'16 years ago today!...': 2008 IPL Auctioneer recalls MS Dhoni's and Warne's bids, post goes viral

Richard Madley, the auctioneer who was in charge of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction from its start in 2008 until 2018, shared a throwback photo on the 16th anniversary of the first IPL auction. 

The photo showed an auction sheet that included names of key players like MS Dhoni and Shane Warne. Madley, replaced by current IPL auctioneer Hugh Edmeades, posted the photo on X, previously known as Twitter, and asked users to guess the teams and prices the players were sold for. 

MS Dhoni's comeback to professional cricket is expected to be a major highlight of IPL 2024.

"16 years ago today! The day before the first #IPL auction My “practice “ auctioneers sheets - to rehearse names, specialism and reserves - including #Dhoni Can you fill in the blanks? Anniversary tomorrow," Madley posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).

MS Dhoni faced a knee issue during the IPL 2023, leading him to undergo surgery. Recently, his former teammate Parthiv Patel shared an intriguing update after a meeting with the cricket superstar.

Last year, Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings to their fifth IPL title, equalling the record. Despite several videos of Dhoni practicing, no official statement has been made regarding his game fitness. Dhoni, who retired from international cricket, experienced a knee issue during IPL 2023 and underwent surgery. Parthiv Patel,

Dhoni's former teammate, shared about a recent meeting with Dhoni, stating they did not discuss cricket.

"We didn't talk about cricket at all. We were there to attend the Common friend's wedding. We didn't talk about cricket. And usually we don't unless we are on the ground and stuff. These are not the times where we talk about cricket. We were just having fun," Parthiv was quoted as saying by Times Now.