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“The only team that said, ‘No, we’ve got no interest'” – Former MI star player recalls interesting story on how he got signed in IPL 2016 auction

Former England captain Jos Buttler recalled his first IPL auction experience when the Mumbai Indians (MI) signed him for the 2016 season.

By Venkatesh Ravichandran · Sportskeeda

Published: Tuesday, 20 October 2026 at 2:45 PM

Key Things to Know

Jos Buttler revealed Mumbai Indians initially expressed no interest before signing him in the 2016 IPL auction.
Mumbai Indians eventually purchased Buttler at the 2016 auction for ₹3.8 crores.
Seven of the eight IPL franchises had expressed prior interest in signing Buttler ahead of that auction.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Former England captain Jos Buttler revealed that the Mumbai Indians originally expressed zero interest in signing him ahead of the 2016 IPL auction. Speaking on the For the Love of Cricket YouTube channel, Buttler noted that seven of the eight franchises had shown interest, making it a surprise when Mumbai Indians ultimately purchased him for ₹3.8 crores.

Buttler also highlighted the 2017 season as a major turning point, when head coach Mahela Jayawardene promoted him to open the batting. Jayawardene shifted him to the top of the order because the team already possessed middle-order power hitters in Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard.

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