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The stage is set. Analysts, coaches and mentors are all collaborating to decode the best strategies. It’s now down to the battle of the batons in the IPL 2023 mini auction which is set to be held in Kochi on Friday (December 23). 

Over these last 15 years, we have added some of the biggest names out there in the sport to the Paltan roster, and have unearthed some absolutely raw talents. With the grand event just a few days away, let’s revisit our auction outings over the years. 

February 20, 2008 | Mumbai: The foundation stone is laid

Of all the privileges you get for hailing from the city of Mumbai, none’s bigger than getting to sign Sachin Tendulkar as your Icon player even before the first hammer goes down! 

It might have been season one, auction in cricket was a brand new concept, but the battles among the teams were just as intense. The war cry was sounded. It was here that we got Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga, two of our backbones over the next ten years, and architects of our multiple title wins. Sanath Jayasuriya, Robin Uthappa, Shaun Pollock, ah, it wasn’t just a team, it was an emotion, one that’s still running high after 15 years. 

In case you’re a fan of what-could-have-beens, we went all guns blazing to try and get a certain MS Dhoni. Go on Paltan, let your imagination run wild .. 

February 9, 2009 | Goa: JP Duminy bags a 950,000 USD deal

A total of 43 overseas cricketers went under the hammer. We made the third-most expensive buy on the day by buying a young South African all-rounder, JP Duminy, who was riding high on his dreamy exploits on debut just a month earlier. And IPL 2009, which was staged in South Africa, saw him milk 372 runs (including five fifties) and pick some crucial wickets with his off-breaks. 

January 19, 2010 | Mumbai: The Polly era begins

Eyebrows were raised and gazes were exchanged when a 23-year-old Caribbean all-rounder was sold for a whopping 750,000 USD in the 2010 mini auction. Everybody in the room wanted him on their roster. However, he was Mumbai Indians’ only purchase of the evening, and possibly one of the biggest ever. Kieron Pollard went on to become one of the greatest IPL players of all time with five IPL and two CL T20 titles to his tally. Add to it the many million moments of blitz and athleticism that are eternally etched in our memory. Interestingly, the bidding war was initially contested between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings, with Deccan Chargers expressing interest midway through. 

CSK and MI, as they did multiple times on the field, went toe-to-toe for Polly. Both teams touched their budget’s limit, and it eventually needed a secret silent bid. Our most famous W against CSK, possibly? That’s for another day, but can you even imagine our Polly in the yellow jersey? *NOOOOOOOOOOOO!*

January 8 and 9, 2011 | Bengaluru: Hitman’s homecoming

The 2011 mega auction was the first major curve ball in all franchises’ plans for the future. The teams were allowed to retain only four players ahead of the auction. MI retained Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga. The mega auction also had two new teams in the fray - Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Pune Warriors India.

But the main story of the auction for us, unfolded between 12:18pm and 12:26pm. Rohit Sharma came in, Punjab, Deccan Chargers and MI (duh!), were caught up in a three-way fight. Oh there was no way we were stopping, and so finally, at 2 million USD, ROHIT SHARMA WAS A MUMBAI INDIANS PLAYER. And then immediately after, Andrew Symonds came in, and we were on a gobbling spree, beating CSK to the finish line.

February 4, 2012 | Bengaluru: Hunting all-rounder after all-rounder

At MI, we’ve witnessed some of the game’s finest openers coming out to bat wearing the Blue and Gold. In 2012, it was Herschelle Gibbs’ turn. 

We also roped in Mitchell Johnson, who wrote his name into the Paltan folklore with a match-winning final over in the 2017 final. Unfortunately, a toe injury ruled him out for the 2012 edition, but he returned next year in our first title-winning campaign and finished as our highest wicket-taker, with 24 scalps in 17 matches. We also scooped up Robin Peterson, who then went on to literally scoop us to victories from the jaws of defeat (ask Punjab!).