Image courtesy of: Zimbio

“As soon as I got that first bid I was pretty ecstatic”

Just days after he said that he would not be watching the bidding for his services at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson has admitted that being bought for $750,000 by the Mumbai Indians was “a life-changing event and pretty exciting”.

Anderson attracted such a high price after scoring the fastest ODI century in history.

“I thought it was crazy,” Anderson told Fairfax Media. “To see it unfold in front of your eyes, it felt like a little game you might play with your mates then you have to pinch yourself and realise that it’s real money they’re throwing around. It hasn’t sunk in yet. It feels like you are putting a value on yourself. People want you and you’re expected to do things now for that kind of money. It feels like you’re a house and someone wants to move in. It feels very strange.

“People say I’ve had a pretty good year but it’s been the last couple of months that were pretty good. That’s caused all the havoc about what’s happened. It’s a strange feeling thinking that one event like that can change everything.”

Anderson reiterated that he was shocked to have been bought for four-and-a-half times more than what his base price was worth.

“As soon as I got that first bid I was pretty ecstatic,” Anderson said. “From there on in it was just a waiting game. Hopefully I’ll get some sleep then get ready for training. It’s a life-changing event and pretty exciting.”

Anderson was also rather surprised that his New Zealand team-mates, Jesse Ryder and Martin Guptill, failed to attract any bids during the auction.

“It’s pretty surreal,” he said. “Watching the auction all unfold, it’s hard to explain. There’s times when you think you’re going to get picked up and times you’re not too sure. You see people who aren’t picked up and wonder why, then guys are picked up for more than what you might think.”