'I will be surprised if the 20 Crore barrier is not broken this year' - Auctioneer Hugh Edmeades

Amidst all the hype, the mega auction for the fifteenth edition of the Indian T20 league is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. It is safe to say that all the teams would have certainly prepared their auction strategies by now. Several players would be on the radar of all the ten teams.

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Thus, a few of them are expected to earn a fortune in this auction. Thus, Hugh Edmeades, who happens to be the Indian T20 league auctioneer, has gone on to make a big statement. As every team is allowed to have a purse of INR 90 crore, he felt that the individual prices of all the players are bound to increase this time around.

Although he said that he doesn't have the exact amount in mind, Edmeades stated that he will not be surprised if any player crossed the 20-Crore barrier this year. It is to be noted that no player has ever been purchased for an amount of INR 20 crore in the history of the league.

“With each franchise being given an increased purse of Rs 90 crore, it is likely that individual prices will also increase. I don’t have a specific figure in mind, but I would be surprised if the Rs 20 crore barrier is not broken this year,” said Hugh Edmeades in a chat with InsideSport.

It is to be noted that Edmeades has been conducting the Indian T20 league auctions since 2019. He said that in his entire career as an auctioneer spanning four decades, none have lasted for 12 hours. However, he added that he isn't fazed by the prospect of being on his feet for 12 hours.

“During my 38 years as an auctioneer, I have taken plenty of two-day auctions, but admittedly, none lasting a potential 12+ hours. However, I am not at all fazed by the prospect of being on my feet for up to six hours each day. Mentally and physically, I will be splitting the sessions into “bite-size pieces” and taking the opportunities to regroup during the breaks in the auction,” he said.