heading into the auction. Although they eventually assembled a full-strength 25-member squad, ₹7.85 crore were still left in their purse.
Aakash Chopra puzzled by Gujarat Titans’ (GT) strategy while bidding for Mitchell Starc in IPL 2024 Auction
In a YouTube video, Aakash Chopra questioned the Gujarat Titans for stopping on 24 Crores, he wondered why did they not go for Mitchell Starc even after having eight crores remaining in their purse. Gujarat could have easily gone for Mitchell Starc and bought him easily.
“You ran after Mitchell Starc for sure but stopped on the verge of acquiring him, and then eight crore rupees were left in your purse. You start wondering what was Gujarat’s strategy, that why they went till 24 crores and then pulled out even though money was still left in their kitty.”
The former India opener added:
“We thought that if Gujarat wanted someone, no one would be able to stop them because they had the most money and had to fill the least slots, if we talk about the combination. The team was already ready. So if they went till 24 crores, they could have gone till 25 as well.”