Riley Meredith became the fifth-most expensive uncapped player signed in IPL auction history on Thursday, when the Punjab Kings paid INR 8 crore (US$ 1.096 million approx.) for his services. A 24-year-old fast bowler from Tasmania, Meredith has long been talked up as a future prospect for Australia - particularly by Shane Warne - and will have the chance to show his ability ahead of this year's T20 World Cup.
Early days
Meredith made his professional debut playing for a Cricket Australia XI against Pakistan in early 2017, and played a handful of games for Tasmania in the 2017-18 season. An injury to Tymal Mills gave him an opportunity to play in the semi-final and final of the BBL that year - the first two T20s of his career - in an attack also containing Jofra Archer.
Breakthrough season
The 2018-19 period proved to be a breakthrough home summer for Meredith across formats. He took 27 wickets for Tasmania in eight Sheffield Shield appearances, and snared 16 in the BBL as the Hobart Hurricanes reached the semi-finals. By that stage, he was already being tipped for international selection by Warne, who has proved to be a vocal advocate of Meredith's talents over the last three years.
Australia call
A side strain limited Meredith to just six BBL appearances in 2019-20, though he bowled at high pace when he did make it on to the park, taking ten wickets with an economy rate of just 6.68 across the season, and he dismissed both David Warner and Steven Smith in a Marsh Cup game against New South Wales. By that stage, his performances had caught the eyes of Australia's selectors, and he won a call-up to the expanded limited-overs squad to tour England in 2020, though was not afforded an opportunity to play.
Recent form
Meredith again impressed with his pace and bounce in the 2020-21 BBL, taking 16 wickets and maintaining an economy rate of 7.82 despite bowling a significant chunk of his overs in the initial four-over powerplay and often returning at the death. He has been named in Australia's squad for their T20I series in New Zealand later this month.
IPL hopes
Meredith expressed his ambitions of playing in the IPL last year. "It's the premier domestic T20 comp in the world," he said on a BBC podcast. "The best players are playing in it and if you get an opportunity to play in it, you're definitely grabbing it with both hands. If I got an opportunity at some stage it would be awesome to get over there and play."
Off the field
Meredith is instantly recognisably after growing a Fred Spofforth-style moustache during the lockdown. He owns a greyhound named Elton.
The expert view
"There's been a bit of chat around him for a couple of domestic seasons now. He bowls fast. I think that's a great thing about him, he can just run in and express himself with the ball now. If he gets his chance in Australian colours I think he'll take it with both hands." Mitchell Starc, Australia fast bowler