| As predicted by most cricket enthusiasts, the English | | | | one of the best all rounders in the business. |
| tandem of Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff both | | | | English players failed to get involved in the auction |
| were picked up during the Indian Premier League | | | | last year due to international commitments and once |
| auction and both were given contracts for $1.55 | | | | again shall be limited to half of t he IPL season due |
| million each. Pietersen went to Bangalore and Flintoff | | | | to its home test series versus the West Indies this |
| to Chennai. | | | | coming April and May. The IPL starts on the 10 of |
| The previous record was held by Indian captian | | | | April to May 29. Next to the English duo, South |
| Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was taken by Chennai in | | | | African all-rounder JP Duminy was taken for $950,000 |
| the 2008 auction. His transfer fee amounted to $1.5 | | | | to the Mumbai Indians, with his price greater than |
| million. Flintoff and Pietersen's fees shall be paid as | | | | three times the original fee. Fellow South African |
| salary but on a pro rata basis as the duo can only | | | | Tyron Henderson got six times more than his value |
| play for three weeks and not the six weeks | | | | when the Rajasthan Royals shelled out $650,000 for |
| equivalent of a season. | | | | him. |
| Aside from the two sought after English players | | | | For Australia, Australian batsman Michael Clarke |
| whos ability to turn a game around can change the | | | | would have also been earning a high wage as his |
| fortunes of the teams they play in and ignite the | | | | price tag was at $1 million. But he withdrew from the |
| crowd, the other English cricketers who were taken | | | | auction citing the need for rest in preparation for a |
| were Ravi Bopara who went to Kings XI Punjab for | | | | busy year for the Australian Cricket Team. Included |
| $450,000, Owais Shah was taken for $375,000 and | | | | in the team's schedule is a Test series against South |
| Paul Collingwood got $275,000. Both have joned Delhi. | | | | Africa, the Ashes series and the Twenty20 World |
| All of the English cricketers who were taken in have | | | | Cup. Australian paceman Saun Tait went to the |
| to pay 10% of their share of their auction price to | | | | Rajasthan Royals for $375,000 and shall be reunited |
| their counties that they play for in the County | | | | with former Australian teammate Shane Warne. |
| Championships for releasing them for the first season. | | | | George Bailey was the other Australian sold for |
| Bangalore's owner Vijay Mallya said that he was | | | | $50,000 to Chennai. |
| willing to pay more in order to obtain Pietersen's | | | | Contracts that were handed out are all for two |
| services, calling it a worthwhile investment. He even | | | | seasons, instead of three. Critics rationalized that |
| hinted that since the role of captain is still open in the | | | | Flintoff and Pietersen's absence from the IPL auction |
| team, Pietersen is being considered to lead the Royal | | | | last year worked in their behalf this year to earn so |
| Challengers. N. Srinavasan, the secretary of the Indian | | | | much more, the reason behind was that the |
| Cricket Board and owns the Chennai Super Kings, | | | | abundance of talent that was up for sale last year. |
| was happy with his new recruit, Flintoff, calling him | | | | Follow the live cricket scores at ScoresPro. |