Mitchell Starc became part of the Indian Premier League’s rich history on Tuesday when Kolkata Knight Riders made a record-breaking bid of INR 24.75 crore to acquire his services. It was the highlight of the auction ceremony which was held in Dubai for the first time. KKR went all out for Starc and engaged in a bidding war alongside Gujarat Titans to sign the left-arm paceman who will be returning to the tournament after 8 years.
Starc was in Australia when the auction madness was happening in Dubai but his wife Alyssa Healy was watching the ceremony closely in India. Healy, who is all set to lead the Australian side on a multi-format tour to India, revealed that she was in the gym when her husband Starc’s bid came up in the 2024 IPL Auction.
“Look, it is what it is,” Healy told the media ahead of Australia Women’s training session at the Wankhede Stadium.
It was not the first time, KKR shelled out a big moolah on Starc as they signed him for a whopping INR 9.40 crore in the IPL 2018 Auction. However, the Aussie paceman was ruled out of the season due to an injury in the right leg.
Meanwhile, in the last few years, Starc didn’t put his name in the auction to prioritise international cricket and manage his workload.
Healy also talked about Starc’s choice to miss the last few IPL seasons and said that his price tag is a great justification for his choice to put the country first over the years.
“It is an amazing moment for Mitch, it is a great justification for the hard work he has put in and (for) probably some of the choices he has made over the last eight years to put his country first,” she said.
Was Not Drinking Beer
An image of Healy drinking a glass of beer went viral on social media after Starc’s historic bid was over. She cleared the air about where she was when her husband’s bid came up during the auctions
“I was in the gym. I wasn’t thinking of beers as according to social media. I was actually in the gym working hard, watching it all unfold. But yeah, an amazing day for him and Pat (Cummins),” added the Australian skipper.
Starc, 33, has usually prioritised international duty over IPL but decided to enter the auction with one eye on the T20 World Cup that follows the IPL. He has played only two seasons of the IPL, taking 34 wickets in 27 games at an average of 20.38.
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