Moeen Ali secured a £690,000 IPL payday after he was snapped up by Chennai Super Kings at this morning’s auction.
The all-rounder was released by Royal Challengers Bangalore after making only three appearances during last year’s tournament, but will be back for the 2021 renewal, teaming up with fellow England international Sam Curran to play under Indian legend MS Dhoni at Chennai.
The Super Kings’ home ground is the MA Chidambaram Stadium, where the Moeen recently made his return to the England Test team in the Second Test defeat to India.
There was controversy over the 33-year-old’s subsequent departure from the tour this week after captain Joe Root suggested he had chosen to go home, before it was clarified that his exit was to allow a pre-arranged period of rest, as with all England’s multi-format players.
South Africa’s Chris Morris became the most expensive player in IPL auction history, bought by Rajasthan Royals for around £1.6million, while Australia’s Glenn Maxwell fetched around £1.4m from Royal Challengers Bangalore.
England’s Dawid Malan - the world’s No1 ranked T20 batsman - went to Kings XI Punjab for a bargain £150,000, while Steve Smith joined Delhi Capitals for around £215,000.
