The Indian Premier League is the biggest cricket league in the world. And numbers suggest that there is no other cricket tournament that is as big as the IPL. There are various reasons for these. Top stars from across the globe wish to play in the marquee tournament. The level of competition is huge when a player plays in the IPL.
However, one another reason for the overseas that attract to play in this league is the money involved in it. Without a doubt, the IPL gives more money to the players than their own cricket board, which is also the reason that players skip their international commitments to play in this league. An IPL auction is the most entertaining event that happens in this game. It makes a player a millionaire overnight. There are players that have fetched a huge amount of money in the IPL auction. So, let’s take a look at the overall most expensive players in the IPL auction.
6. Yuvraj Singh – INR 16 Crore in 2015 to Delhi Capitals
Former Indian spin all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was known for hitting huge sixes, and that was how he established himself. He was one of the reasons for India’s win in the 2007 T20 World Cup. He is the joint-fourth most expensive player in the history of the IPL. In the IPL 2015, it was Delhi Capitals, who picked him for an amount of INR 16 crore. Notably, Yuvraj was also the costliest player in the 2014 season, when RCB signed him for INR 14 crore.
5. Nicholas Pooran – INR 16 Crore in 2023 to Lucknow Super Giants
West Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran has been one of the hottest picks in the IPL auction. It was Sunrisers Hyderabad who picked him at INR 10 crore in the 2022 IPL auction. However, the franchise released him ahead of the IPL 2023 auction. But the left-hander was one of those players who created a bidding war. In the end, the Lucknow Super Giants picked Pooran for a price of INR 16 crore. He is the joint-fourth costliest player in IPL history.
4. Chris Morris – INR 16.25 Crore in 2021 to Rajasthan Royals
Former South African all-rounder was the costliest player in the IPL history till the IPL 2023 auction. It was the 2008 IPL champion Rajasthan Royals who signed him for a price of INR 16.25 crore in the 2021 auction. Prior to that, RCB released Morris in 2021, and it was RR who bought him, making him the joint-third most expensive player in the IPL.
3. Ben Stokes – INR 16.25 Crore in 2023 to Chennai Super Kings
One of the biggest names in modern-day cricket, Ben Stokes, has always been a hot property in the IPL auction. He has been part of a few auctions and has always been the first choice for many franchises. However, in the IPL 2023 auction, Chennai Super Kings broke their bank to acquire him. CSK picked him up for INR 16.25 crore, making him the joint-third most expensive IPL player. He is also the costliest player for CSK in the IPL.
2. Cameron Green – INR 17.50 Crore in 2023 to Mumbai Indians
All-rounders are always in huge demand in the Indian Premier League. That was the reason that, before the start of the IPL 2023 auction, Cameron Green was said to be the favourite player for many IPL franchises. And that’s what happened in the end. As his name came out to be auctioned, four to five franchises took an interest in him. In the end, Mumbai Indians bought him for a huge price of INR 17.5 crore. He became the second costliest player in the IPL auction and the costliest for MI.
1. Sam Curran – INR 18.5 Crore in 2023 to Punjab Kings
Before the IPL auction of 2023, Chris Morris was the costliest player. But then, Sam Curran broke all the records. He has become the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League. Curran was the “Man of the Tournament” in the T20 World Cup 2022 and helped England lift their second world title. That is why IPL franchises were keen to take him in their team. Eventually, it was the Punjab Kings who bought the all-rounder for an unbelievable price of INR 18.5 crore, making him the most expensive player in cricket history.
Most Expensive Player in IPL T20
| Player | Year | Team | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | 2008 | CSk | 6 Cr |
| Kevin Pietersen | 2009 | RCB | 7.55 Cr |
| Kieron Pollard | 2010 | MI | 3.42 Cr |
| Gautam Gambhir | 2011 | KKR | 11.04 Cr |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 2012 | CSK | 9.72 Cr |
| Glenn Maxwell | 2013 | MI | 5.3 Cr |
| Yuvraj Singh | 2014 | RCB | 14 Cr |
| Yuvraj Singh | 2015 | DC | 16 Cr |
| Shane Watson | 2016 | RCB | 9.5 Cr |
| Ben Stokes | 2017 | RR | 14.5 Cr |
| Ben Stokes | 2018 | RR | 12.5 Cr |
| Jaydev Unadkat | 2019 | RR | 8.4 Cr |
| Pat Cummins | 2020 | KKR | 15.5 Cr |
| Chris Morris | 2021 | RR | 16.25 Cr |
| Ishan Kishan | 2022 | MI | 15.5 Cr |
| Sam Curran | 2023 | PBKS | 18.5 Cr |