'I have never experienced anything like it': Hugh Edmeades recounts health scare during IPL 2022 Auction

Auctioneer Hugh Edmeades relives the dramatic moment he collapsed on stage during the IPL mega auction and why he came back to finish the job.

In all those mind-spinning numbers from the IPL mega auction, one of the most heart-warming visuals was of auctioneer Hugh Edmeades walking into the auction room to a standing ovation, a day after collapsing on stage in the early hours of the two-day event due to sudden drop in blood pressure.

'I have never experienced anything like it': Hugh Edmeades recounts health scare during IPL 2022 Auction

From suffering a black out for a few seconds to waking up to a flood of reactions on social media—including “RIP, Hugh”—to watching the auction from his room before returning for its last leg, it was a whirlwind weekend in Bengaluru for the renowned UK-based auctioneer. Back home and smiling with the shoulder still a touch sore from the fall, Edmeades relives the two dramatic days:

How do you reflect on how the auction unfolded for you?

With huge regret. I was so looking forward to do the mega auction. Woke up on Saturday all excited. Did the first couple of sets—very well, everyone was bidding. Then suddenly I felt hot and sweaty. And the next thing I knew, I was being revived on the floor.

You've spent more than three decades doing this. Ever had an experience like that?

Nothing close to it! I think it was a combination of lack of sleep due to the jet lag and lack of exercise because I was stuck in my room quarantining. I wasn’t eating vey sensibly, was skipping meals. If you run out of petrol, you’re going to cork out. And I just corked out. As soon as I got some more gas inside me, I was up and running again.

Do you have any recollection of the fall and the moments leading up to it? It looked pretty scary on TV…

The bidding was going really slowly for (Wanindu) Hasaranga, and suddenly, I became all sweaty. I thought, “This isn’t right”. I don’t remember going down. I only remember waking up. At both places—the fantastic medical care I got in Bengaluru and having checked myself again in the UK—they said it was a classic case of low blood pressure causing you to faint. You did nothing else but faint. The medics at the hotel were very kind in telling me constantly, “You’re fine, you’d fainted, you’re dehydrated”. About 20 minutes later, my blood pressure was back to where it should be. It was just one of those things; as I said, I ran out of gas. Totally my fault.

How long were you unconscious for?

I was told it was about 10-15 seconds. The first thing I remember waking up was seeing the Lucknow Super Giants name tag on their table. They must have turned me around to sit me up. I do not recall that whatsoever!

When did you get in touch with your family back home, and how did they react?

I didn’t have my phone during the auction. The medics brought it, so I phoned my family and said, “Look, you might have seen me go down, but I’m fine”. What I totally underestimated was the power of social media. All sorts of messages were going out, saying “Hugh’s collapsed”. And that reached my daughter, who was out walking my dog at home. So that was pretty scary for her. Having also seen some of the comments like “rest in peace, Hugh”, I was like, no, I haven’t passed away!

Could you describe the next 24 hours or so until you came back for the auction?

I was in my hotel room the whole time, watching the auction, wishing I was there rather than my room. The doctor came to see me twice on Saturday evening, and again at 9am on Sunday. I was in two minds (on the morning of the auction’s second day). I thought I’ve got to get back up there. The shoulder was pretty sore but I was mentally fit as a fiddle. The doctor said it was highly unlikely that I would faint again. So I asked the doc, “If you were me, would you get back up there”? He said my advice would be to take it easy. That helped make up my mind. It certainly also helped seeing how good a job Charu Sharma was doing, and I was confident Charu would continue very well in my absence. The BCCI was fantastic; they said if you feel like it, you can come and take the last few lots of the accelerated part. I was under no pressure. But as they say, if you fall off your horse, you’ve got to get back up there at some point. So there I went—I thought I’d just quietly slip into the room until Charu called me up. I had no idea what was in store.

A standing ovation in the room…

It was pretty emotional, really. I don’t think I’ve ever had a standing ovation before! And then there were people coming up to me and giving their best wishes. It was a fantastic moment.