Richard Madley first wielded the auctioneer’s hammer in 2008 and continued this role until 2018. In the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction set to take place at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, the focus is on 332 players slated to go under the hammer. This edition’s mini-auction carries a historic significance as Mallika Sagar steps in as the IPL’s inaugural female auctioneer. Ahead of her debut at the IPL 2024 auction, Richard Madley, the league’s first auctioneer, conveyed his heartfelt wishes. Madley shared a nostalgic image featuring the gavels used in previous auctions.
The caption on the shared picture on X reads, “Good luck Mallika Sagar as you prepare for the #IPL2024Auction. It is the ultimate honour to be invited to conduct the world’s highest profile auction and I wish you well. I will always treasure the memories.” The image showcases gavels of various sizes and colors that Madley utilized during the league’s auctions, starting from 2008 until the IPL 2018 edition.
This tweet was posted a day ago on X, accumulating over 3.8 lakh views since then, with the numbers still rising. Many individuals expressed their thoughts in the comments section of the post.
One person stated, “Your voice in the auction was a bliss to our ears. Made our childhood special, sir. Thank you.” Madley responded, “I seem to have generated many childhood memories.”
Another commented, “We will miss you, sir! I grew up watching you as an auctioneer.” Madley replied, “My best wishes to the younger generation.”
A third person inquired, “Quick question: what’s the difference between these many types of hammers with different designs that are presented in this pic? Just wanted to understand if there is any specific hammer for specific types of auctions or just any other?” Madley responded, “Just an assortment I’ve acquired over the years. Some look like a heavyweight – others a lighter touch. I’ve always favoured a smaller wooden model.”
A fourth individual shared, “We will miss you Richard Madley. Even today, whenever someone mentions the IPL Auction, the face that comes to everyone’s mind is yours! I wish we could witness you doing this again!” Madley replied, “It’s been five years, but it seems like yesterday only.”
