IPL 2024 Auction: 3 Players who returned to their former franchises

Many cricketers received a windfall of cash during the IPL 2024 auction. 72 players found homes in their former or new franchises, out of 77 available spaces. 333 players went under the hammer. Pat Cummins signed a deal for INR 20.50 crore, and Mitchell Starc for INR 24.75 crore, making them the two most expensive players not only in this auction but in IPL history.

However, there were also some pretty wholesome stories, as many players had their homecoming. Players returned to a franchise, they were previously part of and some of them played a huge role in the team’s success during that time.

Here are the three players who returned to their former franchise in the IPL 2024 auction:

1. Shreyas Gopal (Mumbai Indians)

Shreyas-Gopal. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Shreyas Gopal was bought by the MI franchise for his base price of INR 20 lakh. With this, the five-time champions have a very good wrist-spinner as backup to the more experienced Piyush Chawla. Gopal had decent success for MI when picked in 2014 with six wickets in four games in that season. However, Gopal went sideways with MI trusting the more experienced Harbhajan Singh, Krunal Pandya, and Karn Sharma.

Gopal then moved to Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2018 for whom he picked a hat-trick as well. After that, he had a tough time in IPL for four seasons (two with the Royals and two with Sunrisers Hyderabad). But now a more experienced and skilled Gopal will return to the MI team, and he will likely get more than a few opportunities given the thin choice of spinners the franchise has.

2. Manish Pandey (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings IPL 2014. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Though Manish Pandey first gained limelight in IPL 2009 for becoming the first Indian to score a century in IPL while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore, most of his success came for Kolkata Knight Riders after IPL 2011. He played a huge role in KKR’s two IPL title wins in 2012 and 2014. Who can forget his 94 (50) in the IPL 2014 final, which aced Wriddhiman Saha’s brilliant ton for the Punjab Kings.

This got him an INR 11 crore deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Pandey even made his India debut during this time in 2016. However, Pandey’s bat fell silent after IPL 2020 onwards and performances in the IPL never quite returned to his best. But KKR have still shown faith in the talented Pandey who cost them just INR 50 lakh and the batter will hope he winds the clock back one more.

3. Shardul Thakur (Chennai Super Kings)

Shardul Thakur and MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)

One of the biggest homecomings in the IPL 2024 auction was that of Shardul Thakur returning to Chennai Super Kings for INR 4 crore. Shardul Thakur first joined CSK in IPL 2018 and won the title that season under MS Dhoni. He added another title to his kitty in IPL 2021 before the two parted ways. In four years with CSK team, Thakur picked up 55 wickets in 48 matches, building up an image of a serial partnership-breaker

In IPL 2022, Delhi Capitals picked him for a massive 10.75 crore, but Thakur failed to perform for them. He was then traded to Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023 and barring a handful of good knocks, his performance with the ball was poor. But with CSK again showing faith in Shardul Thakur, the cricketer will hope to regain his glory days in what could be a farewell IPL 2024 season for the great MS Dhoni.