'Cameron Green buy made huge difference to their auction strategy' - Mike Hesson questions RCB's strategy for IPL 2024 auction

The IPL 2024 auction season witnessed some jaw-dropping moments, with records breaking left, right, and center. From the record bid for Mitchell Starc for ₹24.75 crores by Kolkata Knight Riders to the strategic changes made by franchises, the auction was a rollercoaster ride.

However, according to Mike Hesson, former Director of Cricket at Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), one move significantly changed the auction dynamics for the franchise. RCB's decision to acquire Australian all-rounder Cameron Green from Mumbai Indians in an all-clash trade deal for a staggering ₹17.50 crore didn't convince Hesson much,

Hesson, in an interview with cricket.com, expressed his concerns regarding RCB's auction strategy post the Green deal. He highlighted how the hefty investment in Green disrupted their plans.

“We’ve been in auctions where we have bullied other teams. We were able to get ourselves into that position by releasing players. But I thought after the retention list, RCB were in a really strong position. And then they spent ₹17 crore on Cam Green. Cam Green is a fine player, but his buy made a huge difference to their auction strategy,” the 49-year-old commented.

I never would have bid for Pat Cummins: Mike Hesson

Hesson critiqued RCB's approach in pursuing Pat Cummins, questioning the brain behind bidding up to ₹20.25 crore for the Australian star. He believed that RCB spent more than required, which potentially limited their purse in the auction. 

“I never would have bid for Pat Cummins to that level (INR 20.25 crore). Never. You basically show your hand that that’s as far as you can go. So you have another two or three teams that know that ‘that’s all that RCB have’. The other teams will then forego a lot of other options to save more than 23 crore in order to outbid RCB,” Hesson explained.

“So I think RCB showed their hands probably too much with the Pat Cummins move. But I can understand why they did it. Because they didn’t want to end up with nobody. That’s the issue when you buy Cameron Green for ₹17 crore," he added.

Green's performance in the previous season with Mumbai Indians was commendable with both bat and ball. There will be huge responsibilities on Green's shoulders to perform for the Bengaluru-based team.

Also read: 3 RCB bowlers to watch out for in IPL 2024