Narayana Murthy

Each of them huddled together to bid for a combination of players who would get them to be victorious.

Others like Daryl Mitchell (INR 14 crore), Harshal Patel (INR 11.75 crore) and Alzarri Joseph (INR 11.50 crore) were among the big earners in the IPL Player Auction.

The franchise made impressive acquisitions, landing Australian pacer Jhye Richardson, West Indies' Shai Hope, and hard-hitting Harry Brook, among others.

South African batter Rilee Rossouw, initially overlooked, re-entered the auction at Rs 2 crore. What followed was a fierce tussle between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals, driving the bid to an astounding Rs 8 crore, eventually landing Rossouw with PBKS.

Spencer Johnson, the left-arm quick from Brisbane Heat, entered the auction with a base price of Rs 50 lakh. His outstanding abilities attracted immediate attention, leading to a heated battle between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Delhi Capitals (DC).

Dayal, a left-arm fast bowler, initiated bidding at Rs 20 lakh, snapped by Gujarat Titans. As the stakes soared, RCB entered, sealing Dayal's deal at a staggering Rs 5 crore.

Dubey's bidding, initially by Delhi Capitals at INR 20 lakh, soared to a thrilling INR 5.80 crore, ultimately clinched by Rajasthan Royals.

Travis Head, the Australian batsman celebrated for his ICC Men's ODI World Cup final heroics, entered the auction at Rs 2 crore.

Simultaneously, India's all-rounder Shardul Thakur, initially listed at Rs 2 Crore, rejoined CSK for a substantial Rs 4 Cr. Chennai initiated the bidding, contending with Sunrisers Hyderabad, who momentarily withdrew at 3.20 Cr but re-entered later. CSK's persistence secured Thakur at 4.00 Crore.

Meanwhile, Harshal Patel of India drew attention as Gujarat Titans initiated bidding at 2 crore, soaring to 11.75 crore, finally secured by Punjab Kings.