IPL 2021: ‘Am not really sure how we got Steve Smith so cheap,’ says Ricky Ponting

Steve Smith and Ricky Ponting

Australian batsman Steve Smith emerged as one of the top bargain buys during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 auctions. Smith came with a base price of INR 2 crores and Delhi Capitals roped him with a winning bid of INR 2.2 crores. Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore backed out just after making an initial bid.

DC coach Ricky Ponting is still wondering how they got one of the top batsmen in world cricket at such a low price. Ponting said that Smith is currently very keen to go out there and perform well.

Also Read | IPL 2021: Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Daniel Sams tests positive for COVID-19

“I’m not really sure how we got him so cheap. I think the fact that he’s been released from the franchise that he’s been at for a long time will make him a bit hungry as well this year. I caught up with him (recently), he’s very, very keen to go out there and perform well,” says Ricky Ponting.

‘Was quite remarkable how things turned out at the auctions’: Ponting

Ricky Ponting mentioned that Smith was a part of DC’s strategy but the team management didn’t spend much time on him thinking they’ll get outbid. However, he admitted that it was quite remarkable how things went during the auctions and Smith came to their side just after a single bid.

“So going into the auction, we hadn’t really spoken a lot about Smithy. His name did come up in some of the strategy stuff, but we just thought ‘we’re getting outbid’, simple as that. So we hadn’t put that much time into it,” he said.

“I was on the phone at home watching the auction live and talking to our owners as it was all happening. And that one bid came from us, and it was one bid and bang! Sold to Delhi Capitals. It was quite remarkable how it turned out because that sort of class doesn’t come around all the time and that sort of experience doesn’t come around all the time,” said the DC coach.

Also Read | IPL 2021: ‘Our side ticks all the boxes,’ says CSK batsman N Jagadeesan