Advertisement
The joyous atmosphere at New Zealander Daryl Mitchell’s home took an unexpected turn when Chennai Super Kings snapped him up for a staggering Rs. 14 crore during the IPL 2024 Auction. At that precise moment, Mitchell, immersed in wrapping presents for his daughter’s birthday, found his heartbeat racing as his name illuminated the screen.
The domestic chores took a backseat as Mitchell’s family, alongside him and his wife, witnessed the life-changing auction unfold on their television screens. The 32-year-old cricketer expressed the extraordinary nature of the experience, stating, “It was obviously a pretty special night for us as a family, sitting here with my wife watching the whole auction.”
Securing the title of the second-most expensive New Zealand player in IPL history, Mitchell equaled Kane Williamson’s feat, trailing only behind Kyle Jamieson, who fetched Rs. 15 crore in 2021 with his selection by Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Celebrating his elder daughter Addie’s birthday on the very day of the auction, Mitchell shared the peculiar mix of activities, saying, “At the auction, you don’t quite know exactly when you’re going to come up in the list. So yeah, I guess we were just trying to keep ourselves busy and watching it, and then, when it popped up, I guess you end up being glued to the screen to see what happens.”
Mitchell, known for his impressive batting performances at the ODI World Cup, had previously played in the IPL during the 2022 season, representing Rajasthan Royals, who secured his services for his base price of Rs. 75 lakh. With 20 Tests, 39 ODIs, and 56 T20Is under his belt, Mitchell is an established member of the New Zealand national cricket team across formats.