Uncapped Tim David tops Australian IPL millionaires

Nobody wanted Steven Smith or Adam Zampa or Aaron Finch - but the Indian Premier League teams went ga-ga over Tim David, who has suddenly become Australian cricket's biggest IPL earner.

The big-hitting West Australian David, who has so far earned international stripes for his birthplace of Singapore, and not the country where he was raised, was snapped up for A$ 1.53 million by Mumbai Indians franchise in Sunday's second day of the mega auction.

That was more than any of the other four established Australian stars in the millionaires' league had managed to attract on the auction's first day on Saturday. Josh Hazlewood had gone for A$ 1.44 million to Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pat Cummins A$ 1.35 million to Kolkata Knight Riders, and Mitchell Marsh A$ 1.2 million and David Warner A$ 1.16 million, both to Delhi Capitals.

Meanwhile, other much more high-profile names like Smith, Finch, Zampa, Marnus Labuschagne, Kane Richardson and BBL sensation Ben McDermott didn't even land a single offer. Australia T20I squad members Ashton Agar and Moises Henriques were not put up for bidding despite nominating for the auction. Chris Lynn was also not called.

Instead, it was imposing and rapidly rising 25-year-old Hobart Hurricanes' hitter David, with his globe-trotting 'have bat, will travel' career, who had five franchises grappling for his signature after he had been put on the market for the most modest A$ 75,000.

David, who has grown up in Perth since he was very young, is a man much in demand in T20 leagues around the globe and is currently wowing them in the Pakistan Super League with Multan Sultans before he moves on to Lancashire Lightning in the English county summer.

He did play for Royal Challengers in last season's IPL but only got one game - but Mumbai will doubtless be expecting rather more now they have made him their highest-ever overseas earner.

"We've been tracking Tim and he has got success at RCB last year. Looking forward to seeing him and (Kieron) Pollard finishing innings for us," said Mumbai's owner Akash Ambani.

Daniel Sams was snapped up to join David at Mumbai for A$ 484,000, as was paceman Riley Meredith (A$ 186,000) on day two of the auction. Another fast bowler, Jason Behrendorff, went to Royal Challengers for A$ 139,000.

Sean Abbott got a good deal to go to Sunrisers Hyderabad for A$ 446,000, while Matthew Wade, overlooked on the opening day, was eventually given a home at new franchise Gujarat Titans for the same sum. Nathan Coulter-Nile was bought late on day two by Rajasthan Royals for A$ 372,000, while Nathan Ellis will return to Punjab Kings for A$ 139,000 after playing in the second half of the IPL last year.

In all, A$ 12.23 million was spent on wooing Australians for this year's IPL campaign.