Commentator and TV anchor Charu Sharma was at his Bangalore home on Saturday afternoon when he was urgently contacted by the BCCI to be the stand-in auctioneer at ITC Gardenia hotel.

This was because 62-year-old Hugh Edmeades, the regular IPL auctioneer, collapsed midway during the auction. He was immediately attended to by the BCCI medical team and asked to rest. It is understood that Edmeades is stable and is expected to be fit for the second day, on Sunday.

This was not something that the BCCI had budgeted for and didn’t have an alternative ready. Sharma, who lives near ITC Gardenia and has conducted auctions for other sports, was spoken to by IPL chairman Brijesh Patel and rushed to the venue. The auction though was delayed for more than an hour.

“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,” the BCCI said in a media release.

Postural hypotension or orthostatic hypotension is basically a form of medical condition where the blood pressure of the patient suddenly falls. It can result in a sudden loss of consciousness.

The auction managers decided to break for lunch immediately after the incident, which took place while Wanindu Hasaranga was going under the hammer.

A fine art, vintage car and charity auctioneer, Edmeades was associated with the iconic Christie’s for 38 years before going independent in 2016. His association with IPL began in December 2018, when he conducted the auction in Jaipur.