Daryl Mitchell, age 32, of New Zealand, was returning home the day before the IPL Auction to prepare a present for his daughter, who turned five, when the action unfolded thousands of kilometers away in Dubai. Mitchell had one prior IPL appearance, which occurred in 2022 when the Rajasthan Royals acquired him for a base price of INR 75 Lakh. Following his brief appearance in two games, he was released and subsequently failed to sell prior to the 2023 season.
However, a hectic eighteen-plus month stretch, which included an intriguing ODI World Cup campaign in India, ensured that there would be competitors this time around. More precisely, three of them vied for the New Zealander prior to the record-breaking INR 14 crore transaction finalized by the five-time champion Chennai Super Kings.
“It was obviously a pretty special night for us as a family, sitting here with my wife watching the whole auction,” Mitchell said. “To see your name come up and then to go through that whole experience is definitely something that will stick with us for the rest of our lives.”
“Your heart starts to pump a little bit, as you see the paddles going up. But having been through the auction before and going unsold, it was a pretty special night last night to experience that,” he added.
Beginning at a reasonable base price of INR 1 Crore, the competition for his services was predominantly bilateral, with Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings vying for his services with vigor. However, just as DC withdrew from the tendering process, CSK entered for INR 12 Crore. PBKS persisted and drew it out to INR 13.75 Crore, and they were almost in possession of the item when CSK raised their baton just prior to the hammer falling, increasing the bid to INR 14 Crore. CSK acquired a spin striker who can cover the vacancy left in the middle order by Ben Stokes’s departure after PBKS withdrew. Mitchell expressed gratitude for the events that unfolded that evening and believed that such a life-altering contract would benefit the family in the long run.
“Upon awaking, she [his daughter] has a decent present, although she does not fully comprehend the situation. However, this is precisely the point; in numerous ways, it helps position your family for a future filled with enjoyments of their own.
“In my opinion, that is the most intriguing aspect of it. Mitchell stated, “They are the ones who are the reason you do all of this.”
In addition to the opportunity to play under the most successful IPL captain and the benefits of a lucrative contract, Mitchell will be surrounded by familiar faces, including Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner, and Rachin Ravindra, all of whom CSK acquired at auction for INR 1.80 Crore recently.
