Trent Boult, the New Zealand fast bowler, entered the auction with strong demand. RR kicked off the bidding, but LSG and MI quickly joined the race. The bid shot up to 10 crore, with MI and RR battling fiercely. Boult, who has given up his NZ contract, remained active in global leagues. After a tense exchange, MI won the bidding war at 12.5 crore.