IPL auction: Auctioneer Hugh Edmeades collapses during bidding

Veteran auctioneer Hugh Edmeades collapsed while conducting the IPL players' auction here on Saturday and was replaced by sports presenter Charu Sharma for the remainder of the event as he received medical care after a preliminary check-up that found him "stable".

Sharma was handed the auction duties as Edmeades recovered following the fall that was blamed on low blood pressure.

"Mr. Hugh Edmeades, the IPL Auctioneer, had an unfortunate fall due to Postural Hypotension during the IPL Auction this afternoon. The medical team attended to him immediately after the incident & he is stable," read a statement from IPL.

"Mr. Charu Sharma will continue with the Auction proceedings today," it added.

The 60-year-old Edmeades' collapse midway into proceedings led to an early lunch amid commotion inside the auction room.

"He has been attended to by a doctor. He is doing fine, his blood pressure dropped suddenly and that was the reason for his sudden collapse. We will know more once he has a thorough check-up," a BCCI source told PTI.

"He is stable and we will give further updates later," a BCCI spokesperson later said.

Edmeades, who has conducted over 2700 auctions across the globe, primarily of cars including an Aston Martin used in a James Bond film, had Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga's name under the hammer when he fell from his auction pedestal.

Sharma was the CEO of the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise during the IPL's first season.