Shardul Thakur and Rachin Ravindra, who were expected to fetch record bids, were sold to Chennai Super Kings for less than Rs 5 crore in the IPL auction 2024 held at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena on 19 December 2023. Australia’s Mitchell Starc made history by earning the highest bid ever at Rs 24.75 crore from KKR.
However, the spotlight also turned to uncapped player Sameer Rizvi, who became the most expensive uncapped player by being bought for Rs 8.40 crore by CSK. Rizvi, a 20-year-old from Uttar Pradesh, showcased impressive performances in domestic cricket, scoring 455 runs in the UP T20 League for Kanpur Superstars.
His exceptional performance earned him a trial at three franchises, including Punjab Kings. Despite missing the trials due to commitments with UP’s Under-23 squad, Rizvi made an impact by smashing 91 off 65 deliveries in a one-day game against Rajasthan.