India, May 19 -- An imposing performance in the previous season of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, capped by a match-winning display in the final, had set the stage for Atharva Ankolekar to be one of the hot picks at the T20 Mumbai League auction. Expectations were high-but what unfolded on the evening of May 8, 2025, exceeded even those.

It became a double celebration for the Ankolekar family.

Atharva, the left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder, was snapped up by Eagle Thane Strikers for a staggering INR 16.25 lakh, making him the most expensive auction buy. And in a heartwarming turn, his younger brother Parth Ankolekar also earned his first-ever contract in the league. For Atharva, the disappointment of going unsold at the IPL mega auction l...