IPL auction took off with Dhoni; battle for Pollard in 2010 saw extraordinary bidding: Richard Madley

Indian Premier League (IPL) auction and as the mega auction is just upon us, it is fair to reflect on how the very first auction fared way back in 2008 and how it all started for the cash-rich league. EX-IPL auctioneer Richard Madley has opened up on how it was like to get associated with the tournament back in the day. Madley took charge of the IPL auctions every season from the inception of the league till 2018. From the 2019 season, he was replaced by Hugh Edmeadas. In an interaction with ANI, Madley opened up on his thoughts about the IPL, bidding wars for players, and what he made of MS Dhoni being picked up by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) way back in 2008. "When I was first approached to advise on the formatting of the inaugural Player Auction in February 2008, I was providing technical advice on auction law - including the rules and regulations. I had always wanted to visit India but never had the opportunity to do so. Being invited to conduct that first auction gave me the opportunity to see firsthand the passion shown for cricket," Madley told ANI. "No one had any idea that in the ballroom of The Oberoi Hilton, Mumbai on February 20th, 2008 that the world of cricket would change forever. The atmosphere was electric in the auction room that day as player after player came under my hammer. Technology was limited just 14 years ago and there was no Twitter or Instagram. No one thought of recording me selling MS Dhoni for USD 1.5 million. Mobile phones were banned at the auction but mine didn't even have a camera," he added.

Further revealing his memories about the very first IPL auction, Madley said, "The auction actually started steadily -with Shoaib Akhtar selling to Kolkata and Shane Warne to Jaipur for his base