MUMBAI: Charu Sharma, who replaced Hugh Edmeades after the IPL original auctioneer from England fell off the dais due to postural hypotension, or low blood pressure, continued to conduct the IPL auction on day two on Sunday.
"So pleased to report that Hugh Edmeades is feeling much improved today but has wisely agreed that the highly competent @Charuonsports should continue to conduct #IPLMegaAuction2022 today. My compliments go to Charu for his outstanding performance at short notice," tweeted Richard Madley, who has conducted IPL auctions in the past.
Summoned by his “close friend” IPL chairman Brijesh Patel to conduct the IPL auction on Saturday in Bangalore in an emergency situation, Sharma, who was having lunch with guests at his home when the call came, did a brilliant job.
His flawless show, despite having no time for preparation for what is a highly critical job, earned Sharma a warm round of applause from all the franchisees at the end of the day.
It helped that he lives just 10-15 minutes from the five-star hotel in which the auction was being conducted.
“It was truly ‘another day with the hammer’! With all humility. Providence that I was so close at hand. And that Brijesh is a good friend who knew my ability in this arena,” Sharma told TOI.
A noted television commentator — he commentated in the Tata Maharashtra Open recently — Sharma has conducted auctions for sports leagues as well as artefacts before.
He conducts auctions for 'Bid and Hammer', an arts gallery, in Bangalore. This, however, was perhaps the 62-year-old’s biggest challenge in his vast 40-year career.
