The key to RCB's Rs 14 cr bid: Virat wanted Yuvraj

A Rs 14 crore bid by Vijay Mallya’s Royal Challengers Bangalore made Yuvraj Singh the most expensive buy on the first day of the IPL 2014 auction. With only uncapped and unsold players left to come, it is unlikely that any other bid with top Yuvraj’s price tag. But many were taken by surprise. Yuvraj Singh hasn’t been in great form and he has been let down by his fitness in recent times. However, he is a big-name player and if he does get going, he can win matches single-handedly. In the last edition of the IPL, RCB had become a single-player team – so much so that if the opposition got Chris Gayle early, they almost invariably won the match. [caption id=“attachment_1387629” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Yuvraj can certainly light it up. Reuters[/caption] The addition of Yuvraj to the line-up should add more balance to it. Royal Challengers had almost bought Yuvraj for Rs 10 crore when Kolkata Knight Riders joined in the bidding, and eventually the left-handed batsman was sold for Rs 14 crore to the Bangalore outfit. Mallya, however, said that the hammer had fallen at Rs 10 crore for Yuvraj. “The hammer did go down at Rs 10 crore. Normally, my understanding is that when the hammer falls down, that’s the final. We have written to the IPL Governing Council regarding this. I am hopeful that they (IPL GC) will consider the matter,” Mallya told ‘Times Now’. But the appeal was turned down by IPL chairman Ranjib Biswal. Mallya later said that Virat Kohli, the Royal Challengers’ captain, was “keen” on getting Yuvraj. Along with Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers, Royal Challengers now have one of the most star-studded and powerful batting orders in the IPL. “Virat Kohli, our captain, was very keen on him. That extra Rs 4 crores was somewhat unfortunate, but the auctioneer has the sole discretion,” Mallya said. “Everybody saw him look around the room before the hammer fell but he then chose to continue the bidding. So life must go on.” The ground is Bangalore has seen Chris Gayle pile up some record scores and expect Yuvraj to do the same. It is a small ground and Yuvraj too can deal in sixes. Clearly, Kohli’s confidence in the veteran made the difference – now it’s down to the left-hander to return the favour with a vintage display.