Mumbai: A person at a cricket memorabilia auction in Mumbai purchased Indian cricketer Virat Kohli's jersey for Rs 40 lakhs.

The auction, organised by the Vipla Foundation, a charitable organisation run by cricketer K L Rahul and his wife Athiya Shetty, aimed to raise funds for differently-abled children.

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India’s ODI captain Rohit Sharma's bat was another highlight of the event, fetching Rs 24 lakhs. In total, the auction raised Rs 1.9 crore, which will be donated to a school for differently-abled children supported by the foundation.

The auction featured items from both current and former cricket stars, with a special focus on Indian players. Participants in the auction showed particular interest in items linked to Indian cricket legends, resulting in Virat Kohli’s gloves selling for Rs 28 lakhs and former captain M.S. Dhoni’s bat fetching Rs 13 lakhs. A fan purchased Rahul Dravid’s bat for Rs 11 lakhs.

International cricket stars also had their items auctioned. Quinton de Kock’s wicket-keeping gloves were sold for Rs 1.10 lakhs, while Jos Buttler’s jersey fetched Rs 55,000. 

Other notable sales included Dhoni’s batting gloves, which fetched Rs 3.5 lakhs, and K.L. Rahul’s batting pad, which sold for Rs 2.40 lakhs. His helmet also commanded Rs 4.20 lakhs. Additionally, Malayalee cricketer Sanju Samson’s Rajasthan Royals jersey was sold for approximately Rs 50,000.

Vipla Foundation, originally founded by K.L. Rahul’s grandmother, focuses on supporting differently-abled children. K L Rahul has taken over its operations now. 

Speaking on the success of the event, Athiya Shetty said, “This is our first charity auction, and I’m thrilled that ‘Cricket for a Cause’ was such a success.”