NEW DELHI: Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has expressed his doubts about the high price tag attached to Pat Cummins in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Gillespie believes that T20 cricket is not Cummins' strongest format, but he does support Mitchell Starc's record-breaking deal.
Cummins, who is the Australian captain, was involved in a bidding war between the Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad, eventually securing a contract worth a staggering Rs 20.50 crore.
'Pat is a top bowler, but…'
Gillespie, speaking on SEN Radio, said, "Pat is undoubtedly a top-quality bowler and a great leader, we've seen that. However, I don't believe T20 is his best format. In my opinion, he is a Test bowler, and Test cricket is where he excels."
This is not the first time that Cummins has attracted a hefty price at the IPL auction. Ahead of the 2020 edition, the Kolkata Knight Riders paid Rs 15.5 crore for his services.
"He is a good T20 bowler, no doubt about it. But that price tag is enormous," added Gillespie, highlighting the magnitude of Cummins' deal.
1/10:IPL Auction: Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins set salary records
Getty Images
2/10:Aussie pacers
<p>Australia fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins became the most expensive players in Indian Premier League history, with franchises dishing out crores for their services.</p>Getty Images
3/10:Mitchell Starc
<p>Mitchell Starc was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 24.75 crore, setting an all-time IPL auction record.</p>Getty Images
4/10:Pat Cummins
<p>Starc broke the record set by Pat Cummins earlier in the day when Sunrisers Hyderabad paid Rs 20.50 crore for the World Cup-winning captain. </p>Getty Images
5/10:Daryl Mitchell
<p>New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell was the third-top player at the auction, grabbed by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 14 crore.</p>Getty Images
6/10:Rovman Powell
<p>West Indies star Rovman Powell went to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 7.4 crore. </p>Getty Images
7/10:Travis Head
<p>Travis Head will play alongside Cummins for SRH after being sold for Rs 6.8 crore. </p>Getty Images
8/10:Gerald Coetzee
<p>South Africa pacer Gerald Coetzee was sold to Mumbai Indians for Rs 5 crore. </p>Getty Images
9/10:Rachin Ravindra
<p>But up-and-coming New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra failed to arouse much interest, with CSK paying an underwhelming Rs 1.8 crore for his services. </p>Getty Images
10/10:Steve Smith
<p>Former Australia skipper Steve Smith went unsold, so did triple Test centurion Karun Nair of India. </p>Getty ImagesStarc - the most expensive IPL player
Shortly after Cummins secured his contract, Starc surpassed him to become the most expensive player in IPL history.
The Kolkata Knight Riders secured Starc's services for a staggering Rs 24.75 crore. Starc, who has typically prioritized international cricket over the IPL, has played only two seasons in the tournament, taking 34 wickets in 27 matches at an average of 20.38.
'A fantastic acquisition'
"I believe Starc is a fantastic acquisition. We all acknowledge that it is a significant sum of money, but the IPL is a highly lucrative tournament... I am absolutely thrilled for Mitch," Gillespie said.
"This just goes to show the value that teams place on left-arm fast bowlers and left-arm swing bowlers who can bowl at pace."
(With inputs from PTI)
